The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1896-07-21

CHAPTER XIII

her sister along the highway when she
met Nils, the groom, carrying the mail
bag Nils, who from shrewd intuition
had guessed the true state of affairs, had
taken the precaution to conceal in his
pocket letter with American stamps
upon which he had deciphercd Hulda's
name The grateful glance with which
she rewarded him made him for a mo-
ment cherish murderous designs against
Mr. Falck, that malicious ogre, who, rs
he fancied, was prosecuting her
1t was not clear from Olaf's letter
whether lac had written any epistles be-
fore " hich had never reached her Mrs
Brinckman, it appeared, had, as he ex-
pressed it, blackguardod him Co his
uncle and made him no end Of trouble
That lofty fdnctionary had indeed AS
sumed such an insulting tone toward
him aprcpos Of his engagement to her
that nothing but his gray hairs had
saved him from the thrashing which no
had deserved On the very day, how
ever, when he filed his twenty fifth
year his patrimony, which, on account
of the expense Of his education, had
shrunk TO an insignificant sum, had
been paid 10 him, and his guardian,
washing himself Of all further response
bility, had politely invited him 60 go TO
the devil UncOnsciously complying
with this request perhaps, ne had gone
TO Berlin, Dusseldorf and Munich with
the intention of seriously taking up his
art studies, but the masters had been so
unanimous in discouraging him, alleg
ing that he was too old to accomplish
anything, that he had lost heart and in
sheer despair taken passage for America
He had now spent two months rather
stupidity in travelling through the east
ern and southern states and had finally
settled down in Chicago, where he was
looking about for something to do.
There were no protestations Of atfec-
tion--no love passages, properly speak
ing--in the letter, which was wholly
occupied with the writer's own tribula-
tions and grievances. He had been un-
fairly treated by fate, was down ON
his luck, " in the American phrase and
it seemed to have occurred to him as an
inspiration Of the moment at this en-
gagement of his, which he ha hitherto
scarcely taken as serious, might be
worth keeping up, after all, as an excuse
tor confidence and solace in afliiction.
Emotional as he was and lyrically in
clined, he may have extracted from it
an aesthetic satisfaction and perhaps
even persuaded himself that he yet low
ed HuldA
This is the way the letter would have
impressed an lmprejudicod reader if in
deed by the inadvertence of the post
Office it had strayed into the hands of so
unsympathetica person. But to the low
ing eyes Of its recipient it was a noble
touching, heart stirring narrative which
conveyed no hints Of s1rdid meaning
She read and reroad it a hundred times,
and always with fresh emotion She sat
and brooded over each phrase TO extract
as it We're, its last drop of sweetness.
She exulted in the thought that, though
half the globe separated them, she
could yet feel across oceans and conti-
nents. that harmony of souls which
made their hearts beat in unison. ltWas
her duty TO be at his side, even though
he were too unselfsh TO ask such sac
rifce of her. But there was 10 sacrifice
in obeying the innermost promptings OF
her heart, in resolutely seeking the only
happiness which life had i'm store foI
her She half wished that some sinister
fate might be lying in ambush in hel
path, putting her to the fiery test, 50
| that she might stand before him rs ont
| having endured for his sake contumely,
hardship and pain. Then she might per
haps prove herself worthy of him thei
only, when having defied distance, ad
yersity and evil soheming, they should
meet, crowned with woe, would theil
cup of JOY be full.
In the happiness which she derived
from this letter Hulda could no longei
feel resentment toward any one, and sh,
became not only conciliatory but almos
friendly in her attitude toward Mr.
Falck Mrs Brinckman noted th'
change with quiet satisfaction, and Mr.
Falck himself began 10 hum a. he walk
ed through the halls and played in hi
room, instead Of 1.-The Damnation O
Faust, Spanish dance by Sarasat
which painted and palpitated with joy
Gus abandon. 1t was late in October
and the weather had for week beer
stormy. Nils. the groom, on his way L
the stable often stopped under the Gu
rates window, listening in puzzled won
der to the gay strains that escaped int
the night, mingled with the storm ant
We're whirled away iUto the black space
There seemed somehow (not 20 Nils
but 10 Hulda, who was standing wrap
ped in a rain coat on the balcony tina
there was a great passionate pulse bea
in the storn-something nobly viii
and free and untamable, and she fel
within herself a kindred throb--a TEN
pestuous yearning 70 break all bond
and live life Of glorious, untrammele
freedom.
She was interrupted in these medita
tions by two men clad in yellow oi
clothes who came stamping mp the steI
and inquired for the pastor The raj
was dripping from their boards an
noses and running in rivulets from IN
brims q their hats. They pulled 4
their mittens, and each extended
horny hand toward the girl
Thanks for Nst meeting, they SAID
Thanks yourselves, answered sh'
] ut is rough weather 10 be trayelin
) in, E" she added after a pause
Yes, pretty dirty weather, though 4
this season nothing else is 20 be expeo
ed.
"What do you want the pastor. for Z