The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1896-07-03


The Romans kept in their houses an
altar to Vesta aud fed an eternal flame
in her houor This Ncsta, the genius of
the home though we recognize no moro
her SWAY i'm the old symbolic way, per
vades many % modern household with
her mild radiance Particularly in the
country where neighbors are scarce and
life falls into a pleasant routine, the do
mestic warmth from the invisible vostal
altar is apt to draw people together
and mere propimQuity and the attractive
force Of habit foster a friendly interest
and familiarity which in time are accept
ed by good humdrum people as a fair
substitute for love ] fancy that this is
the raisun d'ctrc of the majority of mar
riagcs among the rural gentry i'm Nor
way, and Mrs Brincbman. who was 20
profound connOissour of human nature,
had at first rcfrajucd from all interior
Cucc i'm the relation Of Mr. Falck and
her daughter because she had counted ON
the assistance cf the all porvasivc and
all powerful goddess Ncsta. She had OBJ
served with satisfaction that the period
of Indifference was past, and that both
from time to time were deeply agitatcd
She knew 10y intuition, for Hulda did
not confde in her, that they quar-
relied, and she regarded that ON the
whole as favorable symptom. Some
times they failed TO see each other across
the table at breakfast and dinner and
Mr. Falck wore a look Of perturbation
and anxiety which received its needed
commentary in Hulda's taciturnity and
majestic demeanor, The sapient mother,
who had anticipated n somewhat tu-
multuous first and second act in the
drama which she had plotted, felt, how
ever, a trific disappointed at the slow
ness Of its progress. There were days
when il seemed 10 have como TO an alb
solute standstill, and the two principal
actors appeared 20 have lapsed into
state of weary passiyity Ten months
had now passed since the curdte's arriv-
al, and an engagement was not yet in
sight Mrs. Brinclman therefore resolv-
cd TO stimulate her daughters con-
science by reminding her Of what great
issues We're at stake in her decision. She
was a formidable lady, this placid and
sagacious matron, and there was moth
ing that her daughter dreaded more than
a tete-a-tete with her Forceful as she
was herself and by no means a light.
weight in point of character, she felt
nevertheless insignificant and almost
helpless in those dircful interviews with
her mother The air Of the blue room
"a rarely used guest chamber with a
/ large flowered wall papor--to which she
was summoned on such occasions was
/ charged with a terrible eolemnity. The
/ fact that the bishop when he came ON
his annual tour Of inspection slept in
this apartment seemed somehow to in
vest it with an august dignity not un-
mixed with dread Hulda remembered
/ distinctly how in earlier years all the
brass lion heads ON the bureau and
washstaud made faces at her during the
/ half hour whilo she crouched in a cor
uer waiting 20 be taken to task for her
/ childish dcliuqucncics Tho lion heads,
10 be sure, had no toirors for her now,
but there were yet hidCous suggestions
lurking in the pattern Of the wall paper
and diabolical prohles which she had
. expended much ingenuity in detecting
during the penitential hours Of her pin.
afore period. There was something in
the atmosphere of the place which made
her a child again in the presence Of d
chastising parent and reduced her sell
respect and dignity 10 nil. She was
aware that with her mother no subtor
fuges would avail Mrs Brinclman
could not, like her husband be put of
with hattery or aifectionato cajolory
She had most uncomfortable way o.
stripping the subject under discussion o.
all sentimental drapery and exhibiting
it in its pitiless nudity Hulda, in thre,
blue room interviews, had now got th,
benefit Of her opinion concerning he
conduct TO Mr.. Falck, and there wa
not much room for illusion.
IL is not TO be denied that life SCENE,
10 be "A dreary affair to the girl whei
she was thus confronted with the steil
face of duty. Mr. Falck, as soon as h.
presented himself in the light Of an in
cvitable destiny, became almost odiOu
, to her, though there were even thei
moments when she did him the justic
! 20 exculpate him from completely il
p the plot He was, in fact, so touching
3 ly ignorant Of the sinister role he wa
, playing that Hulda was often temple,
, TO open his eyes and claim him as a con
] foderate She felt herself growing
? weaker in her opposition and foresaN
the time when, from sheer exhaustion
{ she might acquiesce in any arrangemen