San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-09-04
A MERENTERLUDE
By THOMAS HARDY.

and tones which changing events paint on
faces of active womankind were looked for
in vain upon hers. But still waters may run |
deep; and no crisis had come in the years or
her early madenhood to demonstrate what
Law hidden within her, like metal in mine.
She was the daughter of a small farmer in
St Mary's. one of the Scilly Isles, who had
spent a large sum, as it was there understood,
on her education, by sending her TO the main-
land for two years At l9she was entered at
the Training College for Elementary Teach
ers, and at 81 nominated to a school in the
country, near Exeter, whittier she proceeded
after the Christmas examination and holt
DAYS
The months passed by from WI, .er to
spring and summer, and Baptista applied
herself to her new duties as best she could,
till an uneventful year had elapsed. Then
an air of abstraction pervaded her bearing
as she walked to and fro, twice day, and
she showed the traits of a person who had
something on her mind. A widow, by name
Mrs. WAGE, in whose house Baptista Trew-
then had been provided with a sitting room
and bedroom till the school house should he
built noticed this change in her youthful
tenants manner, and at last ventured to
press her with a few questions.
1T has nothing to do with the place, nor
with YOU" said Miss Trewthen
"Then it is the salaryf'
"No, nor the salary"
''Then it is something you have heard from
home my dear" Baptista was silent for a
few moments. "It is Mr.. Heddegan," she
murmured Him they used to call David
Heddegan before he got his money"
And who is the Mr.. Heddegan they used
to call Davidr
"An old bachelor at Hugh Town st. Mary's,
with no relations whatever, who lives about
a stones throw from fathers. When | was a
child he used to take me on his knee and say
he'd marry me some day. Now am q woman
the Jest has turned earnest, and he is anxious
to do it. And father and mother says l can't
do better than have him."
"He's we'll OFF,
"Yes-he's the richest man we know-as a
friend and neighbor."
"How much older did you say he was than
yourse!fr'
81 didn't say. Twenty years Mt least"
"And an unpleasant man in the bargain,
perhapsr'
mo; he's not unpleasant"
"Well, child, all can say is that I'd resist
any such engagement If it's not palatable
to We. You are comfortable here, in my
little house. hope. All the parish like we,
and I've never been so cheerful since my hus-
band left me to wear his wings as I've been
with ye as my lodger"
The school mistress assured her lendlady
that she could return the sentiment But
here comes my perplexity," she said. II
don't like keeping school. All you are sur
prised-yOu didn't suspect it. That's because
I've concealed my feeling. Well, simply
hate scdoOi don't care for children-they
are unpleasant, troublesome little things,
whom nothing would delight so much as to
hear that you had fallen down dead. Yet |
would even put up with them if it was not for
the inspector For three months before his
visit didn't sleep souhdly. And the COM
mittee of council are always changing the
code, SO that you don't know what to teach
and what to leave untaught. l think father
and mother are right. They say | shall
never excel as a school mistress if dislike
the work so, and that therefore ought to get
settled by marrying Mr. Heddegan. Be
tween us two, like him better than school.
but don't like him quite so much as to wish
to marry him"
These conversations, once begun, were con-
tinued from day to day, till at length the
young girls elderly friend and landlady
threw in her opinion on the side Of Miss
Trew then's parents. All things considered.
she declared, the uncertainty of the school,
the labor, Baptista's natural dislike for teach
ing. it would be as well to take what fate
offered and make the best of matters by we'd
ding her fathers old neighbor and prosperous
friend.
The Easter holidays came round, and Bap-
tista went to spend them as usual in her ma
tive isle, going by train as far as she could
and crossing by packet from Penzance.
When she returned in the middle of April her
face wore more settled aspect
"Wellm said the eXpectant Of Mrs WAGE.
81 have agreed to have him as my hus-
band" said Baptista, in an off hand way.
Heaven knows if it will be for the best or
not. But have agreed to d., it, and so the
matter is settled"
Mrs WAGE commended her but Baptista
did not care to dwell on the subject; so that
allusion to it was very infrequent between
them. Nevertheless, among other things,
she repeated to the widow from time to
time in monosyllabic remarks that the we'd
ding was really impending; that it was ar
ranged for the summer, and that she had
given notice of leaving the school at the
August holidays. Later on she announced
more specifically that her marriage was to
take place Immediately after her return
home at the beginning of the month afore-
said.
She now corresponded regularly with Mr..
Heddegan Her letters from him were seen,
at least on the outside and in part within, by
Mrs WAGE Had she read more of their in
teriors than the occasional sentences shown
by Baptista she would have perceived that