San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-06-13
Mary and He, First Love.
A Minister'S Daughter Chooses a
Poor Man for a Husband.

| OOiHS tuil " ySdlS dSO tHCIS Nv GU J.
the state OF Virginia very interest
ing family composed of minister q
the gospel, his wife, and an only child
a daughter, five years of age, at tn
time our story commences. The man
sion in which this family lived was al
old stone building erected about tn
time of the revolution. situated on tn
banks of the Potomac river on an ele
waited spot commanding a splendid
view either way of the blue waters 0
the Potomac and all its surrounding
romantic scenery. The minister was
man of fine commanding figure il
appearance and was dearly beloved
by his congregation and the commu
nifty in general. Beside being min.
lister of the gospel, he held the profess
sorship of a Young ladies seminary,
receiving a good salary for his servi-
ces, so that..,it enabled him to live in
good style suitable to the country and
the times of thirty years ago. The
old stone house nestled snugly be-
tween the hills, its surroundings well
kept in the neatest of style, beauti-
full lawn in front of the house and all
around it beautiful shade trees were
planted. But everything looked so
tasteful and perfect that it resembled
place of enchantment. Like all
earthly things this happy home was
not to continue always. Like many
happy homes pail of sadness swept
over the home of the minister. After
a short illness the beloved and esti-
maDle wife of the minister died and
left Mary, that was the name of the
only child, at the age of twelve, an
orphan. 1t was a sad blow to the
minister. His grief had no bonds,
as he had a great generation for his
beloved wife and depended solely on
her for the training OF their child.
For time the minister gave up all
cares of life until such time as his
grief subsidized to some extent, and
after so long a time he resumed his
usual avOcatiOns. His old home did
not seem to him anything like it did
previous to the loss of his wife; it was
like marble halls deserted, yet he
bore his reverses calmly. Far and
near the minister's wife was spoken
of in words of highest praise by rich
and poor as being a charitable chris |
tain lady, always willing TO extend
hand in time OF need in favor of the |
the poor and needy. The people |
throughout the country deeply re-
GREETED the loss of their christian |
friend. There was an artificial lake |
fed by the Potomac river water only a |
short distance house, the minister's |
wife. when alive was in the habit of |
visiting, mainly for the purpose OF |
distributing crumbs on its banks |
to feed the great myriad of birds that |
were in the habit of collecting around |
the lake. especially SO when they |
We're in the habit of being fed, and a
long time after the death of this kind |
lady the birds would come to the |
lake expecting to find feed, but were |
doomed to disappointment. They |
would dart and fly in every direction, |
and when disappointed would squall |
and fly away. In time they quit COM
ing, as there was nothing for them. |
A short distance from the lake there |
was a large fruit orchard, and long
previous to the death of the minister's |
wife she requested of her husband to
be buried in the orchard, providing
she died before him. Her request
was fulfilled. In the far corner of the
with many sorrowing tears. On
moonlight nights the white mar
BILE monument erected to her
memory by her husband could be
seen from the hall door of the house,
which shOwd a gloomy appearance to
the loved ones whom she left to
mourn her loss. The fiji! hit of time
rolled on but Mary did not forget to
visit her mothers grave and keep 1t
green during the summer she would
gather wild flowers and scatter them
profusely over the grave and often
shed a silent tear over the remains of
the bosom friend dearer than all.
After the minister's wife died, he
employed an experienced middle
aged lady to superintend his house
hold affairs, and also to act as gev
erness over his daughter, and she re-
manned until Mary grew into woman
hood. The minister manifested much
anxiety for the welfare and good
moral training of his daughter; of
course a man of such fine talents as
he possessed was quite capable of
learning her fine precepts. The
young lady grew up to be prepOs-
sessing woman gifted with many
traits of natural intellect, besides her
father gave her thorough education.
Her charming manners and amIable
disposition made her a great favor
lite among the young ladies of the
seminary, many of whom were her
companions since childhood. The
seminary conducted under the
auspices of the minister stood on a
high hill in full view Of the old stone