Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-07-16

life and Happiness are at stake 1t can
never be too late. / hate mathematics ;
I loath machines; my soul revoits at
mechanics. And for a man TO spend his
life among the things he dctests is a
crime against himself. It is the great
est crime he a commit. You don't
know me yet. II you did, you would
not say it is too late. I feel the spark
of genius within Inc. I am aglow with
a divine fever-a mighty creature Inn
pulse. / know that I shall steal the fire
Of the immortals."
Such talk the parsons daughter had
never heard before, and she lacked the
experience to appraise it according to
it's worth. There was something in this
youths audacity that struck a respon-
sive chord in her bosom, and his en-
thusiasm for all that was beautiful had
a contagious quality which made it IT.
resistible. There was q warm persua-
~siveness in his eloquence which made
it a luxury to listen to him. n his ut
ter scorn Of the u%tilitarian ideals which
had been preached to her from her child
hood was delightfully."- daring and novel.
She scarcely noticed that he always
talked about himself, and that he found
no topic comparable to himself in inter-
est. His plans, his dreams, his expert
ences, his noble rebellion against teach
ers, discipline and guardian, his purpose
to conquer the world with his fame and
confound I'LL those who had doubted
his genius were the themes upon which
he played perpetual entertaining varia-
tions. It is scarcely to be wondered at
that Mr.. Falck's sober discourses about
the pietists, who were then causing q
disturbance in the parish, the alarming
emigration and the great poverty among
the tenantry seemed stale and unprofita-
BILE after such high flown dithyrambics,
and the curate, who observed that he
could not hold a candle to his rival,
soon withdrew from the competition.
He rated the young engineer S low as
regards moral worth and character as
almost to hold him harmless. He did
not doubt that Hulda, when the novelty
of his personality had worn off, would
discover his hollowness and then return
with q warmer allegiance to himself.
In the meantime he could afford to
wait. He knew her well enough to be
aware that the least opposition on his
part to Mr.. Brun, the least attempt at
disparagement, would enlist her SYM
pathy and make her his champion. He
therefore exerted himself to appear per
fectly neutral. He never allowed the
jealous wrath which sometimes took
possession Of him to color his speech,
and he never demonstrated against their
perpetual singing and playing. detached
strains of which reached him in his
study whenever a door was opened. And
yet never had Hulda appeared more
precious to him than now when he
seemed on the verge Of losing her. He
could scarcely comprehend what his life
could have been without her, and he
pitied his own gray and barren past.
Often he caught himself defending her
against his own charges and wondering
how she could ever have consented to
bestow her own radiant self upon one
70 unattractive and ill favored as him
self. Was she 8 very culpable in pre-
ferring the handsome, nimble witted
youth, if indeed she did prefer him?
1t was about the middle of February.
The world vas q vast, white void. The
forest was half buried under q shroud
Of snow, and the pines stood with droop-
ing branches, groaning under their bur-
den. Now and then when q load of snow
fell the bough shook itself with a sense
OF relief aud the fine frost crystals driz-
zled down g~listening in the sun.
The parsonage, lying waist deep in
the snow, looked like q fortress in a
state Of siege. surrounded by it's white
breastworks and ramparts. The Christ
mas sheaves. nailed on tall poles to the