San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-06-05

cnanoed 10 De mpoIred; and now, through
the arched aperture, a mans bearded face
and an arm supporting lantern were intro
duced into the world of windy darkness,
where Anastasie concealed her woes. The
light struck here and there among the
tossing apple boughs, it glinted on the grass;
but the lantern and the glowing face became
the center of the world. Anastasie crouched
back from the intrusion.
''This way" shouted the man. "Are you
all safer
Aline, still screaming, ran to the new
conner, and was presently hauled head fore
most through the wall.
"Now, Anastasie, come on; it's your turn"
said the husband.
81 cannot" she replied
"Are we all to die of exposure, madame"
Numbered DR.. Desprez
"You can go!" she cried. sob, go, 60
away can stay here; am quite warm"
The doctor took her by the shoulders with
an oath.
"Stop!n she screamed 81 will put them
on"
She took the detested lendings in her hand
once more; but her repulsion was stronger
than shame. "Never!" she cried, shudder
ing, and flung them far away into the night.
Next moment the doctor had whirled her
to the well. The man was there and the Ian
tern; Anastasie closed her eyes and appeared
to herself to be about to die. How she was
transported through the arch she knew not;
but once on the other side she was received
by the neighbours wife, and enveloped in a
friendly blanket.
Beds were made ready for the two women,
o1~ tl,, CT, Co. thn
and Jean-Marie; and for the remainder of
the night, while madame dozed in and out on
the borderland of Mysteries, her husband sat
beside the fire and held forth to the admiring
neighbors. He showed them, at length, the
causes of the accident; for years, he ex-
planned, the fall had been impending; one
sign had followed another, the joints had
opened, the plaster had cracked, the old
walls bowed inward; last, not three weeks
ago, the cellar door had begun to work with
difficulty in its grooves. THE cellar" he
said, gravely shaking his head over glass of
mulled wine. THAT reminds me of my poor
vintages. By manifest Providence the
Hermitage was nearly at an end. One bot
tle-I lose but one bottle of that incompara-
BILE wine. Ithad been set apart against jean
MarieS wedding. Well, | must lay down
some more; it will be an interest in life. 1
am, however, man somewhat advanced in
years My great work is now buried in the
fall of my humble roof; it will never be COM
pleted-my name will have been writ in
water. And yet you find me calm-I would
say cheerful. Can your priest do more!"
By the first glimpse of the day the party
sailed forth from the fireside into the street.
The wind had fallen, but still charioted a
world of troubled clouds; the air bit like
frost; and the party, as they stood about the
ruins in the rainy twilight of the morning,
beat upon their breasts and blew into their
hands for warmth. The house had entirely
fallen, the walls outward the roof in; it was
a mere heap of rubbish, with here and there
fcrlorn spear of broken rafter. A sentinel
was placed over the ruins to protect the
property, and the party adjourned to Ten
taillons to break their fast at the doctors
expense The bottle circulated somewhat
freely; and before they left the table it had
begun to snow.
For three days the snow &C ntinued to fall
and the ruins, covered with tarpaulin and
watched by sentries, were left undisturbed.
The DeSprez' meanwhile had taken up their
abode at Tentaillon's. Madame spent her
time in the kitchen, connecting little delica-
cies, with the admiring aid of Nine. Tentail-
Ion, or sitting by the fire in thoughtful alb
straction. The fall of the house affected her
wonderfully little; that blow had been par
ried by another; and in her mind she was
continually fighting over again the battle of
the trousers Had she done right Had she
done wrong! And now she would applaud
her determination; and anon, with horrid
flush of unavailing penitence, she would re-
greet the trousers. No juncture in her life
had so much exercised her judgment. In
the meantime the doctor had become vastly
pleased with the situation. Two of the sum
mer boarders still fingered behind the rest,
prisoners for lack of remittance; they were
both English but one of them spoke French
pretty fluently, and was, besides, humor-
Gus, agile minded fellow, with whom the doc.
tor could reason by the hour, secure of COM
prehension. Many were the glasses they
emptied, many the topics they discussed
'AnastaSie," the doctor said on the third
morning, take an example from your hus-
band, from Jean-Marie. The excitement has
done more for the boy than all my tonics, he
takes his turn as sentry with positive gusto.
As for me, you behold me- l have made
friends with the Egyptians; and my Pharaoh
10, swear IL, d HiooU aSleedole coinpdnlon
You alone are hipped. About house-a
few dresses! What are they in comparison
to the 'Pharmacopoia'-the labor of years
lying buried below stones and sticks in this
depressing hamlet? The snow falls; shake
it from my cloak! Initiate me- Our income
will be impaired, grant it, since we must re-
build; but moderation, patience and philoso-
ply VII gather about the hearth In the
meanwhile, the Tentaillons are obliging; the
fable with yOur additions will nass. only