San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-08-21

I herself all the while she was be-
ing dressed by repeating the words
of the charm: Compromise, Conces-
sion and a little Charity" Her
mother was sitting by the fire
in the parlor when Letitia went
in. She was holding a screen be-
fore her face, so that the child
did not see how discontinued she
looked although her attitude was list
less and weary. She was an extremely
pretty woman, blonde and graceful
with touch of willfulness in her pi-
quaint beauty.
Mamma" Letltia said, "do you
know it will be Chris tmas tomorrow
Do you think 1 am too old to hang up
my stOcking?"
Her mother sighed impatiently. IF
you find any pleasure in such foolish
ness do so by all means"
A breath of cold air seemed to pass
over Letitia at these words, and it was
relief to her when the front door
banged loudly. She knew her father
had come and ran out into the hall to
meet him. In spite of the wrath and
gloom that was in his heart, he man.
aged to give her loving greeting. 1t
is very seldom that a man vents his
ill-humor or disappoin tment on hi-
only daughter. He kissed her and
went with her into the drawing room.
Letitia noticed that he did not say
anything to her mother, but continued
to talk OF Christmas. He was strong
man and somewhat heavy, so that.
when he sat down Inadvertently, ON
small gilded chair, it cracked and
broke. Dear me HoraceW said his
wife You are SO ponderous that you
always ruin everything.
THAT CHAIR, he answered, twas
only made for show, like more than
one person / know; it was pretty to
look at, but of no use at all, and not
IN the least to trusted"
Mrs. Fortescue laughed disagreea-
bly," You always make a failure OF deli
cate sarcasm, my dear Horace, it is
not in the least your line. Because
you are an old fOgy, is no reason that
[ should not remove my own seven
thousand dollars from the pOky in
vestment you made.
"YOu are at liberty to loseyour own
money certainly, Gertrude, and / de-
youtly hope you will lose every cent
of it, if you allow Col. Empson to per-
suade you into buying NJ. l.. & t.
bonds. AS for me I shall go to the
club directly after dinner"
why do they call it club" asked
Letitia.
Because, said her mother, 1.-The
men that 60 there ought to be club
bed Letitia thought it advisable to |
change the subject. Papa, she be-
gan. II have gotten Nora to wear a
cApr
He tried to smile and asked her
how she managed it.
well, - continued LetitIa, Ibid you |
park? I asked him one day if he |
IN cap and he said it was all she |
needed to make her perfectly killing.
1 told Nora and she put one on"
Mr.. FOrtescue's reply was cut short |
by the entrance of Aunt Mildred.
She was a younger and taller edi-
ton of her sister and looked if any
thing more unhappy. The powder
under her large gray eyes could not
hide the traces of recent weeping.
Her brother-in-laW, with the ma
tural perversty of his sex, plunged
at once into the one subject, most
likely to annoy her, Il saw Ed.
Styvesant today. Look here, Mildred,
you must make up that lovers quar-
rel. He said be might call this even
ing, just as ifnothing had happened.n
"You will please understand, Aunt
Willard replied in her coolest manner, /
"that al is over between Mr.. Styves-
ant and me. / will never see him
again. Letitia's cup of woe ran over
at this announcement, tears came into
her eyes. go. Aunt Mildred, she
walled, she was the incest beau you
had and he always brought me such
lots of things Dinner was ANNOUNCE
ed at this juncture and most wretch
ed meal it proved. Before it was half |
over, papa arose and with cantapolo- |
gy lett them. Letitia looked visit |
fully at him, and then with sudden |
courage followed him into the hall. |
He had put on his Overcoat, was just |
taking his cane from the rack; some |
thing i'll her sad little face made him |
pause. She lifted up her arms TO him |
and whispered, "Put down your head,
papa, and keen still just a moment"
She selected the place on his temple
where the hair did not luster with
its former youthful abundance, thirty
nine years, and life of excitement
and experience had done their work.
She opened her bon boneire and rub
bed the precious cream upon him.
Then she slowly repeated the charm
'ComprOmise, concession and little
charity He looked at her in be-
wildered way, "Where did you learn
that, he said, but she only repeated
t. 1t 4 1.