The Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1903-1909, 1906-12-18


RE Before the door of his sod shanty
a young man whose 1axen hair pro
claimed his Scandinavian lineage
Stood engaged in the engrossing duty
of feeding his shepherd dog. AS he
tossed the crumbs the dog would leap
nimbly upward and catch them neatly
as they descended
All, jim he calculated, presently,
"a week-maybe two week and she
ban herel"
He gazed straight at the dying sun
and murmured the word "Hilda" in a
subdued voice Then he walked to a
bench beside the door and sat down,
folding his strong young arms across
his breast, while the dog crept up
and buried his nose in his masters
lap.
1t had been a year of reverses with
Lundquist He had labored hard-no
man could put more honest toll into
the struggle with a penurious soil
than he-and it seemed now as If all
was for naught Beginning with a
wet disheartening spring, the season
had crept on, piling up against him its
that had discouraged many less
hardy man His best horse, becoming
entangled in the only wire fence
within 20 miles, had been sacrificed
IN hn IN 1ief Of into
mans life. BY mortgaging his crop
he had secured another
He was now facing his annual inter
est payment, while the storekeeper in
the town dozen miles away was
growing suspicious and was demand
ing payment of an open account. His
crops-only puny stacks of discolored
wheat straw standing Imply awaiting
the threshing
But Lundquist was forgetting all
this as he sat on the bench before his
abode. Eiilda was coming to him
Hilda from far-off Norway. Six years
it had been since he had gazed into
her eyes-six years since he had
stolen aside in the crush at the en-
barking and kissed her many times on
her willing lips, The thought of it
brought a smile to Lundquist's sun
tanned visage The dog saw it and
wagged his tail in recognition of his
mood.
Two years ago she would have
come, but he set his teeth firmly and
sent her that letter which had wrung
his heart. Watt" he had told her.
Wait till Fortune smiles more bright
ly on these bleak Dakota prairies! 1t
was bitter thing to do, but Lund-
quist saw no other course.
Only last year she was prevented
from coming by the sickness of her
mother Nothing, not even poor
crops, now stood in the way of her
coming, and she was now in mid
ocean on the steamer that was bear
ing her westward-to Carl
In little box under his bunk he
had every letter that Hilda had writ
ten him. They were good reading
during the long winters evenings
The steamer agent had said that
she should reach Quebec on the 18th
1t was now the 9Th.
On the 18th Lundquist went to
town. He walked up and down the
single street, keeping close watch on
the depot until the afternoon train
had passed. He rode the IL miles
home in moody silence.
The following day he went to town
again and in the evening, when he
went back toward home, his face was
haggard and wan from his days vigil.
He was getting worried. What could
be keeping Hilda? Had something
gone wrong? Lundquist slept little
that night.
Old Jim, for the first time in
barked piteously and his
master, starting guilty, made haste
10 throw some bread to the animal.
Pore JIM" said he, "Ay TO get
70, eh?"
Lundquist essayed a laugh but it
lied away HOLLOWAY.
The next day he had stalked by the
post office five times in sulky silence
when he heard some one call his
name. He paused and entered
Banks the postmaster, had letter
in his hand
Letter for you, Carl!' he said
Game this moTning!"
Lundquist took it in his hand and
edged away to a corner of the little |
office. 1t was a queer letter-all in
print, like a newspaper Lundquist |
bent over it and wrinkled his brow.
Read 1t for you?" suggested the |
postmaster, expectantly.
ia! Yo read hem" assented
perplexedly.
The letter was a cruel stab to the |
eager listener. Hilda was detained in |
Quebec. The medical authorities had |
examined her and found her suffering