The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-04-21

not, dear fathcrI DO YOU know. | some
times wonder IL the rest of the world
finds us rs dull rs We find IT, What a
comfort II is We never fail 10 interest
and amuse each Others
Il quite forgot 10 tell YOU. sydney.
that asked Roy Cartcrct to come down
hercl"
"Why did you do thatY"-Sydncy half
paused In her walk. but went on again
DIRECTLY do not believe Won forgot. I
think you were afraid to tell me-
do you not like himy Did YOU not
wish him To Gomez thought he inter
ested you, aud he has promised to take
some sketches for me. But if | hal
thought"
Dear father. do not mind me. or
course am glad you asked him. My
remarks were general, not part culaf.
Men are not, as rule, very interest
ing"
"But he is interesting" went on Mr..
Lorraine, with unusual pcrs steuCc. "iir
Is clever, amusing. and draws we'll: be.
sides he has helped me u great deal I'm
a way that has given him not u little
trouble
"llc is quite aware of his advantages
sydney replied. with a shade of bitter
ness In the tones that used not To be-
there. Sometimes, father. think pcn-
NV kliNN wv NAlNf VI NNflNlIlIllW INfa
long NJ to them. including umsclG4h.
mess and all their other virtues. Now
do not scold me for being unchartablr
and hard. ! say that Ia you, but To h IA
| viii be charming; interested and ap.
prcciativc of everything, including
sketches and unscllishness."
Mr.. Inrainc's only reply in words
was. II am glad You Judge me more
kindly than you do the Words" but for
few minutes his thoughts did not
wander away to the subject of the new
buuk,Wh ell was cngrussing him ut pres
ent; they remained with the tail. slender
daughter. 10y whose side he was wa..-
ing. sometimes now, MS he found HIM
self growing older and his hair giaycr.
the thought would flash across him that
il he could have seen her proud and
happy wife, with children Clinging about
her, the future would not have seemed
So gray and dull. to which one day hc
would have To- leave her.
"lIut though used toWish she might
not leave me | have never influenced
her, and ! would always have done any
thing for her happiness. II is She her
self who has ever hccn unwilling To
quit her home. She is capable of love.
| know IT. hut somehow il seems that
no man has ever been able to touch her
heart" But his thoughts being thus
turned to the subject he sighed, when
ut the library door he paused and enter
ed IL.
"What sigh, fathcr That is forbid
dem" kissing him. Are YOU going to
write Tonight You ought tO be too
tired for that, but you grow two years
younger every year. and ! ~ half smil-
ing, ."two years older
"Wo shall soon bc the same age mt
that rate. Come in and light my can
dies"
"Whcn does Mr.. Cartcret arriycY" she
questioned, the taper in her hand.
"Io-morrow about five. ! promised
we would send to meet him"
She made no comment ON his words,
but, having lit the candles, returned tn
the dIawlng-ruOm.
Back there. she stirred the fire into Il
brighter blaze, then recommended her
walk to and fro. noting rs she walked.
now and again with satisfaction, some
familiar object that after the months
absence 1t was a pleasure To spe again;
but at length pausing in her slow walk.
she sat down in the wide armchair on
the hcarth-rug, and pursued her tram
of thought with eyes fixed on the fire,
as if she read Il story there.
AS she sits thus, her hands lightly
clasped ON her knee, the lamplight
above her shows the changes that time
has brought to her. II is different wo-
man from the one in the white dress
who faltered out her heart-hrOken fare
wells in this very room. The face il
thinner than of old, and the lamplight
shows gray hairs in the dark head; the
gray eyes are little harder, a little
colder, and the grave mouth smiles less
often than IL did. The world with its
disappOintments and troubles has II
way, hardening to those who have to
fight many Of its battles, and nearly five
years have gone by since Esme Won Lin
denheim said In this very room, "lf |
regain my freedom | will return, if not
| will write" and he had not returned,
had not even written. One little note
had come from him to Mr.. Lorraine
posted from Berlin, thanking him for
his kindness, telling him of his arrival
SO far.
81 am arranging for leave to 60 home
at once" A message of remembrance
to his daughter, and that was all. From
then till now silence so great, that not
one word had reached her listening ears.
Pride, passion. bitter jealOusyall war
ring in her desolate heart. all telling her
that the silence meant he had failed,
and that he could not or would not,
write and say so.
"But | would rather know 1t, far
rather, though | said should under
stand" And, mingled with the thoughts
of her despair, would come remem-
| branccs of her own words, "You will re-
turn to her, and then this will seem an
| inteTlude. Your love for her will all
come back. What is n fortnight in a
mans llfeY For you it will be all as it
was before"
what is it," she would cry, leaning
out into the cold wintry night from the
window where in the moonlight he had
told her of his love. "What il i'll Tell
me where you are, what you are doing"
And in the pain and grief of those win
| ter nights the gray hairs were sown, the
soft mouth forgot its smiles. Months
| had passed, months of which each day
had seemed written in fire across her
now would bring back the pain. Some
times the sight of the familiar room, OF
of some slight object therein, would
catch her eye, and, reminding her of
that vanished time, make the whole
scene so real that ii was impossible Ia
believe that blank months and years
stretched between then now. Tonight
returning after this short absence, the
place was alive with memories, and
looking into the lircglOw, her story
seemed written there.
Il am glad to he back" she said, soft
| ly; then. rising, walked over to the un
shattered window. and, opening it, look
ed out into the wild night. II was moi
cold. The strong west wind was driv
ing dark clouds across the sky; now anl
again amOmcutary CLEAN of mOOnshin,
showing through the blackness. tn,
trees beneath bending hither and thith