San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-08-10

matter what my mother thinks or says,
so long as you are mine, valeria," TAX
ing both her hands in large clasp
and looking deep into her gray eyes
"valeria, I trust you from my heart
and although your past is not known To
me, yet when I look into your eyes,
feel that your soul is as beautiful as
yourself. I loveyou and believe in you,
as do in my religion-by faith, and ]
can not express how deep is my graft,
tude for the gift Of your love-"
Valeria's eyes were wet with unshed
tears when he had spoken, for it was
not often this gentleman uttered such
words Of serious tenderness.
"Philip, thank you from my heart, "
she answered, after moments pause,
and her pale, lovely face was raised
steadily to his. "But never intended
you should marry me without full
knowledge of my life before l came to
this quiet little country place. Here in
your rms it is even sweet to remember
I have not always been so happy. Phil
ip, until three months ago ex-
pected to be another mans wife
= no matter who he was" with
an arch smile at her lovers
contracted brows-''we are nothing
to each other now. At first, when we
were engaged, thought l loved him;
it was so delightful to imagine myself
beloved-but soon found cared moth
ing for him. I shrank from having him
come near; could not bear that he
should even touch my hand, and yet l
was ashamed and afraid to tell him that
I would not marry him. But very soon
he broke it off himself-the money that
my parents had left me when they died
was all lost, and then I discovered that
l had narrowly escaped being married
for my money. was very politely jill
ed, Philip, but I do assure you it was
worth all my money to be free of that
horrible marriage. But l detested New
York after that; so one day, like the
Arabs, silently stole away, and came
to this quiet little spot where had been
as a child, little dreaming, Philip, l
should meet my fate so soon."
"Poor child" said Philip tenderly,
"you must give me the right to love,
cherish, and protect you very soon in
deed, and 1 thank God you are poor
woman, that is (anxiously) if you think
you can manage on my salary of three
thousand year and be content" and
Philip looked into her sweet face and
read there that she was unutterably con-
tent.
"Valeria, you must put on your best
best bib and tue ker tonight; they tell
me this ball is to be a most exclusive af-
fair, and of course my mother will have
early bulletins to inform her of your de-
but in Washington society.
They had been married month and
were sitting tete-a-tete at their hotel
breakfast, freshly returned from their
wedding tour, and here in Washington
Valeria was altogether strange.
F" Your commands shall be obeyed,"
answered Valeria, gayly, "only you
are banished for the day, while 1 con-
coct my toilet and furnish up nay fine
ry."
Later, while Mr.. Runsen, in his cor
rect evening dress, sat reading his pa
per awaiting rather impatiently his
wife, the door opened and unheard she
"Do 1 quite suit you?" said gentle
voice, and then Mr.. Runsen lowered his
paper and became transfixed. Before
him stood a vision of lovliness, in mag
nificent cream-white silk, covered with
delicate web-like lace. Superb dia-
monds flashed in her ears and encircled
the round white column of
her throat, shown on her arms
and in the ripping masses
of her hair; but fairer to see than all
was the soft radiance of her hazel eyes,
The pink flush upon her cheek, as she
said again, "Do l quite suit you,
Philip"
"Have 1 gone madP" was her hus-
bands answer, as he took in all the de-
.ails of her exquisite toilette. "Why,
Valeria, where on earth did you get
heseP" touching the huge solitaires in
ler ears.
"Relics of departed grandeur, love-"
he answered, lightly, with tap of her