The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1896-07-08

Olar was agan laken back, a1iu he
made up his mind that Mrs. Brinckman
had been preiudiced against him by his
uncle's letter and evidently meant TO
interest herself in the welfare Of his
soul. lie made up his mind to bear this
inconvenience, as he had many others,
with indulgont good humor and accom-
modate himself as well as he could TO
the situation. He was frank and
sunny tempered youth with the egotism
f hf PssS RRaa Raa tR2HhsR his H9eiSb t95
TO him occasionally it had never oc-
CURED to him that anybody else would
be animated hy the same unpleasant in
pulse. Tie had always felt kindly to-
ward all the world, aud he expected the
world TO treat him kindly in return. 1t
was "a great consolation to him that
Miss Hulda, who had listened i'm puzzled
dismay TO her mothers unconciliatory
discourse, obviously shared his senti-
mcnts, for she approached her mother
with Is very flushed face and with the
evident purpose of giving a fresh turn
to the conversation, inquired if Mr..
Brun was musical, to which Mr. Brun
replied with sigh of grateful relief
that he could sing and at pinch pick
out an accompaniment On the piano.
81 hope your voice goes well with
Hulda's, exclaimed the guileless par
son, and in spite Of a warning glance
from his spouse continued;
"Hulda has n magnificent soprano,
even if it is her father who says it. ~
There was distinct deprecation Of
such fatlery i'm the eyes of his better
half. who in order TO avoid an open pro-
test rose with the energy of suppressed
/ emotion and walked out into the kitchen
( She foresaw trouble and regretted hav-
| ing given her consent to recei.o this
young nnu INTO her family.
To Olaf the atmosphere seemed
brighter and sNveetor when she had
/ gone.
why nos try at once how our voices
harmonize?' he asked, skipping toward
the piano with impulsivo alacrity
Il don't need any assurance that
yours is beautiful, he added, with
charming audacity, for nature is not
such bungler as TO give thin and
shrill little voice TO a woman like you.
Tho pastor grew a trifle alarmed at the
boldncss Of this speech and it was a
great relief TO him when Mr. Falch en-
tered
"Tho Rev Mr.. Falck, my daughter.
botrothed, " he said, presenting him
"Mr. Civil Engineer Brun.
Both gentlemen bowed with stiff dig
nifty, and each stared at the other witt
dawning hostility. To Olaf the an
nouncemont Of Hulda's engagement tC
this mild and severely proper clergyman
was like au unexpected cold water
douche, and to Falclz this fluffy haireC
youth, with his gallantry and insinuat
ing manners, was like "a cry of break
ers ahead when he fancied ho wa
steering straight into port. They wer,
bound to get into collision sooner O
later, and as under the neutral mask o
politeness they stood glaring at eacl
other they drew themselves up with
proud masculinity like stays who ar
about TO engage in mortal combat 70
, the dominion Of the highlands.
Hulda in the meanwhile had seate'
herself at the piano and was striking
succession of chords with clarion not
of alarm. She felt as if the sight of Tia
young man, the wholly new and e2
quisite infections of his voice and tn
beautiful Difference of his speech wer
arousing her from a heavy hibenatin
! torpor and giving her a foretaste Of th
sweetness Of life. There was somethin
dimly laboring within her which sh
half feared as wicked and un-C Christian
and which she had successfully SUI
pressed until this moment. 1t wa
primarily a mere youthful ferment {
blood, might hunger for joy, a pre-
test against the perpetual asceticism
discipline, the rebellion Of untutore
( nature against the strait jacket whic
we call civilization.
She had never before met huma
being FROM whom she would have dare
r 10 claim sympathy for this side Of h'
60 character, which, as her mother ha
q told her, was the unregenerate ol
3. Adam 70 whose account all the trouble
;. and mischief in the world are charges
D BE. But she had no sooner looked I'M
70 the face Of Olaf Brun than the ha
- quenched spark Of JOY which had smo
D dered under the ashes Of dutiful Sc
q abnegation began to rekindle with
sweet reviving glow, and with a d
hghtful consciousness Of being as plea
ing in her sight as he was in hers 81
seated herself at tho piano and let h
2 glorious voice roll forth, not as befor
~ with melancholy resignation, but Wi
X a rousing, rolicking impetuosity whi'
made the curate glance with puzzle
froWn at the pastor. who got up i'll
ease, lighted his pipe and began
promenade the floor The young eng
sse, neer darted to her side, and with
"a. smooth, round, we'll trained barito
Joined i'm her song. He caught the ba
with admirable exactness - nay,
bounded into it with an alacrity viii
10 betrayed a deeply musical soul. Eve
an shade of sentiment, every crescendO al
Ie diminuendo he rendered with an &
quisite pliability which sent thrill
pleasure through Hulda's nerves. NJ
- their united voices scared together,
e. ioicing in their noble consonance; NJ
they parted company, chasing each OF
er in sportive wantonness, rocking, lea
.ts ing dashing away and resting at Il
Is in an exulting, harmonious eL4brace
they drifted through the full, sro
concluding chords into haven Of bli
- full silence.
y Hulda rose from tho piano with flu
gu Oh checks aud "A eubIime eyeitemf