Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-07-30

heard but the clicking Of her Knitting
needles. It was chilly, and she had =
worsted shawl thrown over her shout
ders. On the tiled bit Of wall about the
stove, called tho fro wall, . blue Cain
was numbering q blue Abel, and q blue
Noah, followed by his blue family. was
emerging from the blue ark. Hulda Ne
NAMED standing at the door gazing at
these familiar sights and waited for her
mother to address her. It was singular
what an oppressive effect this 20 had
upon her ~spirits-how it cowed her self
respect and reduced her to q state Of ju-
venile delinquency. She was actually
afraid of her mother as she sat there in
her stern i~mnobility with the smooth
bands Of hair upon her placid brow and
her cap strings, which were 10 terribly
suggestive of something i~ncxorahly sim
ister, falling on either side OF her head
and giving a little futter whenever she
nodded, as if to acccntuato the points Of
her denunciation. And then the little
hairy wart on the left side Of her chin
what an awful fascination it had in the
p~inafore days during the ~torturing leo
ture that preceded chastiscmenti
II wonder that you dare look your
mother in the face, she began, pausing
in her knitting and fixing a gaze Of
stern ~reprobation upon her daughter.
"You-you sent for me-, answered
Hulda alphabetically. She felt acutely
the justice Of her cause, and. she was
determined not to be browbcaten.
But the habit Of respect for this for
midable blond matron was 80 deeply
ingrained in her that she found it i'm
possible to assert herself AZ she had in
tended.
II must say you arc q credit to your
family, - said Mrs. Brinckman severely.
II fancy I have done it NO discredit.'
There was a long, ominous pause,
filled by the clicking Of Mrs. Brinck-
mans knitting needles.
"Do you know she inquired with
slow and distinct enunciation, what
people would call a young lady who is
engaged to one man and has nocturnal
interviews with anothcr?"
"That does not concern me, for I had
broken my engagement with Mr.. Falck
before Listened to MI. Brun."
She had no desire to prolong the con-
versation and therefore readily lapsed
into silence. A couple Of minutes passed
before Mrs. Brinckman resumed her
CROSS examination.
MAY / ask, T" she began with a sar-
castle curl Of her lip. what opinion
you entertain Of o gentleman who de-
liberately sets out to steal another mans
fiancee and when received in a clergy
mans family on trust az presumably q
man of honor uses his opportunities to
beguile his hosts daughter into noctur-
nal meeting which must compromise her
reputation? Tell me, what do you think
Of such q man?'
IF it is Mr.. Brun to whom You re-
fer, - cried Hulda with sudden spirit,
for the least reflection upon her lover
aroused her indignation as nothing else,
''then I can only say that-that you
have been misinformed. In the first
place, q full grown woana ia not q
thing which can be stolen like a parcel,
nor is she q child which can by sweet
cajolory be beguiled into compromising
situations. / chose with my eyes wide
open between Mr.. Falck, whom I did
not love. and Mr.. Brun, whom I do
love. Whatever blame there is in the
matter attaches to me, not to him."
Mrs. Brinckman, who was unprcpared
for this frank avowal. knit her brow
and stared at her daughter in amaze
ment. The blue vein upon her forehead
swelled slightly, and her knitting drop
ped into her lap.
"I-I-knew that you were thought
less, - she said at last with calm sever.
ity. II did not know that you were
shameless.
Putting her hands on her knees, she
ross cumbrously, and the vases and
candlesticks ON the bureau shook M she
walked out Of the room. Hulda heard
her turn the key in the lock, and each
Of her r~etreating footsteps through thu
long hall gave an echoing thump in hel
heart.
fro BE CONTINUED.