San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-02-23
Continued from yesterday

SOntlnutu iTOii yesttruhy
and there's drab bordering on every
thing else under the sun excepting lilac;
but know by the way her flounces
sweep out that mercantile house not
keeping drab bordering on the lilac
stands very low
That's the way it goes day after day,
week after week, and hate tea. detest
saleratus, abhor Goldfish, and wish calico,
cotton cloth, drilling, hooks and eyes
and all the rest of the wretched necessities
of an artificial civilization were at the
bottom of the Indian Ocean. long to
be savage more than | do to be an
angel. and l shall be, one of these days,
though do wear cloth suits and have
shaving-mug at the BARRIERS marked in
gilt letters, IS. o. Hyde" l wonder
that all self-respect and sentiment of
humanity haven't long ago persisted
from out my bosom.
Such were my reflections one fine
morning just after train time while |
was weighing out half a pound of black
tea, when my fellQw-sufierer in the dry
goods and grocery infliction called out:
"Here's a lady inquiring for you,
Sam"
In distinct outline before the door
stood a little woman, her skirts spread
out by triangular hoop like the skirts
of the female figures we used to draw
on our states at school. | came up to
make my bow and saw she had deposit
ed brown willow basket on the show
case and dropped back, glazed bag
at her side. She wore a stringy kind
of shawl with fearfully long fringe,
and seemed to be afflicted with the
numb palsy.
"Are you my nephew, Sam-well?"
asked she.
My name is Samuel Hyde, ma'am,"
replied.
Pm your fathers aunt, Loueezer
Hyde"
Pm glad to see you, Aunt Louisa"
She looked at me sharply, as if l was
making fun of her. l suppose it is be-
cause the corners of my mouth turn up
that people are always suspecting me of
making fun of them. | wish these cor
ners would sink, and wonder they
don't
'I'm your only living female relative
on the fathers side" said she.
My business experience with females
had been so embittering that was glad
to learn she was the only one on the
fathers side.
''As you've no mother, feel it my
duty to help make home for YOU"
Instantly remembered that Aunt
Louisa was worth $4,000. think /
learned that fact in early years at the
parental knee, along with who made
me, and what State | lived in. l know
it always stood to my infantile con-
seriousness in the relation of a primary
truth. My father, all his life, courted
poverty through the medium of dry
goods and groceries, and went through
bankruptcy as often as the law would
allow. During the periodic seasons,
before calling the creditors and making
an assignment he used to clasp his
hands to his head and calculate, Louisa
might help me if she only wouldr'
But Louisa wouldn't, or at least didn't,
and whatever may be thought of her
affection for her nephew, mature obser-
vations on the oscillating nature of the
molasses and ginger market have con-
WINGED me that her judgment was emf
nently sound.
'I'm delighted to see you, Aunt
Louisa. I'll go right down to my board
ing-place with you.
With brown willow basket in one
hand and shiny leather bag in the
other and my greataunt lettering be-
hind-why under heavens name she
didn't walk by my side couldn't see!-
we meandered down the street.
We met Evelina Plympton. | was
engaged to Evelina. had enjoyed
that honor ever since one July evening
when there came up sudden thunder
shower, and she clasped my arm and
calculated she was $50 timid." An en-
gagement was an annual episode with
Evelna. When | solemnly asked Pa
Plympton's consent he didn't remove
his pipe from his mouth, but Just nod
ded and pursued his previous train of
thought Evelina smiled patronizingly
upon me. Difference TO the aged, l
knew, she considered beautiful.
My aunt didn't like my boarding.
place, and after a great deal of search
we succeeded in finding house to her
liking, with the "buttery" on the north
? east corner, opening INTO the dining
room and kitchen. The next moment-
Gus step was to get my aunt's things"
moved.
need not say that our residence,
when furnished was neat but not gaudy.
sighed for my former coy quarters,
but remembered my aunts valuation,
and reasoned that if she was my only
living female relative on the fathers
side I must of necessity be her only liv-
ing male relative on the mothers side.
We kept one servant, whose wages
my aunt thought it right should pay,
because. as she said, if there was no
one but herself, she shouldn't keep a
girl Our cuisine was managed with
the strictest regard to economy. We
lived largely upon soup, my aunt high
ly esteeming marrow-bones.
For two or three years had been in
the habit of smoking a single cigar at
the close of the days labors. One even
ing was sitting on the piazza indulg-
ing in this luxury, when out came my
aunt
''Sam-well," she cried, "are you
smokingP"
''Yes'm," very meekly.
''Well," said she, calmly but firmly,
Il