Hermanner Volksblatt. [volume] (Hermann, Mo.) 1875-1928, 1921-02-25
AN ENHANCEMENT
BY EDITH LOWELL

NOW, Hilda, be sensible. That's
a good girl. There's absolutely no rea.
son why you should put me or so,
your only reason is"
THAT I'm not ready. I'm not, and
since you're so angry, I'll finish read
ing this story. You are angry, aren't
you? Please be cross, for I'm nearly
bored to death with your everlasting
good nature"
Bob glanced at her quickly. Al
though her eyes were mocking, there
was a hint Of earnestness In her words
that made him uneasy,
"Why. Hilda, little girl, what is I'll
Are you tired of me?"
mo, Bob, not tired. It's lust be-
cause everything Is too good to be true.
1 want romancel adventure! Listen,
Bob, when I was a little tot It was
you who hauled me In your cart. /
rode on your yelocipede, you pulled me
. out OF the duck pond. You've danced
With me, studied with me, and loved
me. 1t has always been you-nothing
has ever come between us-and now
you want me to marry you"
It was astonishing, but 1t was
true-Hilda vas crying. With a burst
OF tears she continued: "You enlisted
and went to camp, but you never
even-got across! It's the most COM
monplace and unromantic love 1 ever
heard of. There!"
Why, Hilda, little girl. l don't know
what you mean-or what to debut
isn't love enough" His arm stole
around her.
bob, / want to be rescued-I want
you to be a hero. l want you to snatch
me from the jaws of q horrible death,
to carry me from a burning building!
Anything-anything Bob, dear, only
let's not just be married and live hap
PLY ever after. l want an adventure,
something different, something to re-
member and thrill at, even after ten
yearsF"
That night when Bob was alone in
his room he pondered the question
deeply. What could he do-what could
a man in such a position do?
But fate often steps In and settles
our difficult problems when we least
expect II.
The next morning Hilda's six-year-
old %neighbOr, Stanley Mason, found her
In her garden. "Oh, Miss Hilda, won't
you please have q picnic with me this
afternoon? Mothers going away, an
/ just hate to stay with Katie"
"Why, Stan, I'd love to. What shall
we do, and where shall we have our
picnicP'
Il tell you what; I'll get my fish
lines and you can take us in your car
and we'll fish in Shady Brook"
'"That will be lovely, dear. If mother
says you may we will start at three
o'clock. I'm SO glad you invited me.
I'll put up the luncheon. You run and
ask your mother"
1t was only four miles to the slug
gish little brook, and In a short time
they stopped by the side Of the seldom
used road. After Stanley had actually
landed a fish, Hilda thought she would
try her fisherman's luck. Stan seemed
to ENJOY batting her hook with q wig
Cling worm, though Hilda had to turn
away.
After losing her bait several times
she felt a heavy jerking on her line.
She pulled 1t in, exclaiming: "Oh, !
must have the grandfather Of all
fishes!" She gave a tremendous pull
and there on the bank beside her
lay a horrible, great, wriggling cell At
Hilda's cry Of alarm Stanley ran to-
ward her, but he was just a little boy.
and Hilda's terror frightened him. He
began to wall. Hilda's panic Increased
Is she scrambled up the steep bank.
The line somehow became ~entangled
about her ankle, with the eel pulling
and writhing at the end Of the line.
Hilda screamed and struggled bnt
could not release her foot. She sud-
denly realized STAINS fright and
Gained herself.
"There, Stan dear, we'll get the old
eel off somehow. Mary must have put
M kNlTe III tHe iunCneUH DhSkeI-Wll
you look and seeT
Stanley ran to the car and opened
the basket. "No, there isn't, the
breads all san'wishes, so we didn't
need any"
Hilda tried to loosen, the fishing line
80 that she could slip her foot from
the moose, but the slight Juggling
caused the eel to flop and twist. Hilda
Jumped again and the cord frightened.
After several trials. each seeming to
stir the eel into greater activity, Hilda
asked Stanley to go to the farmhouse
across the field for assistance.
A moment later a car rumbled over
the wooden bridge.
"By all the salntsi That's Hilda!
What can she be doing thereT' And
Bob sprang from the runabout and APP
preached the knoll.
"Oh, Bobl I'm SO glad to see you
Do hurry and cut me loose from this
dreadful eel"
Bob took IN the situation ut q
glance. He was cruel enough to
laugh. .flrEI
$50 you want to be rescued, my fair
-- - H. II