The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-02-18
HULDA.

By WILLIAM YAsHBURN.
There was a corn-husking in Nemashet
village. Farmers lads and Iasses, twoscore
or more, with sprinkling OF guests from the
Four Corners, were ciIcling about the barn
door.
The lightest-footed, though perhaps not
Che pre,tiest of the girls, was Hulda Bump.
5tra sht as yard of pump water at rest,
in motion che was as graceful as a river
reed.
you are trying to sell me- Jonas" she
said, DaGsing TO give her partner time to col
lect his breath.
1T will take sharp trader to sell you"
said Jonas.
He viii be happy man who buys me-
said Hul6a. But is it really true that jim
bonneville is going 10 preach here next
Sunday"
81 can swear 70 it," said her partner.
e'Nosh Pierce told me he nesrd it straight
from Long Wood, and Rachel Crossman told
Longs brother, the doctor; so it must be true.
But, HulGa, won't you DO something for me2
IN afraid 10 stOop down for fear OF spelling
the corkscrews In my hair; old Sylvanus
was an hour over them, and nv shoestring
Is united
Hulda led her lame knight to the common
dressing room, and kneeIing down tied his
chloe, aud returned to the dance.
Judged by the high standard OF the city
gaslight, the scene was not 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 been owned by Silas
Bonneville. Now that the title was in dis
pute, il served the village as q common
store house and allroom.
When Hulda came again upon the floor
she gave q start Of surprise.
well, declare, there is Matilda; didn't
think she'd come here. She told me moth
ing about it "
Il say, Hulda," said Jonas, what a nett
of hair Her top dressing must cost q big
Wsd before q years out"
How you do talk, Jonas, said Hulda
drowning.
at was ali over town the other day that
she was slck, continued Jonas.
''Sickp'
Yes" said Jonas "You see Madldy's
father cent her to buy some shingles at 81
Thomas's store. 81 told her he hadn't any,
and sent her to Doane's. Half an hour after
ward Mstildy was in the Postofice, and 81
comes up to her and says: Miss Mstildy,
have you got the shinglesp Yes she says,
very high and naughty; and Pine
Wood q call him Pine Wood, because
ne hates to saw any other kind Of wood,
Pine Wood hears what 81 and Mstildy
say, and Pine runs and tells everybody in
town that Matildy Bellows has got the shin
gles- Do you know" added Jonas in a whis-
per, 81 hear they're going to bounce Mr..
Nelson for leaving the head of his pitchfork
sticking in bis bull all night, aud il Jim
Townsville has got as much life in him as a
Brockton cheese he can worm his way into
the old parsons shoes and wag his head in
the pulpit every Sunday as regular as the
organ compaDys payroll"
Hulda paid little heed to her partners
words. She was thinking how splendid Ma.
Gilda looked The pearls in her hair were
real-she knew that we'll enough; her dainty
silk dress, her belt with polished buckles,
her shapely shoes and neatftting gloves.
Hulda knew all sbo1t Miss Bellows dress,
for she was half cousin, half companion and
half help of Matilda, aud she sighed as she
looked at her to think how cheaply she her.
self was put together.
Hulda bowed to Matilda who bowed in
return with that touch OF loftiness which, in
town and city, is by many thought to be
mark Of gentility.
HDlda was, however, an honest Yankee
girl and found it bark to think skim-milk
Ofherself long What Jonas had said then
REQUIRED go her. Her cousin, Jim Rounse-
vile (he was her third cousin as well as
Matildss). it was six years since she had
seen him. The last time he was at the
Corners, Matilda, Jim, Jonas and she had all
gone 10 AS8aWampSett Lake In the steam
boat Matilda had skulked half an hour be.
cause jim had given Hulda a young turtle
he had caught. Since then Jim had become
!, more than famous. He had graduated near
the head of his class at Brown University,
bad been year ar Princeton, and year in
some college in Germany. He must know
everything by this time; how she should en-
Joy hearing him preach.
do STOP said Jonas half pulling her
into corner. Il vow, don't know what's
You dance, Hulda, like thistledown in 8
WhirlWind. ! amt equal to these flights"
The young man. who was the wit of
Plymouth Comfy, shook his handkerchief
like signal of distress, and began humming
the familiar song:
"FOr she's an angels armful,
And I'm a sinful man"
While he was thus piously employed there
was lull in the dance, and some one pro-
posed that the girls hide ears Of corn and the
boys hunt for tbem-a proposal received
with applause and bushes. This was a b1si-
ness little to Hulds's taste, as the forfeits
we're vigorously claimed by the lads, and
Hulda determined to go home.
Not wishing, however, to dampen the
pleasure CT her comrades she thought she
would steal off alone, and, taking three or
four ears of corn, started out as If to engage
in the game.
1t was lovely night; the harvest moon
was at its full, and one could almost see the
gorgeous sutumpal coloring of the woods.
Hulda fastened past @ small school house.
toward IN abandoned rosd that runs this side