San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-09-04
IL.


It was the end of July-dry, too dry, even
for the season, the delicate green herbs and
vegetables that grew in this favored end OF
the kingdom tasting rather of the watering
pot than of the pure, fresh mostures from
the skies. Baptistas boxes were packed, and
one Saturday morning she departed by
wagonette TO the station and thence by train
to Penzance, from which port she was, as
usual, to cross the water Immediately to her
home and become Mr. Heddegan's wife on
the Wednesday of the week following.
She might have returned a week sooner.
But though the wedding dry had doomed so
near and the bans were out, she delayed her
departure till this last moment, saying 1t was
not necessary for her to be home long before
hand. As Mr.. Heddegan was older than
herself, she said, she was to he married -
her ordinary summer bonnet and gray sir
frock. and there were no preparations -
make that had not been amply made by her
parents and intended husband.
In due time. after hot and tedious jour
ney, she reached Penzance She here OBJ
tanned some refreshment and then went
toward the pier, where she learned, to her
surprise, that the little steamboat plying be-
tween the town and the islands had left at
IL o'clock, the usual hour of departure in the
afternoon having been forestalled in conse-
quence of the fogS which had for a few days
prevailed toward evening, making twilight
navigation dangerous.
This being Saturday, there was now no
other boat till Tuesday, and it became OBJ
vious that here she would have to remain for
the three days unless her friends should think
fit to rig out one of the island sailing boats
and come to fetch her-a not very likely con-
tingency, the sea distance being nearly forty
miles.
Baptista however, had been detained in
Penzance on more than one OCCASION before,
either on account of bad weather or some
such reason as the present, and she was
therefore not in any personal alarm. But,
as she was to be married on the following
Wednesday, the delay was certainly incon-
venient to more than ordinary degree,
since it would leave less than days interval
between her arrival and the wedding cere-
mony.
Apart from the awkwardness, she did not
mnch mind the accident, 1t was indeed
curious to see how little she minded. Per-
haps it would not be too much to say that,
although she was going to do the critical
deed of her life quite willingly, she expert
enced an indefnable relief at the postpone
ment of her meeting with Heddegan. But
her manner after making discovery OF the
hindrance was quiet and subdued, even to
passivity itself, as was instanced by her hav-
ing, at the moment of receiving information
that the steamer had sailed, replied, "Oh,
so coolly to the porter with her luggage that
he was almost disappointed at her lack OF dis
appointment
The question now was, should she return
again to Mrs. WAGE, in the Devonshire vii
lage, or wait in the town at which she had
arrived? She would have preferred to 60
back, but the distance was too great; more
over. having left the place for good, and
somewhat dramatically, to become bride
a return, even for so short space, would
have been trif1e humiliating
Leaving, then, her boxes at the station
her next anxiety was to secure a respectable
or rather genteel lodging in the popular sea
side resort confronting her. To this end she
looked about the town, in which, though she
had passed through it half dozen times, she
was practically stranger.
Baptista found a room to suit her over a
fruiterer's shop, where she made herself al
home and set herself in order after her jour
new. An early cup Of tea having revived her
spirits she walked ont to reconroiter.
Being a school mistress she avoided looking
at the schools, and having a sort Of trade
connection with books she avoided looking
at the booksellers; but wearyiag OF the Other
shops she inspected the churches not that
for her part she cared much about ecciesi
astical edifices, but tourists looked at them
and so would shea proceeding for which ne
one would have credited her with any great
originality, such, for instance, as that she
subsequently showed herself to possess. The
churches soon oppressed her. st. Mary's wa
neither old nor new, st. Paurs was quitt
new, and she could find no others.
Yet the town and the walks in this land o.
strawberries, these headquarters Of early
English flowers and fruit, were then, a
always, attractive. From the more pic
tures1ue walks she went to Barbican stree
and the pier and the harbor, and looked a
the men at work there, loading and unload
ing aS in the time of the Phenicans.
mot Baptista' Yes, Baptista it ISL
The words were uttered behind her. Turn
| ing round she gave start and became con
fused, even agitated, for moment. Thel
she said. in her usual, undemonstrative man
ner: "Oh, is it really you, Charles"
Without speaking again at once, and will
| a half smile, the newcomer glanced her over
There was much criticism and some resent
ment, even temper, in his eve.
81 am going home," continued She "But
have missed the boat"
He scarcely seemed to take in the meaning
of this explanation, in the intensity Of hi
critical survey. Teaching still' What
fine school mistress you make, Baptista,
warrant" he said, with a slight flavor of sar
| casm which was not lost upon her.