San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-03-21
GRAY FUR.
BY 4. GERARD.

The frost came early in the year 1856,
and like most early. frosts it did great
deal of damage, over and above murder
ing at one fell swoop the late lingering
flowers, which with kindlier treatment
might have bloomed on yet some little
time. 1t is always the first unexpected
frost which does the most harm, surpris-
ing us, as it often does, in muslin and
straw hats, before we have had time to
adjust our winter armOr.
This particular frost made the usual
amount of havoc in the animal as well as
the vegetable world, and among other
calamities to be laid at it's door were the
broken leg of an old man and the death of
a little girl.
Probably many other brittle old bones
snapped just about that same time, and
no doubt scores of little girls, and boys
too, Succumbed to the effects of chillS
caught at that period; such cases only go
to make up the usual average of deaths
and accidents, and are in nowise interest
ing to the general public. The two cases
/ have mentioned are only in so far in
teresting as having brought about the
meeting of two young people living far
apart; for if neither of these events had
happened, or if they had not occurred
simultaneously, the chances are that Hugo
Weyprecht would never have met Clara
ElSinger, and consequently this story
would not have been written.
The old man who broke his leg was the
confidential agent of the large commercial
house of Bilsenkraut, Wolff 81 Co., at st.
Petersburg, and he broke it when hurry
ing over a crowded crossing. Slipping
his foot on one of the puddes frozen over
night, he was run over by a passing Omni-
bus, and brought home disabled for work
for a good six weeks to come.
'Deucedly provoking" growled the
head of the establishment, when the acct
dent was reported to him, "and he was to
have started for k tomorrow, so as
to reach the place before the great market.
Could not the fellow have contrived to
break his leg at some other time? And
there is not another man in the establish
ment who can manage this affair with
ability and discretion. Honesty and
ability are both required here. and it is
rare indeed to find these two qualities
combined. The honest ones are not clever
as rule, and the clever ones are rarely
honest. Stay-there is that young Ger
man; he is young to be sure, but / know
him to be clever, and / believe, nay, | am
ulilOoO oulC, ulCbG uC 10 IOltSI. IlC las u
good faCe-who knows? The matter is
urgent, and we may lose over million
by delay" and the great man rang u little
bell which stood on his writing desk, with
the air of one who has taken an important
resolution.
''Tell Hugo WeypreCht to speak to me
at once, " was the order he gave, which
presently was obeyed.
Hugo Weyprecht was a tall young man
of about 20, and rather darker than Ger
mans usually are with thoughtful brown
eyes and a rare and somewhat melancholy
smile. Like many of his countrymen, he
suffered slightly from the national COM
plant of heimweh (hOme sickness, and,
despite four years residence i'll Russia,
still felt himself to be an alien and an
exile in this strange land.
The conversation between the two lasted
fully an hour, but as the double doors
were closed there was no possibility of
overhearing their talk. The great man
talked a great deal, while the young one
answered from time to time shortly and to
the point, or put pregnant questions bear
ing on the subject of his proposed mission.
His manner seemed to have favorably
impressed his patron, for he said in con-
clusiOn:
81 am aware that am acting rashly in
confiding such weighty matter to you,
but l have confidence, and l like your
face, and should you prove yourself able
to accomplish this to the satisfaction of
the firm, you may consider your future
secured, and l shall be able to offer you a
permanent post in one of our German
houses. l know it has long been your
wish to return to your country. But you
will require to have all your wits about
you; the country is not over safe Re-
member my directions, and above all, alb
solute silence and dscretionr'
Armed with various credentials in
the shape of letters and addresses,
and with thick leather pock-
etbook buttoned up within his coat,
Hugo Weyprecht left tn Nerchant's
room, and twenty-four b| er was on
his way to k, a. IN Russian
Poland.