San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-07-13

hearted as his housekeeper she might
not now have been alive, and finding
life ever so sweet in her languid conval-
escenee, she was constrained to ask of
this comely but stern negro woman
something of her master. "Was he
alone in the worldP Had he no kin
dredP" Hagar looked up from her
knitting so stolidly that Mrs. Delplaine
added, "Father or mother, wife or chill
drenp" '' '.'
Hagar deliberately turned the heel of
her stocking before she fully satisfied
the curiosity OF the convalescent. Then
she vouchsafed to say that he was quite
alone; no father, nor mother, nor chin,
as far as she knowed. There used to be
q wife-a poor, sickly creetur-but she
was done gone South years ago, and
never come back. .,f.. '
"Did the poor lady die thereP" said
Mrs. Delplaine. ,.DH'~' '
Hagar hesitated a minute. Then she
said, g Yes she died there, sure enough"
"And how many years has he lived
in this desolate region, friendless and
aloneP" said Mrs. Delplaine.
Hagar reckoned it was a considerable
time, but gave it as her opinion that
some peoples room was better'n their
company; and adding that Mrs. Del
PLANE was talking too much, and that
she had better 60 to sleep, Hagar went
out of the room. ,-.-. .... ......'. :
No sooner had she gone than Mr..
Hume entered. 1t had been customary
for him to relieve Hagar's duties in the
sick-room. Unconsciously, perhaps, he
had been listening for Hagar's retreat
ing footsteps. Who can govern these
vague yearnings that sometimes beset
the strongest human hearth As he en-
tered the room his face frightened; the
cavernous burrows in his brow seemed
to straighten out into joyous benignity;
the very angles of his nature, sharpen
ed by the hopeless loneliness of his life,
became smooth, and took comfortable,
shapes to themselves; and he
greeted the pale pretty woman in the
chair with a peculiar
and charming tenderness of tone and
born of his new experience,
that would have frightened and aston
ished himself had he been a looker-on.
But Mrs. Delplaine was neither fright
ened nor astonished. She was still so
weak that Hagar's harsh and abrupt re-
plies had brought foolish tears to her
eyes, which still hung upon her lashes
as she smiled upon Mr.. Hume. She
gave herself up to the sweet relief and
comfort of his presence. She began to
believe that destiny had determined this
event in her life, and felt
an irresistible desire to further the de-
signs of fate. She had never in her life
seen any one so noble and majestic, yet
so gentle and tender, as this preacher.
She felt that she would much rather
lwell with him sin the midst of alarms
han reign in this horrible place." but
my thing was better than to part with
lin.
81 am glad you have come" she
laid; 81 have something to say to you"
\ strange, wistful, discounted look in
lis face disquieted her, and she added,
,ently, "You will not despise a little adj
ice and remonstrance of mine?"
81 could despise nothing with which
-ou were associated" he said. .
"Then listen to me-" she continued
sit here by my side and listen to me.
am getting quite strong and well. You
ave saved my life, you and your good
Iagar, and the worst of it is that now 1
must go away" Here she paused, and
njoyed the sudden wincing in his face,
nd resolved more and more to spare
i'm the pang of parting. 81 am going
D coax you away from here," she said.
Indeed, indeed, Mr.. Hume May l
all you PaulP" .. ..... ' .
Yes" he replied, but began to grow
ale. .
Indeed you are quite thrown away
1 this place. 1t would be so sweet to
lie to see you admired and deitied and
owed down to, as the world ont yonder
oes to men like you. They love sill !
er tongue, do the people. viii you
It me manage it for youP promise
on, if you will, our parting shall be {
rief. | have considerable influence,
hich will WELD in your behalf. You
ave but to be known to be appreciated. !
ee the good you might do, Paul." she