San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-07-03
everlasting spinsterhood

everlasting spinsterhood
It is true that there had once prevailed Q
report that young and promising law STD
dent named Hoicomb had been enamored Of
her years before, but as nothing came of 1t,
and the two were never seen together, the
report had died of inanition, and tho girl
had thenceforth moved, as was supposed, In
maiden meditation, fancy free"
The law student whose name had been
connected with hers married another lady In
the neighborhood, and had rapidly risen to
the possession of wealth and distinction In
his profession. His wife died two years after
their marriage, leaving him little girl
Since the period Of her death. he had retired
entirely from society, and seemed to devote
his thoughts To the memory OF his wife and
the care of his motheriess girl He was Q
grave man, with q sad expression In his tn
telhgent eyes, and, although not popular.
was highly respected in the community For
Q time after the loss OF bis wife society bad
arranged several matches for him, but bis
equal Difference to all the marriageable
maids and widows with whom ne came In
contact disabused the popular impression as
to his intentions, and he was finally decided
to be welded for life to the dead woman and
the rearing OF his daughter.
~
Twilight came and with a completer union
on the part OF the assembled women They
had gossiped, recalled old days, had presented
the speculative merits OF their husbands and
detailed rosy and elaborate plans for the fu-
ture, had talked over the maladies Of infancy,
and the various herbs, teas, baths and other
remedies for the relief Of ailing babies, and
finally settled down into an exchange of con-
idences
What these four young mothers. with their
babes quiet and asleep in rockers, on sofas
and lounges discussed needs not to be en-
tered on in detail Women of the kind. thus
thrown together in the soothing twilight,
and animated by tea and cakes, and inspired
by hours of interchange of gossip and
"reminiscences, scale heights and explore
depths which man may not follow. Much
that was said in low tones, and of that which
reached the ears of the hostess little was
clearly comprehended.
Finally there was pause in the converse
ton, which was soon after broken by the
chubby mother:
"Mary. why is it that you have never mar
riedq"
YES whym said another. "a girl as
handsome as you might have had q dozen
first class men to select from"
"A scandal~ interjected another of the
matrons. "But 1t must be all Marys fault
The men have more sense. She must be
stony hearted to have refused all the offers a
girl like her must have received"
'TeQ us all about it. you bad girl What
is the reason you have been so obdurate'
Couldn't you find a man good enough TO suit
your fastidious faster
There were dozens Of other queries 0ung
on the hostess, who. with Redeemed cheek, a
half smile on her lips, and an expression of
remonstrance in her downcast eyes. listeLed
to the deluge of questions and merry denun-
citation.
For few moments she sat and thought,
as if agitated by painful memories. and then
suddenly seemed possessed by new deter.
mination Her face grew serious, a species
of defiant flame cleaned in her eyes, and she
said in a low, serious tone:
"Girls, will tell you Gods truth, out you
won't believe mel No man ever asked me to
marry him, and no man, to my knowledge,
has ever said to ME one word OF Lowell"
This statement, made with the soiemnity
of an oath, and uttered by the splendid crea.
ture before them, was received with derision.
"As you Gkep she said 81 have TOLD you
the simple truth. We are all old and init
mate friends, and / will make confession.
was once fond of a young man-not in love
with him, you must understand. but liked
him better than any other of the gentlemen
whom | knew He was very timid and reti.
cent, and acted as if he rded me as too
lofty being to be addressed in the language
Of ordinary mortals"
who was itF came from all the tnroats
OF the interested listeners.
"That | cannot tell you. He was splen.
did young fellow. and | came nearer liking
him than any other man have ever known.
what was the outcome of it, Why didn't
you get married. Was there a quarrelF
~ do not know He called two or three
times and then suddenly stopped Our last
meeting was friendly one, and know no
reason why he never repeated it"
At this point the chubby mother attracted
the attention of the others by the exhibition
of some very hysteI1cai symptoms She com.
menced choking, glggling and swallowing in
a manner that threatened serious results
She was slapped. famed and patbed by the
sympathetic sisters until at length she recov-
cred somewhat her equarimity
What is 1t" came IL q chorus from the
bevy of women that crowded about her
''Oh, girlI" she gasped. between sobs and
laughter. II knew something" And then,
after prologue OF little screams, exclama-
tons of wonder and expectation from Ae
others. she said.
blow ridiculous. and yet how serioust
know why the young man was estranged
from Maryr