The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-14
HULDA.
n Tale OF Yankee Love.
Bv wTLLrAM wAsHgURN.

-Four Corners, were circiing about the barn
floor.
The lightest-footed, though perhaps not
the prettiest of the girls. was HuIda Bump.
Straight as a yard o. pump water at rest,
in motion she was as graceful as q river
reed.
You are trying to sell me, Jonas" she
said, Dansing to give her partner time to col
1ect his breath.
1T viii take a sharp trader to sell you,
said Jonas.
He will be happy man who buys me-
said H1lda. But Is 1t really true that jim
Townsville is going to preach here next
oupdsy?'
4 can swear TO it." said her partner.
Noah Pierce told me be heard il strsi ght
rom Loog Wood, and Rachel Crossman told
Longs brother, the doctor; so il must be true.
But, Hulda won't you do something for ms2
I'm afraid to stoop down for fear OF spelling
xne corkscrews In my hair; old sylvauus
was 81 hour oSer them, and nv shoestring
is united"
Hulda led her lame knight to the common
dressing room, and kneeIing down tied his
shoe and returned TO the daace.
Judged by the high standard OF the city
2aslight, the scene was not q brilliant one.
But the sombre shadows of the huge barn,
with its dozen lamps, would have pleased SO
humble painter as Rembrandt.
The barn had been built when the old
Bonneville farm had bean owned by Silas
bonneville. Now that the title was in dis
pale, Il served the village as = common
store house and call room.
When Hulda came again upon TIE floor
size rave a start OF surprise.
Well, declare, there is Matilda; didn't
think she q come here. She told me moth
Ing ebont 4 E."
I say, Hulda," said Jonas. what neft
OF hairl Her fop dressing must cost big
wad before years out"
How you do taik, Jonas" said Hulds
fioEning.
1T wss al over town the other day that
she was SICK, continued Jonas.
'Sicki'
Yes" said Jonas "You see Matildy's
father cent her TO buy some shingles ct 81
Thomas's store. 81 told her ne hadn't any,
and sent her to Doane's Hall an hour after
ward Matildy was in the Pestoffics. and 81
comes up TO her and says MISS Matildy,
have you got the shingles? Yes she says,
very high and naughty; aud Pine
Wood U call him Pine Wood, because
hs hates to saw any other kind Of wood,
Pine Wood hears what 81 aud Mstildy
say. and Pine runs and tells every )dy In
town that Matildy BslIo ~ has z 1t ths shin
gles Do you know" added Jonas in q wis.
per, 81 hear they're going 10 houncs Mr..
Nelson for leaving the head of his pitchfork
sticking 10 his bull all night aud IL Jim
Townsville has got as much life ia him as
Brockton cheese he can worm his way into
the old parsons Shoes end wag his head 10
tie pulpit every Sunday as regular as the
organ cempsny's payroll
Hulda paid little heed to her partners
words She vas thinking how splendid Ma
filds looked The pearls IN her hair were
real-she knew that we'll enough her dainty
silk dress, her belt with polished buckles
her snapely shoes and neat.itting gloves.
Hulda knew all about Mics Bellows dress
for she was half cousin, half companion and
half help of Matilda, and she sighed as she
looked at Der to think how cheaply she her.
self was put together.
Hulda bowed to Matilda. who DO we'd in
return with that touch OF loftiness which, in
town and city, is by many thought to be q
mark OF gentility.
Hulda was however, an honest Yankee
girl. and found it hsrk TO think skim-milk
ssfherself long What Jonas had said then
required 60 her. Her cousin. Jim Rounse
vile Che was her third cousin as we'll as
Matllds's). Ii was six years since she had
seen him. The last time he was at the
Corners, Matilda, Jim, Jonas and she had all
gone to Assawampsett Lake ia the steam
boat. Matilda had sxuiked half an hour be
cause Jim had given Hulds q young turtle
be had caught. Since then Jim had become
more chan famous. He had graduated near
the head of his class at Brown University,
bad been year ar Princeton, and year IN
everything by this time; how she should en-
JOY hearing him preach.
DO STOP" said Jonas half pulling her
into corner. & vow, don't know what's
TIE matter with me. l ieel all In 3 sweat.
Ncu dance. Hulda. like thistledown in q
Vhirlwind. / amt eqna 70 these flights"
The Young msn. who was the wit of
flsnoUth County. shook his handkerchief
lits signal of distress, and began hummiug
It's familiar song:
'For she's an ANGELS armiul
And I'm q sinful MAJ"
While he was thus Diously employed, there
was lull in the dance. and some one pro
posed that the girls hide tars of corn and tie
boys hunt tor tbsm-s proposal received
with applause ana bushes rnis wes b1si-
ness little TO Hulda's taste, as the forfelts
were vigorously claimed by the lads, and
Hulda determined to 60 home.
Not wishing. however. 10 dampsn the
pleasure CT her comrades she thought she
would steal of alone, and, taking three OIL
Jour ears OF corn, started out as If 10 engage
IN the game
II was a lovely night; the harvest moon
was 81 its full. and one could almost see the
gorgeous autumral c0loTing OF tbs woods.
Hulda fastened psst small school house
toward sE abandoned rosd that runs this side
81 pine forest. siong which she could es
cape CDobserved
The plaintivs song OF the pine leaves msdS
her psuse; and a sense OF the beauty OF the
scene. the sloping valley, crystallized by tbs
touch c. dams fingers, stole over her.
She bad reached the weedy cellar of an old
house that stsnds BY The 70 q when she
beard step and turned her head. A hne
looking young fellow was Fastening toward
her
Why. JIM Mr.. Rounsevillel Is It yoag'
eks exclaimed.
.Doy on remember me9'' said the youne
man. what lovely girl you have grown
70 be-" He took both her hands. ST am SO
glad 10 see you" And before HuIds knew
rev to refuse she found herself paving the
very forielts from which she was trying to
escape
Sim JIM" she said, feeling the bushes
pspntirg 10 her temple. .oas :. tine :