New-York tribune., 1906-06-17
IBSEN'S COURTSHIP.
dmuang Story Told about the
Noted DramdtiSt.

A French contemporary relates very anus
ing and hitherto unpublished story of the court
ship of the late Henrik IbSen. 1t appears that-
although the old man was not lacking IN moran
courage. he was in his younger days. just as
timid as most young men in love. At the time
when he received the coup de foudre" he was
fulfilling engagement at the theatre at ber-
gen and he fell hopelessly in love with the
nrctty daughter of Pastor Thoresen. But he
could not muster UP sufficient courage to de-
clare his passion. At last he decided 20 coih-
promise on the matter and propose by letter
He accordingly wrote to Friulein ThoreSen, and
said he would come to the pastors house at
in The afternoon to receive his answer III the
vouna lady received him he would know his suit
had met with favor in her eyes; If ne were toId
that the fr;iulein was not at home he should
consider himself rejected. F1unctually at
o'clock Ibsen was at the home Of the pastor
servant Girl opened the door to him and bade
him enter. and he followed her to a sitting
room where she motioned him to be seated on
a sofa adding that the young woman would ap-
pear shortly. With a great sigh of relief the
dramatist sat down and commenced to turn
over in his mind what he should say to the
maiden whom he loved when she made her ap-
pearanCe She gave him plenty of time to do
So for when fifteen minutes had passed, and
twenty, and then half hour had gone. and
there was no sign of the fraulein he COM
menced to grow impatient He began to pace
up and down the room. asking himself if it
were possible that the servant had made a mis-
take But he hastily dismissed that suppo-
sition. arguing that such important mat
ter mistake was impossible He would never
have been invited to come in If the pastors
daughter had meant to reject him. Three-quar-
ters of an hour had gone. Still one, and
Ibsen's pacing up and down the room became
faster and nervous. An hour-an hour
end a quarter. and still one came. He
stopped to listen Everything in the house was
deathly silent, AMI the distracted lover asked
himself if it would not be better for him to
steal from the house and be gone Yet if he
went now he should lose his prospective bride
forever Once more he sank back on the sofa,
which seemed to exercise a peculiar fascination
over him. 1t could not be that Fraulein
ThOreson mad become suddenly Ill., for If it
had been so they would surely have informed
him. His thoughts became confused, and when
hour and half had passed and he still
alone. he began to think himself fool for wait
ing there SO long in that lonely. silent room
Two hours! She evidently playing trick
on him. and when he had gone she would make
fun of him and relate how she had made him
wait two hours for nothing. prey to mental
torture Ibsen at last could stand 1t no longer
and dashing into the corridor, he was making
for the door when he heard behind him the
sound Of n laugh merry, clear, silVery laugh.
II seemed to come from under the sofa, and on
hurrying back Ibsen, to his utter astonishment,
saw the fair hair and bright, laughing face of
his sweetheart peeping from beneath it Her
pretty eyes dancing with irrepreSSible fun she
exclaimed: DO you forgive me! / simply wanted
to find out how long you would wait for me
You have borne the test well. Now help me to
my feet" The sequel is easy to question:
don Globe
STILL LEADING.