San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-02-15


and such dull, unbecoming colors"
Had only known it." his wife replied re-
.o-retfully, ~ might have gone TO Warren's
.ld bought a beautiful silk and wool fabric
ror the same money paid for this, but did
not see their advertisement, and thought il
no use TO go up TO their store, where things
are usually higher than anywhere else. ]
was limited as to price, and did the best
could"
In another part of the suburban city where
Mr. Archibald Wise resided, lived his cousin,
Mr. Herbert Wise The cousins had no great
fondneSs for each other, and seldom met, ex
cept occasionally at the house of DR.. Erastus
Wise, an uncle.
DR. Wise was a retired physician, living in
the great city where both his nephews were
engaged in business. He was widely known
and esteemed among the profession, and had
large acquaintance, with whom he was ex.
ceedingly popular.
A man of rare principles he felt that lie
should regard his nephews equally favora-
bly,, but despite the fact of Herbert's being
much more assiduous in his attentions than
Archibald, he yet felt drawn more nearly tc
the latter
As these nephews were the old doctors
nearest living relatives, it was, perhaps, only
natural that both gentlemen had vague ex.
pectations that it might transpire at some
future day that they had been generously re-
membered when the old physician should have
done with all earthly wants.
One morning as Archibald Wise was about
entering his office he suddenly encountered
his cousin Herbert, who said, smilingly:
$50 you didn't think best to appear at our
good uncles last night"
What do you meanr
to ask after him."
"Why, what is the matter"
How You didn't see the account in your
paper yesterday"
Not a word of it! Did your
"Why, certainly. Uncle seemed to think
Jour absence somewhat marked, fancied, in
the midst of such large assemblage OF
friends"
As soon as Herbert Wise's back was turned
his cousin went hastily to the nearest news
stand and bought a paper of the day before.
1t took him but a moment to find that the
old gentleman had been injured and narrowly
escaped death, in a runaway accident, and
that many citizens had called to congratulate
him on having attained his SOth birthday in
safety.
At the large gathering the previous night,
when Mr. Herbert Wise was about taking
leave of his uncle, the genial old gentleman
remarked:
IL am disappointed at not seeing Archie
here tonight, Have you heard that he wa
away or indisposed"
"Oh, no." replied Herbert hesitatingly, she
may not have known of it. :"
7 ,,
the occasion was noticed twice in his pa,
per-"
Perhaps he takes no pepper regularly" sug,
gested the nephew, who seemed to have de
velOped a sudden aptitude for drawing con
illusions
And perhaps he does" said the old gentle,
man serenely, at the same time he thought
keen, forbiddiug thought concerning the man
he felt had cast rather a slur toward his
favorite nephew.
Rejecting on the subject later in the soil
tude of his chamber, Uncle Erastus soilo
quized audibly:
Il looks to me as if Herbert might have
said that for the purpose of alternating me
from Archie | can recall having heard him
speak slightingly of his cousin on former oc
casious. wonder if he thinks
But there the Old man sank into profound
reverie. After a moment, however, be
aroused and added, emphatically:
No, indeed, That would not be Archie at
all! I'd be ashamed, indeed, of a relative Of
mine who would go without daily paper for
any cause except extreme poverty, but be
lievc there's no danger that Wise would
so foolish thing
At noon Mr. Archibald Wise was emerging
from the newspaper Office when he met hi
uncle Just going in. In eager. sincere terms
the nephew began explaining his absence the
night before.
81 entirely missed hearing of the accident"
he said, simply.
Il see you have your paper" said his uncle
CHANGING at the ample sheet in his nephew
hands
Yes, I've just been in to pay for my sub
scription"
And I'm Going in to renew mine, wait
bit, Archie, and wen go to dinner together
True to the latent manlincss of his nature,
Mr.. Archibald Wise told the whole story tc
his wife that night and added what seemed
a redeeming confession. He said
why is it a man seems possessed to per
sist in resolve he knows is only damag-
ing and hazardous simply because he has de
termined to do sot capt tell | only know
Pm done with trying to economic in such
costly way as | discover is involved in doing
without my valuable paper"
a few years later, when Uncle Erastus' will
was opened, it was found that Herbert Wise's
preiudicial hints had not injured his cousin in
the least. For besides stubbornly appor,
tioning a large sum to the city hospital, of
which he had long been the senior visiting
physician, the old doctor had further demon
strated the contrariness of human nature by
leaving to his nephew Archibald Wise