San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-06-24


nov long this state or things m'gs5 nave
lasted ii is impossible to say, but It was mos
Unexpectedly and suddenly changed.
One day my aunt, having a little shopping
to do, and eager perhaps for days outing,
determined to 90 to Falmouth. She started
oil I'm the morning in John Rudds wagon,
and left my cousin TO keep house.
Now, 1t had seemed TO me that Annie had
looked particularly dull that morning; so, to-
ward afternoon, | determined to take an
hour, and to hurry back to the cottage TO see
how she was getting on.
As drew near TO the cottage door, | was
astOniShed to hear vUiceS-the one loud and
angry, the other soft and pleading. When
entered the kitchen my amaZement increased
tenfold.
An elderly lady-nOne other, indeed, than
old Mrs. R"dTuth George Redruth's widowed
mUther-was standing in the middle of the
room, while my cousin Annie, crying bitter.
ly, was actually on her knees before her!
Mrs. Redruth had two characteristics, her
confirmed ill-health and her iron will Her
power in the village was great; but she was
feared, rather than beloved. Indeed, it was
aveTre1 by many that every hard deed com
mitted by either her husband OF her son
might have been traced to her influence. Fol
the rest, she was a tall thin woman with
powerful aquiline features and face o
CHASTITY pallOr
Amazed at her presence there, | entered
unceremOniOusly, but both were so intent
upon themselves that they were actually I'M
aware of my approach.
The old woman was speaking
Your tears don't deceive me-" she said.
al am not a man and fool. am mother
and know when danger threatens my child,
and say that you are doing your best to en-
tangle my son. But take care. George Red.
ruth shall not be sacrificed; sooner than that
i will ruin yOu-dO YOU Heartburn yOur'
"Oh, my ladyw sobbed Annie; Twill you
listen?"
No" she returned, II will not! Listen
to yOu-when every word yOu utter must be
lie! have seen you with my son. Cease
to follow him, or ! will expose you before
every soul in the yillagcv
She turned to leave the cottage, and came
face to face with me-. She paused abruptly,
opened her lips as if about to speak: then
she changed her mind, and without uttering
a word passed out
As for myself, have been too much stupe-
fed to say a word, and / stood now, like
great bear, looking at my cousin, who, sob
bling piteOusly, had sunk into chair Thou,
suddenly, while gazing at her thus, it seem
ed to me that the time had come for me to
speak. l went up to her, raised her from
the chair, and folded her i'm my arms
Annie" said, Annie, my dear, let there
be an end to this. Give me the right to pro-
tect you from all this trouble that has come
upon you lately. Become my wife"
She started, AMI stared at Inc like fright
ened child.
Your wife, IIugh?" she said. "Your
wife,"
YES, Annie answered. MY wife-that
is, if you care for me enough, my dearr
At this, she fell to crying afrcsh, and chung
to Inc tenderly.
"Ah, Hugh, dear Hugh r' she sobbed you
are the kindest and best man in all the world,
and it is your kindness which makes you ask
me this now, for you don't LOUG me, Hugh"
Her words cut Inc to the heart, for felt
their truth.
Perhaps" l said, II don't romance as
some young fellows might, but | shall make
as good husband. | have always been fond
of you, Annie, ever since that night, years
ago, when first came here and you gave me
a MclCOlHt. we nave ever Dttn tNcellent
friends, haven't we?-and now tell me if we
shall be more than friends?'
mo, Hugh; be what you have always been
my own dear BROTHER
SIS it because you think l don't care for
you, Annie?'
"Ah, nor she replied. Don't think it is
that. So much the better for you, dear, that
you don't love me: for even if it were other
wise, we two could never be man and wife"
/ looked into her eyes, and | thought !
read their meaning. Annie did not care for
me, her heart was with another man, and
that man far above her.
think see those who read these lines
smiling at my ignorance or my folly, and
asking, was it possible that all had seen or
heard awakened in my mind no suspicion of
any darker wrong lurking in my little cous-
ms path? Yes; it was quite possible. Grown
man az was, had no experience whatever
of the world. would have trusted Annie
in my company, or in any place, and never
dreamed for moment that there could be
any danger to one so good.
As my thought travels back to that time,
reprOach myself again and again for nay own
blindness What worlds of sorrow it would
have saved if had been less unsuspicious-
If had only loved Door Annie moral