The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-04-26
IIEARTLESS.

the girl; ''but have"
Her splendid eyes flashed upon the
young fellow, and in dull underlined
way he felt clumsy and loutish, and
altogether inadequate to the compan-
ionship of this radiant creature.
"Ambition!' he repeat vaguely.
Hilary swung herself on the gate
with an impatience which perhaps ac-
corded little with the announcement
she had been making of high and
brilliant social aims for herself.
Yes, ambition. Did you ever think
you would like to be anything more or
better than you are now? And what
are you? just q farm-laborer.
She flung the words out with mag
niticent contempt.
''lt's what your father and brother
were, Hilary" returned Oliver after a
little space.
He said it gravely, without accent of
offense.
That's no reason why everyone
should 90 on being the same thing to
everlasting" announced Hilary, not
very clearly, but with decision and
passion.
this worldly wisdom. This had al
ways been their attitude. Her nim-
bleness and wit left his slowness and
heaviness at a loss. There were things
he would have liked to say-things
which he felt vaguely, which haunted
him with a torturing sense that his
reason were best, but that he should
never succeed in explaining them so
that Hilary would heed, or even listen.
He stood in appearance bulky
stolid young rustic, chewing without
thought the long straw he held be-
tween his teeth; and the bright, slight,
vivid girl by his side continued to
swing her little body backward and
forward on the white gate from which
the paint was chipping, and forgot
his existence.
1t was a night fair and warm, and
redolent with sweet wholesome Odors
from the great red barn stocked with
grain. There was a glory of moon
light abroad, and south wind rustled
tie elms. 1t was night full of poetry
full of the mysterious voices of nat
ure.
The young fellow, through his
visions. resolves, yearnings he could
not define or understand, of which he
was scarce conscious. The girl, her
spirited beauty glorified by the rare
light that shone upon her face, her
eyes looking widely out into the sleep
ing fields, dreamed of city streets, and
the delights of delicate dress.
After a silence neither had meas
ured for different reasons, Oliver
stirred slowly.
Il suppose must be going" he said.
'Oh, must you?"
Hilary came back violently from
her reverie and gave him an absent
glance. But Immediately. as he was
turning away without other words, she
added:
Come again when you can" and
accompanied the admoniton with a
smile whose actual enchantment she
could not have helped had she tried
She looked after his tall broad fig
ure going down the moonlit road.
Poor Oliver! He's a frst-rate fell
low" she thought.
And then she went back to the cas-
ties she. was building, crystal clear
and iridescent with a hundred
lights in the silence of the sweet
serene midsummer night.
The shops were opening, the factory
girls We're trooping to their work, and
the great city was awaking with a
myriad tongues to its busy day, when
young man-who, somehow, had the
look of middle age about him, too
stopped at an address which he had in
his pocket. 1t might have been there
some time. for the bit of paper on
which it was written was worn and
discolored at the folds.
a tall and imposing parsonage with
4 costume of conspicuous stylishness
and an unimpeachable coiffure, looked
at him and came forward a little.
She seemed to be the only woman in
the large deep shop, down the length
of which stretched broad white count
ers laden with feathers, hats. flowers,
and boxes of ribbon. Some Young
men clerks, were lounging about in
various attitudes of languor, awaiting
the beginning of the days labors.
Lester, did you say?' repeated the
imposing person with the smooth and
effective hair. Miss Hilary Lester?
couldn't tell you. really. She has not
been here in my time. We employ
only few girls upstairs on trimmed
sample hats"
Sne had an air of having dismissed
the rural looking new conner. One or
two of the younger clerks smiled.
Perhaps Oliver saw it. If so he did
not mind. He waited a moment more.
'You-you could not tell me where
she is now?"
The superb female smiled nightly.
Not very well, since | have told
you that l don't even remember the
name"
mo, of course not, stammered poor
Oliver.
WHO was he after? Seemed to be
pretty badly cut up he heard some
one laugh as he went out.
Stumbling little in his hulking
countryman's walk, he passed along
the great, strange, noisy street once