San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-09-20

nable, with the first touch of haughtiness
she had shown. "A man old enough to be
my grandfather, rs deaf as a post and as
bald as an ancient American eaglei would
go cut as a cook or housemaid first. Yes.
Julia, if the choice were given me of marry.
ing that man or digging my own grave,
with the understanding that was to jump
into it when completed, | would choose Sic
latter alternative with gratitude"
"And you wish me to understand that you
will not play for one of my parties again un-
less you are;paid for itf"
Mrs. GrenmAr's hand was ON the knob Of
the door as she asked this question.
Il wish you to understand that do not re-
gard your old velvet and silk gowns as fair
equivalent for my services as chief musician"
said Miss Annable. "And also, that / not
only believe with the Bible that the laborer
Is worthy of his hire but that labor is emf
nently respectable"
The departing guests twist of the door
knob was nothing less than vicious. Flor
ence, who knew her sister perfectly, under
stood that the breach between them now
would be hard one to bridge. Work was
degradation, in the opinion Of her own near
relatives. But 1t was not so for her. There
were two ways in which she knew she could
earn a generous support. One was by her
musical talent, and the other by her taste
and ability in designing costumes.
st is wicked to keep you at the piano, Miss
Annable, when we all know you are so fond
of dancing, but no one plays as you do" her
friends were constantly saying.
Now why, she asked herself, with this
available talent in her possession, should she
in huS a
and ''open and above board" manner, as men
why she should be idle and wear her sisters
cast off clothes any more than the man who
had a room across the corridor should be
idle and wear his rich brothers rags and
jags"
This question of the utilization of talent
had been logically met and settled good
while before, but the hinderances in the way
of putting her theories into practice had
been hard to overcome. Her sisters had
aimed high and brought down their game.
1t was no more than fair that she should do
the same, her relatives had frequently told
her, instead of occupying the fourth story
back in a crowded boarding house, and max
ing them world of trouble in explaining
and excusng her anomalous position. Their
frequent assertions that sister Florence was
exceedingly peculiar, and could not be in
duced to make a home with either of her
relatives, were in the main true. Miss An
nable could have made herself useful in
either of these establishments, but her liberty
was far too precious to jeopardize by any
such arrangement. Here in the sky parlor
certain hours Of each day were her own, her
very own.
A few hours later Miss Annable was driv-
ing in the park with some friends. She
passed both of her sisters, and their recogni.
ton, though calculated to deceive her com
panions, was well understood by her. Julia
had communicated with Blanche, and they
had both shown their displeasure in as
marked a manner as the circumstances would
permit. This recalcltrant member of their
arstocratic family was to be brought to
terms Florence Annable smiled as she
thought Of it,
Clarke Durivage rode along by the side of
the landau, and chatted with the young la
dies. For the first time since Florence had
decided not to wear any more least offs" her
courage failed her. She felt it to be humil.
iating truth that she cared more for this
mans good opinion than for anything else in
the world; to think that she was quite indie
pendent OF remark or criticism from any
other quarter, but not from him, filed her
with confusion and alarm. Mr.. Durivage
had been the only man she had met in society
who had talked to her as if she were possessed
of an equal intelligence.
Miss Annable ednvassed the subject very
thoroughly in these few minutes Her scorn
of her own weakness, as shown by the pres
- ~. 4
science.
The die is cast" she told herself, as Mr.
Durivage babe her good evening. II will
not wear jags, and so must play jigs."
The young lady did not estimate her mu-
steal talent at its true value. 1t was almost a
case of genius. She could play che works of
the most favored composers, and with power
and expression which delighted the most crit
ical And so it came to pass that Miss Flor
ence Annable was engaged at regular pro
fessional prices to play for party at the
house of the wealthy and distinguished Mrs
Van Cortland. Her sisters were both pres
ent, but neither Of them came near her during
the evening, and in this way the world found
out there had been quarrel.
Good evening" Miss Florence"
Good evening" Mr.. Durivage"
1T is rather singular there is no one here
to play but you," the gentleman remarked.
II have been waiting half hour to invite
you to dance"
at is not in the least singular, Mr.. Duri-
wage" said the musician, smiling heroically,
''for l am regularly employed to play for
Mrs Van Cortland's guests this evening""
The plunge was made, the worst was over,
and Florence felt that she could look herself
squarely in the face when the evening was
over