Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-05-01

bUJ, on jDe OtlHr manu. lncTe was MS
fathers fate to deter him. He might have
lived quietly and contcntedly, ~ God had
meant him to do, If he had not allowed
himself 10 be lured ny the temptation to
gather riches aud make himself great in
the eyes of the world. That was what his
mother had said when she told him of the
troubles his fathers restless ambition had
caused her, and his scornful rejection of
her prudent counscls. She strove now with
all her might to draw the boy toward her,
and the more, perhaps, because she OWNED
in him the same spirit as that which had
led her husband astray. She was not "A soft
woman who could speak glibly of her SEN
timcnts. But the dread, like nm icy hand
ClutchinT at her heart, which took posses
sion of her Mt the thought Of losing him re-
vcaled to her how deeply she loved him.
She would have given much to have the
language Of affection readily on her tongue
but somehow it was denied her. And if, at
this late day, she adopted carcssing ways
and cndc9riug terms of address, she feared
the resulting awkwardness both on his
part and on hers The tone Of intercourse
between them had been established by long
habit, and strive rs she might she could
not now alter it.
Outwardly things were going along
smoothly enough. The widow, by diut Of
tirccss energy and skill, had worked up
tho farm until it fed them comfortably,
and she had paid Of the mortgage. Her
chief concern now was TO get Gunnar
safely married, or at least engaged. He
was, TO be sure, very young, bat not too
young to feel vague perturbation of his
blood at the sight of pretty girl The
great thing was TO get him securely
anchored and "a, an anchor for restless
disposition she knew nothing that awaited
except n wife and children.
Gunnar, thou th he had no suspicion of
his mothers plans, was inscnsibly drawn
in the direction her wishes. About mile
from his home lived Norwegian farmer
named Paul Gretna, who had a daughter
named Ingcrd. She was about Gunnar's
age or perhaps a year younger, aud had a
reputation for beauty. She was u soft,
dimple1 little creature. with alFectionate
blUeey,s g, a fresh infantne face and a rosy
CompleXion. 1t was difficult to tell from
that lace what manner Of woman she
might grow to I've; but it was fair 10 infer
That she would make comfortable wife
and a good mother Sh" wDs a blonde and
attractive disqualification Of her sex; and
that is, after all, what most men want
their wives 10 be. \ too distinct indi.
yilualny Is often an clement Of disturb.
anrc
Gunnar was, indeed, not the only one
who had discovered InLcrid's attractive.
ness. His old friend and antagonist,
TAorstep Slcttcn, with whom he had
fought at the prayer meeting, was a fire..
pucnt visitor At the CTetna farm, as were
also half dozen other lads, who made no
attempt to disguise their admiration for
the daughter of the house
They came every Sunday afternoon after
service, hung about the fences and the
walls of the outhouses, pushed aud
punched each other, laughed uproariously
when somebody stumbled or fell, and be.
havoi with sCrt q coltish sprghtliues.
which was calculated t. eyhibit them in a
favorable light in the eyes of lngcrid
Grctna Gunnar, though he felt himself
above indulgne in this horse play, did not
dare to forfeit his popularity by holding
aloof. 1t nattcrcd him to observe that he
was regarded by all as having the best
chance. and he had to keep steady watch
On Aiu9elf, lest hc should offend by betray
ing the,1pGGence Lofclt. For Paul Grctua
had made more than ouevi-it to his mother
Of late and Guunar had a suspicion that
the matter had already been talked over
"'' '''''','' - ''N ''' ~
AL events, he imagined lie detected some
thing vaguely 9atyrnh IN Pau! attitude
toward hun, rs Il ne Thought 1t unncoe~
gar! % iti-A Ignorance "' ms intentions
iut on such occasions Guuulr drew back
a. II afraid t. commit himself. FOR III th'
background OF ms 1nlnd me Hkal To keep
Nt'e loopho.e IN case he 0houli, after all
conclude to start out III the world III quest
of glory.
rms was the condition OF Things at the
time when the Farmer Lars Randh! cycl
invited his uclshooT7 to celebrate lis we'd
ding with haren Holtsrud. twas large
wedding, and BOTH Ounnaraud his mother
and lnscrid and her parents received lnvi
tau"uS. The pastor married IN" couple IN
the church at noon, and about forty
vehicles II eIl sorts accompanied them &c
the bridal house. All the picturesque
customs which IN s'orWaY makes such an
occasion memorable had been dropped; but
master of ceremonies there was, who
welcomed the bride and groom and pro
posed their health at the feast that 1ot
lowed. Ijcer lowed abunaautly at tx
table, and whisky was poured from pocket
TASKS which were passed about from honC
10 hand with mock prctcuse Of secrecy