San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-09-15

| mouth is small. She looks cOnsidera-
BILE younger than she really is, and
! does not forget to make the most of this
comfortable fact. Indeed, TO a casual
observer, her cousin looks scarcely her
junior.
Miss Delmaine IS tall, slender, posee
more or less, while Mrs. Talbot is pref
tily rounded, petite In every point, and
nervOusly ambitious of winning the re-
gard of the male sex.
During the past week private thea
tricalS have been suggested. Every one
is tired of dancing and music. The sea-
son had given them more than a surfeit
of both, and so they have fallen back
upon the theatricals.
The play on which they have decided
is Goldsmith's famous production,
"She Stops to Conquer"
Miss Villiers, pretty young girl with
yellow hair and charming eyes, is to be
COnstantia Neville; Miss Delmaine,
Kate HardcaStle; Lady Gertrude Vim
ing, though rather young for the part,
has consented to play Mrs. Hardcastle,
under the impression that she looks
well in cap and powdered hair. An
impossible Tony Lumpkin has been dis
covered in a nervous young man with
a hesitation in his speech and difficult
ty about the letter ga young man
who wonderfully misunderstands To-
ny, and brings him out in hitherto
unknown character; suitable Hast
ings has been found in the person of
Captain RingwOOd, a gallant young
officer, and one of the "curled darlings"
Of society.
But who is to play NARROW? Who is
to be the happy man, so blessed-even
though in these fictitious ciTCumstan-
ces-as to be allowed to make love to
the reigning beauty of the past season.
Nearly every man in the house has
thrown out hint as to his fitness for
the part, but as yet no arrangement
has been arrived at.
Sir Adrian of course is the one to-
ward whom all eyeS-and some very
jealous Ones-are directed. But his
duties as host compel him, sorely
against his will, to draw back a little
from the prOffered honor, and to con-
suit the wishes of his guests rather
than his own. Miss Delmaine herself
has laughingly declined to make any
choice of stage lover, so that, up to
the present moment, matters are still
In such state of confusion and uncer-
tainty that they have been unable to
name any date for the production Of
their play.
1t is four o'clock, and they are all
standing or sitting in the library, in
tent as usual in discussing the difficult
ty. They are all talking together, and,
in the excitement that prevails, no one
hears the door open, or the fOOtman's
calm introduction of gentleman, who
now comes leisurely up to where Sir
Sir Adrian is standing, leaning over
Florence Delmaine's chair.
He is tall man Of about thirty-five,
with a dark face and dark eyes, and,
withal, a slight resemblance to Sir
Adrian.
"Ah, Arthur, it is you'll" says Sir Ad-
rian, in surprised tone that has GER
tainly no cordiality in it, but, just as
certainly, the tone is not repellent.
YES" replies the stranger, with
languid smile, and without confusion.
Yesterday I suddenly recollected the
general invitation you gave me a
month ago to come to you at any time
that suited me best. This time suits
me, and so have come"
He still smiles as he says this, and
looks expectantly at Sir Adrian, who,
as In duty bound, instantly tells him
be Is very glad to see him, and that he
waiting for q more formal repetition of
his invitation. Then he takes him over
to old Lady FitzAlmont, the mother Of
Lady Gertrude Vining, and introduces
him to her as my cousin Mr.. Dyne-
court"
The same ceremony Is gone through
with some of the others, but, when he
brings him to Mrs. Talbot, that pretty
widow interrupts his mode of introduce
ton.
"Mr. Dynecourt and 1 are old
friends" she says, giving her hand to
the newcomer. Then, turning to her
cousin, she adds, Florence, is it not a
fatality our meeting him so oftenp
Have we met so often?' asks Flor
ence quietly, but with touch of hdu-
te,u and dislike in her tone. Then she
too gives a cold little hand to Mr.. Dyne-
court, who fingers over it until she dis
painfully draws it away, after which
he turns from her abruptly and devotes
himself to Dora Talbot.
The widow is glad of his attentions.
He is handsome and well-bred, and for
the last half hour she has been feeling
slightly bored; so eager has been the
discussion about the NARROW matter,
that she has been little sought after by
the opposite sex. And now, once again,
the subject is being examined in all its
bearings, and the discussion wakes fast
and furious.
What is it all about?' asks Arthur
Dynecourt presently, glancing at the
room. And Sir Adrian, hearing his
question explains 1t to him.
"Ah, indeedl" he says. And then,
after a scarcely perceptible pause
who is to be Kate Hardcastlep
Miss Delmaine," answered Sir Ad-
rian, who is still leaning over that
young lady's chair.
SIN what does the difficulty consistT
inquiries Arthur Dynecourt, with appar-
ent Indifference.
WELL" replies Sir Adrian, laughing;
II believe mere fear holds us back.
Miss Delmaine, as we all know, is a
finished actress, and we dread spelling
her performance by faults on our side.
None of us have attempted the charac-
ter before; this is why we hesitate"
"A very sensible hesitation, think"
says his cousin coOlly. You should
thank me then for coming to your re-
lief this morning; l have played the
part several times, and shall be delight
ed to undertake 1t again, and help you
out Of your difficulty"
At this Miss Delmaine Pushes angri-
ly, and opens her lips as if she would
say something, but, after seconds re-
Election, restraints herself. She sinks
back into her chair with a proud Ian
guor, and closes her mouth resolutely.
Sir Adrian is eonfounded. All along
he had secretly hoped that, in the end,
this part would fall to his lot: but now
what is to be done? How can he re-