The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-01-20

were becoming scandalized by her re-
publican tenets.
At one time Mabelford had spoken
with combined feeling and force of the
way in which he regarded his daugh-
ter's choice of q future husband. I
listened mtently enough for had just
then the strongest reason to acquaint
myself with his foil judicial attitude.
II want Hilda," he said, to marry
g man who is worthy of her, and
whom she sincerely loves. But have
no wish that his worthiness shall
take any form of worldly distinction.
1t isn't at all requisite with me that
he shall be a Dabob, or the son of a
nabob, or even the remote cousin of
one. If he is not an adequate defini-
ton of that indefnable somebody
whom we call gentleman, shall be
heartily sorry. But / think that my
explanation of q gentleman, if I could
ever phrase it accurately rather than
feel it intuitively, would be at once
wider and narrower than that of
many people whom I know. Should
Hilda choose man with intellect be-
low her own, I should not deplore
this selection as mistake; it is indeed
more than probable that she will hit
upon some one who is either consider
ably above her or considerably below
her In gifts of the mind"
Your first prophecy" | said,
''strikes me as by no means astute."
"Pshaw, nay friend; don't rate
Hilda too high. I've done my best to
make her what she is. But she is no
genius; she is simply a very carefully
trained young woman"
He did look the next few weeks, and
on terms of marked intimacy with
his daughter, From the first Mabel
ford had liked this man, and after
more than one agreeable and stimu-
lating talk with him had decided that
he was conspicuously able and intel
ligent.
Julius Asher was the son of g. GER
tain Mr.. Tobias Asher, a. Hebrew,
who had gained a large fortune as a
dry goods merchant in New York, and
who now dwelt in easy luxury not far
from Central Park. No great pecuni-
are expectations could be predicted
for julius; the Asher family was a
large one, and although he would un-
doubtedly receive a handsome share
OF his fathers wealth, such patrimony
would prove by no means princely
But Julius, on the other hand, stood
in the way of brilliantly succeeding as
a Lawyer. He had already won for
himself, at the age of three and thirty,
valuable standing at the bar.
Mabelford soon saw the truth. OF
all Hilda's admirers none had found
so much favor with her as Julius
Asher. Asher had never strivep tor
acceptance among the fashionable
potentates. He tolerated no pat
ronage just as he permitted no re-
bluffs. Those who received him did
SO on the most strictly equal terms.
He was sensitive about asking the
slightest social indulgence; his secure
self-esteem would have resented any
hint of condescension. He was quite
Indifferent to being made one OF the
idlers at the prosperous New York
clubs.
Mabelford had hardly made the dis
covery OF which l haye just written
before his daughter, as he afterward
told me, confessed to him that Julius
Asher had asked her to become his
wife.
"My dear child, are you serious?"
"Serious, papa?" echoed Hilda.
Her face was tinged with flying blush
es, and her lips trembled. do you
think would speak to you as have
done without being serious?"
mo, no, surely not, my DEAR" an.
swered her father. "But you are
AWARE mean you fully under
stand" He was still holding the girls
hand in his own rs he now abruptly,
almost precipitately paused. He
searched her face with look where
grief and kind humor were queerly
commingled. O., Hilda," he faltered,
"you see exactly what want to say.
Don't you, darling?"
ness coming into her voice, while she
drew away both hands. II hope you
do not mean, papa, that you dislike
julius Asper."
Dislike him!" Mableford exclaim-
ed. .'Oh, far from that, Hi!da!"
Her voice instantly softened. She
looked up at her father with eyes
that swan with tears. ooh, I'm so
glad of it if you really do like him!"
she broke forth" II want you so to
like him. Nearly every one does,
find. He is so gentle, so modest, and
yet he holds his own with so much
manly simplicity.
"Yes," answered Mableford, gloom
lily. II suppose he has to do a good
deal of holding his own. 1t might
have gone i'll with him if he hadn't :
"Papa!" cried Hilda, her eyes flash
ing, you like him and yet you-you
remember that against him! Oh, II
can hardly believe it OF you! He
wanted to speak to you first himself1
but l told him I was enough of an
American girl to say the first word,
and that there might be this objection
raised, though had heard my father.
declare, twenty times at least, that
his feelings we're those of-of the
warmest sympathy, and that all the
bitter malignity, all the merciless hue
and-cry of past ages, had always
made him feel indignant and shocked
beyond measure. For you know that
you did say this, papal" Hilda now
went on excitedly. You know"
Yes. l do know it," Mable!ord
broke in. II haven't, 1 assure you.
my dear, the remotest intention of
denying it. said all this about that
wonderful, tenacious, indestructible
H. =