The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-06-04


Constance. ~ have such good times
with him. He always seems just my
age"
At which Colonel Cameron gave her
quick look. aud as quick one ut his
wife. But she looked absolutely inn
pcuctrahle, Upon which he resigned
himself 90 his own reflections, with all
the better grace that the salad-drcssing
just then rendered him was quite to his
mind.
An that evening Constance PLAYED
and sang with fresh enthusiasm. and
Colonel Cameron listened dclightcdly
Mrs. Cameron made up her visiting list
and yawned alternately.
The next day there was "a flower shsw
on hand Immediately after lunch. \
little note had come for Constance ut
the mornings meal. reminding her of
her engagement for the evening.
don't mind your going with Allan
said Mrs. Cameron, when Constance
made known this engagement. "llut
don't agree to 20 with any one else with
out me. Allan is different
Constance considered.
~ don't src why. Cousin Margaret.
lie Is not Il relation Of mine. would
rather not make distinctions. | should
hr very sorry to accept Mr.. Cameruu's
escort one night. and then refuse that
ct some one elsie SAY Mr.. Mclherson-
on the following night
Mr.. Mcpherson. Oh. it will be quite
time enough Ia consider that when he
becomes an acquaintance, which he can
hardly he called ut present
After this interchange 1t need not he
wondered ut that Mr.. Cameron and
Miss Ruslyn did not start of for the
Hover show IN the very best of humurs.
Atr4 ('unurpn UNA a identified and .,rit t,.,l
and Miss liOslyn was on her guard and
pctulant. She had never had occasion
To exercise sclf-cuutrol, and 1t seemed a
hard matter now that she should be
obliged To do 600. Cousin Margaret was
so disagrrcahlr. How she did wish She
need not live with her.
But the display of flowers was 50
beautiful and the dresses of the ladies
present So lovely and the sun shune So
bright, and altogether it was such u bril-
liant occasion. that Constance inyolun-
tarily forget herself and her wrongs, and
fell tu enjoying herself heartily. And
in The midst OF our pleasure who should
suddenly join her but her quOndam ac-
qua nuncc, Mr.. Guy McPhcrson. How
glad she was to see him,
"llld yuu ever see anything so beauti-
full. she cried, after the first greeting,
gazing at the roses,
Never" he responded. with an air
of utmost sincerity, gazing straight ut
her.
The sense Of which Mrs. Cameron
freely took in and was correspOndingly
Wruth. But the Tuwnscnds, who We're
close behind Guy, came up and en-
crossed her attention. There WAS no
reason she should not lie civil to the
Townscnds; indeed Mrs. Townsend
was So luyahlc and sweet that it was
not easy To snub her. Molly and Con-
stance had a host of matters TO discuss
after two days separation, and Gny de-
clarcd that he was left out in the cold.
and that no one would say a word To
him. The three young people in front.
the two dOwagers behind, the party stroll
ed ON amicably. II seemed to Constance
that there never had been anything 80
lovely IN all her Imagination as this
world of flowers.
Finally they separated, but not before
Mrs. Cameron had been obliged to utter
civil assent when Guy had requested
permission TO call upon her. She con
tinurd to be gloomy and prcoccupied
during the drive home; she began To
realize that Allan would have to fight
his way. and that ii would not be as
plain sailing for him rs she had hoped.
Gay youth loves gay youth, she found
herself quoting from Lucille.
She was almost afraid that Constance
would decide against going with him
To the theatre that night, and il was
with feeling Of positive relief that she
saw the two OH Allan had no time to
lose. How She lOugcd 10 tell him this,
But that WAS the only chance Allan
had given him to speed his wOoing. The
next morning Guy called, at most I'M
reasonable hour in Mrs. Cameron's opin-
ion, and from that time on he held the
field. There was no doubt. from the
first start, of the sincerity of his atten-
tons and of Cunstance's pleasure in re-
ceiving them. She Combated her cuils-
ms opposition with all her skill. She
would accept Guys. Invitation; she
would be seen with him in public: she
would compromise herself. in Mrs. Cam
erOn's estimation. Mrs Cameron over
shot her mark. She ended by driving
the girl into the very thing she wished
To prevent-an engagement with Guy
Mcpherson. Not month after that
meeting ut the flower show Constance
came to her cousin one morning and
told her that the night before she had
promised Guy to marry him.
There was no reasonable objection TO
urge to this. Guy was in business and
earning a living, in spite of his fathers
antecedents. Besides, Constance was II
rich woman in her own right, and Of
age, IN that state ut eighteen. Colonel
Cameron, moreover. encouraged her in
her choice; declared that Guy WAS a
coniOunded tine fellow as well AS
a cOnfOunled lucky one. And there
was no one else either to oppose or to
encourage. Constance was not especi-
ally happy under her cousins roof, and
she also realized that Mrs. Cameron
would not be sorry to be rid of her.
She herself told Allan Cameron her
news. He received II with equanimity.
lie had known that it was coming, and
that his younger rival had won the day.
lie could hardly be said to be sorry. lie
had so distinctly realized that il would
not be the best thing for girl, fresh
and unsophisticated like Constance, to
marry jaded wording like himself.
But when he wished her JOY, he could
not help rejecting what might easily
have been had he not been half-heart-
ed; had he pursued the advantage which
| his friendship gave him with her in the
first place.
The wedding took place, and was o
| quiet affair. Constance had few friends,
| and Mrs. Mcpherson took no pains to
include her own in the wedding festivi-
ties. Afterwards the pair Went abroad
| Immediately.
They were very happy indeed for a
| year of travel; absorbed in each other
sellishly SO, let rs say-but still, oh, so
happy They met few of their own
countrymen, and in fact, cut aIrift as
| far as possible from old ties. Thu world
had been created fOrthem alone and for
this hour. They had no wish 10 recall
anything In the past. They had no care