The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1896-06-26
CII.PrER

~ wild, usty sky, blackish blue to-
yaid the west; brown stony, kelp
covered beach and tumblin- breakers
all inclosed in a Nigh y fr ne of noun
ains-that was the sc ne oi which
Hulda was the center She was stand
ing upon q bovlder, shading ner eyes
with her hand, and looking out to sec
She was a tall, straight, handsome gil,
o. nineteen or twenty, of pure Scandi-
navian type. The wind blew her blond
hair across her face and strained her
skirts about her limbs. The gulls flew
shrieking over her head. She had q
healthy outdoor color, and in the
weatherwise glance with which she
scanned the horizon there was some
thing half professional Looks rather
squally, don't you think, Magda?" she
remarked, addressing her younger sis
ter, who was sitting ON little mound
Of pebbles at her feet
'I can't tell, Hulda, the latter an.
swered plaintively. "You know this is
my week in the kitchen, and have nc
responsibility for the weather
Hulda apparently did not hear what
she said
There, " she cried, "do you see that
black streak against the horizon? No,
not there North-north--westl That,
the steamer. He's comingr'
She jumped down from the bowlder
seized her sister who in the meanwhile
had risen, about the waist, and began
to waltz to a tune which she gayly
hummed with little wanton dashes and
hourishes
Nov, Hulda, do try to be little
ladylike, Magda implored "You
know he'll never like you if you behave
like that. "
"Well, what does it natter" ejacu.
lated Hulda striking a defiant attitude.
If he don't like me he'll like you. and
in the end it amounts to the same thing
He'll take one daughter out of the fam
lily and that is all he is expected to do
l don't know but on the whole / pre-
fer that he should take you. You are
such dear, soft, little pink Of propriety,
so nice to pet
She put her arms about Magda s neck
and kissed her with exaggerated affec-
tion.
"Oh, do let me alone, Hulda" Mag
da protested "You are so perfectly
dreadful when you are excited, dear!"
Am / dreadful because tell you
that l give him up 10 you-that l shan I
look at him once while he is with us
that / shall be perfectly horrid to him
so that he'll detest me from the bottom
of his soul?'
What stuff you do talk, dearl How
can you give him away when he is not
yours, and how much less could you do
it if ho were yours? And what would
mother say if you disappointed herr
You know she has set her heart upon
this prospect Of marrying Mr. Falcb "
Well, that's only because she has
got it into her head that am the hand
soonest and have the best chance. Any
other daughter would do just as we'll
You know father wants to send Fritz
to the Latin school in Christiania, and
he can't afford TO do that until some
body has taken a daughter or two off
his hands. It's pity Mr.. Falck isn't a
Mormon. Then he might take the whole
half dozen.
The girl who spoke in this reckless
fashion was the eldest daughter Of the
Rev Carl Brinckman, who had for a
quarter Of century ministered TO the
spiritual needs of the peasants and fish
ermen in u remote ford valley on the
western coast Of Norway. She was a
trife above medium height and Of that
L "a lfrf xnfn agh IN, O. 4
velops into pleasant matronly solidity.
There were a restlessness and wild
grace in her motions which indicated i'm
patience of restraint, and her beauty, too,
had n touch of something amazonian.
1t was emphatic and brilliant rather
than gentle. Her motions, as she walk
ed along the beach fiinging her hand
some head TO the right and to the left,
had something Of the wanton charm Of
an unbroken colt. Her frank blue eyes
expressed the liveliest curiosity. They
were not bold eyes, and they were too
inexperienced 10 be impertinent But
they were unshrinking, deep and tender.
The chief beauty of her face was, now
ever mouth Of singular sweetness and
purity 1t was impossible to think i'll
of a person with such nobly chiseled
lips They served as a voucher for the
personality. She had a way Of tossing
up her chin which her father declared
was not at all maidenly, and she had,
according 70 the SAINT authority, a doz-
en- other faults which needed perpetual
correcting, as they would be likely to
prejudice an intending suitor This
warning had, however, not the expected
effect If there was anything Hulda en-
loyed it was offending prospective suit
ors-hurling defiance at them by main
tanning her own proud independence.
She felt Inundated - the thought that
she was being tac,Ey offered on the
sh"apest possible terms 10 any respecta-
BILE party who might be disposed TO take
her and the only way she could under
such conditions preserve her self esteem
rs % treat all respectable parties that
light be suspected of serious inten-
ons" y i'll marked contumely.
q was that miserable Fritz-the par
sor s youngest child AID only boy-who
y his com g ad made all the six girls
sunerhuOus. Fritz was but 10 and had
all sorts lisagreeable tricks, but for all
that ~ commanded the house, and
~ Aat ne did was regarded both by
his .ather and mother as being well
done de was as wild and ruthless a
barbarian as ever invaded peaceful
parsonage. He got up from table when
ever he pleased and never asked 20 be
excused. He had mysterious errands in