The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-05-06
IN SEARCH OF A WIFE.
By EVELYN THoRP.


Hiram Couldock might have looked some
what strange TO q civilized Eastern eye as
he made bis first appearance in the small,
picturesque Maine town hIs father had left
eight and twenty years before, when Hiram
was pink-fsced infant in long clothes. 1t
was difficult, at sight of his enormous chest
and Titan-like shoulders, and the full, short
chestnut beard that framed the lower por-
ten Of his fine ccuntenance, 10 picture to
ones self now that at any epoch of time he
could ever have answered to the above de-
scription, but is safe to say that no feeling
of straDgeuess of embarrassment had dwelt
in his own soul, though he had so suddenly
been transplanted amid conditions and sur.
roundings so utterly opposed to those to
which rs had al his life been accustomed,
until Mabel Trask, quickly crossing with the
soft, direct motion of bird on the wing the
length OF her mothers pretty morning-room,
stretched out a slim hand toward him with
q pretty cordislity of welcome, and spoke a
few words in her low, weil-modulated, we'll
bred and well-tTained voice.
Then Hiram, for the first time in his life,
had sudden and very discoBcsrting sensa-
ton Of being awkward, Oonderons, out OF
place and i'll at ease. Before this slight,
delicate aud in his eyes etheIeslly refined
looking girl, with the black hair brushed
loosely from g low GIecian brow. and a pair
of wonderfully derk and deep blue eyes
looking with calm self possession at nm
from cut OF her small, pale, oval face, he
felt himself great, hnlkiDg fellow, without
one grace, one merit, one excuse for being.
The daIntiness of the little parIor, the
books, the flowers IN vases, the slight femi-
nine DeedlewOrk lying about, the thousand
and one indications of refined, wOmanly
presence, impressed his Unworn sensibilities,
fresh from the iIee, Western life OF the
pislns, with a strange force. He bad no
means Of knowing, not being versed n the
lore of women's looks, that while he sat
there. feeling himself to be like bull in q
China shop, Mabel Track was telling herself
in reserved. maidenly fashion that ne was
the most superb-looking man she had ever
seen; so tall, so commanding, so simple, so
manly and gentle withai; yes. she felt sure
of his being gentle. Not knowing this, as
has been said, Hiram Couldock was uncom-
Portable and disgusted with himself, exceed
ingly. And thus it came to pass that his first
Wait TO Mrs. rrask who had known his father
long years ego, and, indeed, hsd been
sweetheart Of his, and TO her daughter, was a
brief one; and, in one sense, al unsatisfacto-
~ one.
Now Hiram Ceuldock hsd come East on a
peculiar mission. The death of a relative.
who left HIM small sum in her will, had
served 81 an excuse for the journey; but, in
reality. be mad far other thoughts in his
mind when he sought his birthplace. than
this slim legacy. He had enough of his Hn
and was doing we'll; in few years more, il
luck remained his friend, he would have a
more than comfortable competency. Money,
then. troubled him not at all. But he wanted
wife, and he had come east to look for her
to find her.
This young fellow, with his Herculean ex-
terror, mad, though he suspected Ii not in the
least, great fund of idsality, of hero. wor-
ship, and q great capacity for boudless ten
derDsss ard selfsacriti>e, hidden in the
depths Of his soul. Uoconsciously he had
for years loved vague ideal semblsnce OF q
waman formed in his o1a brain and heart;
the few women he had come in contact with
about his western home had been very far
from reaching to the full stature of that per-
feet woman-the one woman in the world
for him existed somewhere, that his life
could never be complete until he had met
her face TO face, grew with time, until, ii nal.
", this pretext of his sunfs will serving
him, he had started ont with this half de-
fined idea of finding her, with an ardent
wish to cRIry back TO his hearthstone that
helpmsts whose presence would make
''bnms" for the first time not an empty word.
When he left Mrs. Trask's house singa-
lar thing occurred. He had walked tue
length OF the main street OF the little town
still with that new, confused and morify-
ing sense CT having been at e disadvantage
uDoH him when he found himsalf suddenly
emerging from this mood aud going over,
with curious and minute intensity. every
word Mabel Trask bad spoken. every infec.
ton OF her voice and every look of her eyes.
Just then little school girl passed him She
held q small bunch of vi0lets in her hand.
The perfume reached him and he remem-
bersd that the very fame scent had been
waited toward him when Miss Trask came
forv ard 10 greet him. She had worn a few
vielets in her dress The trivial coincidsuce
sent small, subtle thrill through Hiram
CoRldock. He stopped and stood perfectly
still for the space of moment. Then be
took one long breath and moved on. He
had suddenly felt, as surely as though q
fash from heaven had been sent to illumine
the fact for him, that this was the one
woman, that she had been met at last.
A day or two passed. and then Hiram
called again upon Mrs. Trask. He had the
privilege of doing so. owing to the long
friendship and intimacy OF the two families.
and he had besides been specially urged 70
come sgain, and come soon. Miss Trask was
in the room. Alb, how lovely shs looked
In light, trained gown this time, which to
ment-fit for the queen that she wes-thouzh
ii was only house dress, after all. Shs
made him think OF aower--s) pure, so
sweet, so delicately white she was. He did
not know for some moments that there was
any ore else In the room. Then a young
man, q slight and rather handsome but some
what effeminate looking young man, emerged
from the embrasure of q bay window where
he had been sitting, with large, striking
young woman, and Hiram was introduced IN
turn to Miss Robbins, Miss Trask's cousin,
and to Mr.. HennevaY-
Hiram never had very distinct idea oil
how the evening passed. Miss Robbins sang
in sharp, brilliant soprano, aud Miss Trzsk
in rich contralto, and the lsnguid young
man. Mr.. Henneway, played accompsni.
ments Hiram was conscious of only one
thing. he loved this girl with the white