San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-06-19

surprise was great, IneIrs seemed greater.
After the FIST glance at me, they looked UNI
easily at one another, the genial smile faded
from their faces, and the words Of welcome
died upon their lips.
A pleasant interruption TO all this was
John Rudd, who at this moment came IN
with my trunk upon his shoulder and placed
1t down on the kitchen floor, then wiped his
brow and opened his Overcoat
Its marital bad weather you'm brought
alang wi We, Mr.. Rudd," said my aunt;
''yar, ha' summat TO keep oil the rain"
She handed him glass of ale, which he
drank.
Thank ye, missus," said he, drawing the
back of his hand across his mouth. Then he
made dive into the vOluminous folds Of his
coat, and produced packet
THAT be for you, missus," said he; "a lit
tie present wi John Rudd's respects; tea
and sugar, WI suitable inscription o. my
avn making"
THANK you, Mr.. Rudd," returned my
aunt taking the packet. "You'm vary kind"
Read the warses, missus; read the
warsesp said Mr. Rudd whereupOn she pro-
ceeded to do so.
1t was proud moment for John Rudd; he
seemed to expand with pleasure. And
though to all intents and purposes he was
gazing upon Mrs. Pendragon, he rolled one
eye round my way, as if to watch the effect
upon me. When the reading was done he
smiled affably, while my uncle brought down
his open hand heavily upon his knee.
"Waal done, John, wal dOnep' cried my
uncle, heartily; while another voice, one
which then heard for the first time, said:
''Oh, Mr.. Rudd, what beautiful poetry you
do writer
At the sound of the voice, all eyes, mine
amongst the rest were turned upon the speak.
er, whom discovered TO be little girl some
what about my own age, or perhaps trihe
younger, so pretty, and so quantity dressed,
she looked like little Dresden china shep.
herdess.
"Wha, AnnieP' said my aunt
II declare I'd forgot all about 'eep' my
uncle added. Come var, my lass, and say
how do We do to yer cOusnv'
At this, the little girl came forward, and,
gazing earnestly at me, timidly offered me
her hand.
Suddenly, John Ru,Id, who had been fun
bling about his coat again, produced another
packet which he this time handed to my
cousin. She opened it, and found it contain.
ed a brightly cOlOred Shawl and a sheet of
fOOlscap, on which some lines were penned.
Knowing Mr. Rudd's Weakness Annie pro-
ceeded to read the lines:
ITO Annie Pendragon, who charms all behold
erS.
John Rudd, of St. GurIott's, sends this for her
shoulders;
That she, always be happy, in sunshine and
in flood,
IT'S the wish of her friend and admrer, John
Rudd."
Having read the verses, Annie fell'to volu.
bly, admiring them and the shawl but Mr..
Rudd, feeling the praise too much for him,
gleefully took his departure. He paused at
the door, however, Ia give me a last look,
and to express a wish that we should become
better acquainted.
The moment he was gone, attention was
again concentrated upon me. My aunt took
good look at me, trying to find traces of my
mother and father in lsy face. My uncle dis
covered was both wet and cold; while An.
ME said:
why don't you giye.him his supper, moth
er; Pm sure he must be hungry after that
long ride wi Mr.. Rudd."
Armies suggestion was adopted, and we
all sat down to supper. While ate, had
leisure to look about me. The kitchen was
large and hOmely in the extreme, with q
clean StOne-paved floor beneath and great
black rafterS above, from which hung fiitches
of bacon, bundles of talIOw candles, and
divers articles of attire. The ingle was great
and broad, with seats within it, formed of
polished black oak, and the fire burned on
the open hearth. In one corner was a recess,
with curtains, containing a bed, which aft
erward discovered was to be mine for the
night
Very little was said or done that evening.
If | was aStOnished at the sight of my rela-
tives, they were equally so at the sight OF
me. A sort of cOnstraint came upon us all.
was not sorry to find that they were very
early people, and that at ten o'clock they re-
tired, and left me TO make myself as COM
Portable as could in the press bed in the
kitchen. My head was aching, partly from
fatigue and partly from excitement, and no
sooner did lay it upon the pillow than l
fell into sound sleep.