San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-01-25

frain Of his sad musing was:
"Only one person in the whole world to
love me, and shall lose even that love nowr'
On the other side of the summer house, di-
vided from the side the old gentleman occu-
pied by rustic partition, two ladies, young
and fair, rustled in, and taking out some
fancy work, settled down for a chat.
One was tall, and dressed in a pretty cos
tune, that was at once youthful and ma
tronly; the other was petite, blonde, and not
more than eighteen. Mrs. CORTLAND spoke
first,
Embroidery, Alicer' she said "a hand
kerchief corner. For your trousseaup
YES" andthe sweet voice faltered, while
burning blush crimsoned the fair cheek. sis
it not prettyr
VERY. want to talk about your pros
poets, child. Your Aunt Marcia tells me
you are making splendid match"
"Did she' l think so, Blanche. Malcolm
is so noble and good and a true Christianp
"But your aunt tells me he is the favorite
nephew of the great oil merchant, Hiram
Bates, whose wealth is something enormous.
You have only to help him play his cards
we'll, and he will probably be heir to a mag
nificent fortune. But what ais youf You
hook as II l vas telling you piece of news"
81 think Aunt Marcia has been mi,in-
formed, that Is all"
"Then he Is not Hiram Bates nephewf
~ never heard him speak of a rich uncle,
and am quito sure he has no hope Of inner
iting money. He has a good salary, and my
little fortune will buy and furnish a small
house, so we can make a comfortable, and,
hope, a happy home"
Did he never speak to you of his unclefr
mot Of a rich uncle. He has told me of a
lame uncle, his mothers brother, who has
been very kind to him, given him his educa-
ton and start in business. He always
talks Of him with the deepest love and pity"
"Pityr"
"He suffers tortures from the effects Of a
fall that has famed him for life and often
causes him weeks of agonizing pain. Nal
coin tells me with tears in his eyes Of his
fear Of losing this dearest friend and kind
uncle, and think he hopes l may be useful
sometimes in nursing him"
II wonder If it is the sameg'
The old man leaning upon the cane was
thinking:
Can it be true, Does Malcolm think so
little of my money, that will be his, that he
has never even mentioned it to his promised
wife! Can it be that shall gain loving,
tender niece, instead of losing my nephew,
wne1 Malcolm marriesf'
Loving hiI nephew SO deeply, Hiram Bates
had felt . keen pain at the news of his be-
trothll. He had never seen Alice Hunter,
but ne knew she had been brought up in a
circle Of fashion and was the orphan niece Of
one of sooisty's gayest votaries, Mrs. Marcia
Hayden. He asoertained by inquiry that the
roGng girl had inherited $1,000 from her
-ather and that her winters were spent with
ger Aunt Marcia, her summers with maiden
sister OF hor father. She was quite belle,
enough only In society one season, pretty and
accomplished, and the old man groGRed in
spirit over his nephew's choice
A belLs, and with head full Of fashionable
f7volity, he was convinced that the girl had
been won by the prospect Of Aalcolm's heir
ship to bus own fortune. He had seen in the
future his nephew estranged from him by the
influence Of dressy, empty headed woman,
or, still more appalling, his niece-to-be max
ing false protestations of affection, with a
hope Of winning golden favors.
While he unused upon the conversation he
had overheard, the sill very voices of his young
neighbors still sounding beside him, there
was a sudden crash something struck him
upon the head and he lost consciousness.
Cries from the summer house, from groups
Of people collected in the grounds, brought
party Of mon speedily to the spot The rot
ten posts supporting the roof upon one side
had given way and the side and roof had
fallen in. Mrs. CORTLAND and Miss Hunter
were buried under the fallen timbers, the
doorway being completely blockaded, but
were uninjured. Not 80 the old gentleman,
rbn hnH haAs flaiT. "A 10
was taksn out pallid and senseless.
Nobody knew him He had come by the
morning train, had taken breakfast, but no
room, and asked the hour for the return
train. A surgeon summoned as speedily as
possible announced broken arm and injury
to tho head, making a likelihood of long,
tedious llnesn. There was some animated
discussion, some suggestions of hospital, a
search through the pockets Of the uncon-
scious victim, resulting in the discovery Of
a small sum of money, but no letters, papers
or cards, and finally q desertion OF one and
another, each going his or her way, with the
comforting reflection:
alt is none Of my business"
But when they had all deserted the in
jured man the surgeon, still busy binding up
his arm as he lay upon bench brought from
the ruined summer house, felt light touch
on his hand, and looked up, to see a little
figure in mourning, with sweet face, very
pale.
"Can help your Alice Hunter asked.
mo, child, not now"
What will they do with hing
II suppose he must go to New York
hospital"
"But the ride-the journey"
will cause great additional suffering, per
haps result in death"
Il L. Z.