Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-07-16
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CHAPTER TX.
At the appointed hour Nils drove mn
before the door with the parsons best
horse-a fat and ponderous family cob
of uncertain age-and betrayed a. near
" a. he dared his contempt for Mr..
Falck's poor muscle by the way he
handed him the reins. Fritz was bal
ancing, with both hands in his pockets,
on the top Of the wood pile and watched
the horse with the eye Of a connoisseur.
Now ahd then he ~vouchsafed his future
brother-in-law q c~ontemptuous glance
as he stood wrapped in a wolfskin over
coat and with u huge red wooden scarf
wound ABOUT his neck and waist. Pres
emily Huldp appeared, stepping lightly
in spite Of Ahe heavy fur cloak (Which
was the COMMON property Of three Sis
tiers and worn ,hv turnsl. and with =
youthful elasticity whicE>1Arcussd the
admiration of the critical Nih.
II tell We. boy he observed 10 Fritz
who had just leaped down from the
wood pile, ''if that amt a boss girl.
Nils Thorsen amt no jedge of women
folks"
II am going to tell Randie the cook
that you said that" remarked Fritz
with tho malice of jealousy.
The groom laid his head on one side
and spat with an expression Of concen-
trated cynicism and disgust, but the
words he uttered were not for ears no.
lite.
Mr.. Falck was in the meanwhile
awkwardly assisting in disposing his
fiancee's feet in q fur lined bag. and abe
was accepting his attentions with q half
rebellious acquiescence. In the parlor
windows the pastor and his wife were
seen watching the preparations for the
ride with parental interest and nodding
and kissing their hands, and in the
windows Of the second floor Magda,
Stina and four smaller sisters and three
servant girls were taking note Of the
important event and exchanging the
liveliest comments.
When finally the wolfskin robe had
been strapped to the sides of the sleigh,
the curate signaled cautiously to tho
horse, who started forward with q jerk
and came near upsetting the vehicle in
the great snowbank at the gate. A
maid here emerged from the house, call
ing Miss Hulda and waving o mufler
frantically above her head.
Mr.. Falck stopped the horse and in.
quired what was the matter.
"Your mother, Hubby, she wants you
to put on this mufaer." declared the
maid ~breathlessly. "She's afraid you
might freeze your ears"
ooh, botherl Tell her / don't need
it."
"she do say it very particular, HUI
dy."
well, give it here"
She snatched the muff1er from the
maids hand, and turning to her fance
made q motion as il to take the reins
away from him.
do whip mp the horse" abe demand
ed, "or they will be sending the whole
family wardrobe after "a"
Though it was but little after 4
O'Clock in the afternoon the sun had
long since set, but the moon had not
risen. The stars flashed forth from the
deep nocturnal blue with . dazzling
brilliancy. Venus glowed with q bright
and steady shine Mars twinkled with
an uneasy s~cintillating splendor, and
Jupiter, large like . diminutive moon.
sailed in calm majesty under the milky
way. The now sparkled aud glittered
with myriads Of frosty diamonds, and
the hollows and fluctuations were filed
with clear. BLUSH shadows. It cracked;
under the horses hoofs. It few like
rifle balls past their sara, flung up
BY the animals hoofs. It drixGled in
faint, spasmodic showers from tho pine
boughs when the wind Of their speed In
vaded the still and silent forest. In the
vast, solemn, moonless void the Jingle
Of their sleighbells sounded fat and .
tril1e frivolous. It was like q trivial
dancing tune played upon an organ.
Hulda listened to it with Z Glight an
noyance until by IL ~ceaseless iteration
1t became absorbed in the silence, and
she heard 1t no She half forgot
her companion, too, and her Thought
went ~careering through the boundlees
space with a blissful sweep and buoy
ancy. She was sentative, easily attuned,
a. is every artistic temperament The
newly discovered delight Of sympathy
which her intercourse with Brun had
yielded her had somehow impaired .
tensity to her mood, q quivering an.
oeptibility to the influences Of nature.
Continued next week.