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

N% GE@"SE #@A#t-4AH E@
II don't need any assurance that
yours IL beautiful" he added, with
charming audacity. ''for nature il not
such q bungler - to give . thin and
shrill little voice TO woman like You.
Tho pastor grew . trifle alarmed at the
boldness Of this speech, and it was q
great relief to him when MI. Falck en-
tered.
"The Rev. MI. Falck. my daughters
betrothed," he said, presenting him
''Mr. Civil Engineer Brun."
Both gentlemen bowed with stiff dig
nifty, and each stared at the other with
dawning hostility. To Olaf tho an
nouncement Of Hulda's engagement to
this mild and severely proper clergyman
was like an unexpected cold water
douche, and to Falck this fluffy haired
youth, with his gallantry and insinuat-
ing manners, was like a cry Of "break-
ers ahead" when he fancied he was
steering straight into port. They were
bound to get into collision sooner or
later, and a. under the neutral mask OF
politeness they stood glaring at each
other they drew themselves up with q
proud masculinity like stays who are
about to engage in mortal combat for
the dominion Of the highlands
Hulda In the meanwhile had seated
herself at the piano and was striking a
succession of chords with q clarion note
Of alarm. She felt az if the sight Of the
young man, the wholly new and ex-
quisite infections Of his voice and the
beautiful difference Of his speech were
arousing her from q heavy alternating
torpor and giving her q foretaste Of the
sweetness OF life. There was something
dimly laboring within her which she
half feared as wicked and unit Christian.
and which she had successfully sup
pressed until this moment. 1t was
primarily a mere youthful ferment Of
blood, q might hunger for JOY, q pro-
test against the perpetual asceticism Of
discipline, the rebellion Of untutored
nature against the strait jacket which
we call civilization.
She had never before met q human
being from whom she would have dared
to claim sympathy for this side Of her
character, which, as her mother had
told her, was the ~unregenerate old
Adam to whose account all the troubles
and mischief in the world are chargea-
BILE. But she had no soone looked into
the face of Olaf Brun than the half
quenched spark Of joy which had smol-
dered under the ashes Of dutiful self
abnegation began to rekindle with a
sweet reviving glow, and with a de-
lightful consciousness Of being - pleas
ing in her sight as he was in hers she
seated herself at the piano and let her
glorious voice roll forth, not as before,
with melancholy resignation, but with
. rousing. rollicking impetuosity which
made the curate glance with a puzzled
frown at the pastor, who got up ill at
ease, lighted his pipe and began to
promenade the floor. The young engi-
neer darted to her side, and with a
smooth. round. well trained baritone
Joined in her song. He caught the bass
with admirable exactness nay, he
bounded into it with an alacrity which
betrayed a deeply musical soul. Every
shade Of sentiment, every crescendo and
diminuendo he rendered with an
quisite pliability which sent a thrill Of
pleasure through Hulda's nerves. Now
their united voices scared together, re-
joicing in their noble consonancc; now
they parted company, chasing each 9TH
er In sportive wantonness, rocking, leap
ing, dashing away and resting at last
in an exulting, harmonious embrace as
they drifted through the tall, strong
concluding chords into q haven Of bliss
full silence.
Hulda rose from the piano with flush
ed cheeks and q sublime excitement
tingling through her frame. The pas
tor, who in his JOY at having discovered
a trnlY musical man forgot the n~ersonal