San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-11-17
Mrs. Vernon's BOarder.

sister; but Kate Vernon had no pretenc9 to
be more than pretty and ch !rminT. Com
pared with the poetic grac" Of "lIrartSeaSe,"
she appeared almost ordinary; but she was
not so, in truth, either in appearance of in
character.
The younger girl-Nina, by baptism but
Heartsease to her famiy-laid down her
pen, and smiled
poor Kittyr' she said in the sweetest Of
voices, ''you. do look doleful; but Of course
1t is no laughing matter. Perhaps someone
else will come"
"Perhapsr' Kate sighed. I'VE both know
too much of the hard side of life iieartSeaSe,
to place any faith in chances
80 we do" returned the other slowly;
"but tits no use dcSp mding, is it?'
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat.
Both girls started. Kate exclaimed:
''WhO can it be?"
Nina clasped her hands, and cried out
melo-dramatically:
"a boarderr'
A minute or two later, Jennie, the sole
domestic opened the door.
please, Miss Kate, gentleman wants to
see your mamma
Jennie had been many years in the family,
anu eUItTtu lHJO the ldillllN JUS anu "''f'
ieties, so Kate asked in an under one:
docs he look like boarder. J'nnie?'
Lori no. miss, Il regular swell he looks;
but he asked for Mrs. Vernon all right.
"A swell nObleman, maybe" suggested
Nina, smOthering a laugh. Count the UNI
brellas, Kitty"
II will go out and see him" said Kate,
and she vanished, closing the door Present.
ly steps went along the passage, and after
an interval, Kate reappeared in the parlOr
again.
'Heartseaser' she cried, running up to
the window, what do you think? lie is q
bOarder, after all, and such a bOarder! I'm
sure he's not used to the kind of thing one
bit: there's a mystery-dependu upon it. lie
looks much more like st. James's street than
Keppel street, such handsome fellow, and
aperfect manner.
He said he had been told that Mrs. YER
non took few boarders, was there va
cancy? told him yes "a vacancy with
vengeance and named our terms; and he
said that would do and never asked queS-
ton about the cooking, or anything-fancy !
but said he could offer references; he did
not like regular clearinghouse; he want
ed to board with family.
II said we never had more than three
bOarders-in fact we had not room for more !;
and then told him l would speak to my
mother, and she would see him. You know,
Heartsease," continued Kate earnestly, 81
was in great terror that mamma would de-
cline him-oh, that's his name'-putting a
card on the table before her sister-'just
because he's young and handsome, and a
swell, and we really couldn't afford to do
that
Its no good being prim and frightened,
and all that sort of thing; he's thorough
gentleman, and if we don't get someone
soon don't know what will become of us,
so prepared mamma, and persuaded her
TO accept Mr.. st. John if hisreferences were
satisfactory"
~ hope they will, them" said Nina, smil-
ing. Certainly, Mr.. Albert.St. John will
be very welcome. | wonder what he is9'
In short lime steps We're heard without,
and the outer door opened and c,OSed be-
hind the prospective bOardeT.
Immediately Afterwards, lady of about
forty-five still pretty, with mild sweet
face and hair prematurely grey, came slow
ly into the parlor.
She had agreed to accept the new bOardGr,
subject to his references.
He had given her the name Of solicitor
in Lincon's Inn Fields, and of a clergyman
Canon Davenant; he was waiting, he said,
for Foreign Office appointment, which he
hoped to obtain shortly; he had given an
address in BotOn-row, Piccadilly, where, he
was at present staying with friend.
Mrs. Vernon was most favorably impress
ed by the new boarder; but in her heart she
wished that he had not been quite such q
handsome, dashing fellow; but she said
nothing even to Kate.