Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1902-02-20
'HlLDEGARDE's ESCORT.
By Il Mary S. Daniels.


Ssssssssssssss
s By Mary S. Daniels. 9
Seeo9o@oo9eo999eeooosoe9es
THREE letters at once. Such thing
/ had never happened to Hide.
garde before. and she blushed and
d dimpled with pleased surprise as she
surveyed the row of envelopes, de.
= batting which to open first.
All three bore the Seaforth post,
4 mark. That was almost matter OF
course, for neither Hildegarde mol
4 any of her friends had ever been very
far from the little town in which she
( had been born. Even single letter
was not a frequent experience. And
: here were three! If:
The little cream-tinted one was from
Aunt Bee, of course. And this oblong
one, with the SPRAYING address, was
from Archie Bale. Archie was her
classmate in the high school, the big.
gest and the incest boy she knew. She
had received more than one=missive
exactly like this in appearance, from
him during the last two years, all o1
them invitations to some school en-.
tertainment or young folks party
Perhaps this was-Hildegarde drew a
quick breath at the thought-an invi.
tation to the Ap-Morgan concert on
Friday night. She did SO want to &c
to that concert.
But, here was this large, square en-
t4yelope, with the dashing address dec.
Grated with innumerable hourishes
Hildegarde had never seen the hand.
writing before, hut the color in::he1
cheeks deepened as she regarded il
closely. What if it should be-could
it be-from Mr.. Howard iOverton:
Suppose he should invite her to the
concert.
Howard Overton was almost a
stranger in Seaforth, clerk in the
new bank. Hildegarde had met him
several times, and had been little
flattered by his undisguised admira.
ton and somewhat elaborate polite
ness. All the girls were enthusiastic
about Mr.. Overton's good looks and
polished manners. 1t WOULD be$quite
distinction to receive an invitation
from him. If this should be one, and
if she opened it first, instead OF
Archie's.
But there was Aunt Bees note. de.
a4:ferring the monnentous h decision
Hildegarde tore open the little en-
:s9velope. + Two bits5d buff Spasteboans
fluttered into her lap as she read:
syou to- attend the ApzMorE iaas c s1 III
with Ned and me, but my sister Gertrude
is very i'll and must go to her at once
i Ned wouldss have takehssyos1 Just th9ssaan
but he too is called out Of town by un.
expected business, and so send you the
tickets. You will easily find some 3one
to go with you, and hope you will enjoy
the concert. Your loving aunt,
Beatrice Hunt
Hildegarde laughed softly as she
opened the other notes, both, as she
surmised, invitations to sconcesf
What an embarrassment of Giehe5
The Ap-Morgan concert waa gl&ht
event in Seaforth. Not ma1N ceIefrf
ties like the famous harpist visited tks
town, which was bristlinge with
placards and posters announcing the
concert. All the music-lovers were
full of anticipation of the coming
threat and when Hildegarde sttopped
VI at the little stationery shop, On lei lei
way home from school for some com.
position paper yesterday, she had
found old Mr.. Barlow himself study:
ing the big card. ips his shop window
as7ifi even he found u matter ofsini
terest and Importance. iii Ss5
sssAre you going to the concert?'' lie
asked, as he tied ZIP Hldegarde's par.
eel. s...st tr.s5 y e. i T., l..
Hildegarde looked up in surprise
1t was the first time she had ever
heard Mr.. Barlow say a word more
than was necessary in the strict way
of business. The school girls called
him ''the crabbedy man." because Of
his taciturnity and forbidding ways: q
II don't know I'm, afraid not. j
should like to very much, but"
That ready color came into he1
cheeks. Money was very scarce il
the little household, consisting only
+ of the invalid mother, herself and thu
4 maid whose services were indispensa
BILE in keeping them comfortable
Hildegarde had sometimes to den,
herself coveted indulgences.,.
Happily most of the good bimes tina
came that way We're ipexpensiveones
and Hildegarde, being Winsome AM
companionable, missed fewsof chem
No girl in Seaforth was more in de
mand or had more pleasures. Blu
! the Ap-Morgan concert was diHeren
from everything else. The ticket
were high-priced, and she didene
feel free to spend SO much none;
on single evenings pleasure. pas
sionately as she loved music.