The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1901-11-01

that he had missed third opportun-
ity of plucking cardinal flower, Ma
ture having, as it were, flung her most
vivid wildfower at him recklessly and
in vain.
His mind had been trained in the
business world, where he had conceiv-
ed that he owed his success to energy
and concentration of purpose. He was
going to Camp Ancient now, and his
one idea in going to place was to get
there. So he wasted no thought on
the way, but lay back in his seat be-
hind the surly driver, reading maya
zine to kill time. The sun hurt his
eyes, and the stories in the magazine
wearied him. There was a sameness
about them. Forit is singular fact
that if you have any particular detes-
tation in fiction las, for example, dia-
lect stories) and go upon a journey
with but one magazine, three out of
five Of those stories are apt to turn out
dialect stories. John Hildebrandt'S
particular aversion was love stories,
where the plot turned upon the hero's
falling in love with woman already
married or engaged to- somebody else.
He reflected that in his life time of 80
years he must have read several thOus-
ands of these narrowing productions,
and that there was scarcely any deed
Of despair or of chivalrous service
which he had not beheld the hero per-
form for his unattainable lady love,
until one felt that if by some chance
he should win her it would be almost
an anti-climax. 1t showed great
lack of originality in story writer's, he
reflected, yawning.
Besides, in John Hildebrandt's
world, which was a wholesome world,
where average, everyday people lived,
nothing of the sort ever happened.
When his meu friends married they
Invariably purchased new houses in
the suburbs, spent all their spare time
creating flower beds and screen doors,
became unable to conceal their enthu-
siasGic interest in their own lawn
mowers and ice-cream freezers, and in
vited him out to Sunday dinners,
where their wives had charming girls
to meet him, and told him seriously
that he ought to marry and settle
down himself. Everything was har-
monious and notwithstanding
bloodcurdling-nobody dreaming of
falling in love with the wrong person.
AS for going on caring for girl who
didn't care rap for one in return
pshaw. The idea was nonsensical.
He sat up and flung the magazine into
the woods.
care those things fit to eat?' he
asked the driver, noting the crimson
cherries for the first time.
'Good for birds to eat, that's all, -
said the diver, gruffly.
"Utterly wasted! What pity"
muttered Hildebrandt, who thought
in all sincerity that the earth and the
fulness thereof was meant for man.
The time when the universe to him
should consist of one woman and the
place where she dWelt was not yet ar
rived.
1t looked precipitous way when
the driver finally checked his horse.
''This is the place to get out. |
never take my team up the hill," said
the driver-who meant his single
horse.
"The deuce you DON'T" said Hide
brandt in some dismay. Then he
recollected his hosts directions as to
the mountain path, paid the driver
and shouldered his satchel for the
climb
Elizabeth Townsend, going down to
the Camp Ancient spring for a pitcher
of water, was first to spy the newcOm-
er, still toiling up the curving road
way far below. She was pleasant
sight to look at in the morning sun
shine, with her fresh face and girlish
figure. Hildebrandt thought her
beautiful when he saw her later, though
she was hardly that. But she had fine
gray eyes and blond hair, and was
sweet and womanly looking from the
crown of her head to the sole of her
foot. A girl who knew her well had
once described her to dot:
"Elizabeth Townsend is SO whole