San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-08-05
ELISA
The White Face At The Window.
Written by Edith Aiken for the Light.

In secret they worked converting
every thing they had into money,
and so carefully they worked and
moved, that the fiend who followed
them so pitilessly lost track OF them
for while. They came east but work
was hard to get, and their money
melted away, and Harry in despair
went away to sea, leaving his mother
in position where she could earn
enough to live, by sharing the home
of the Miss Primings. 1t was true
she was living under an assumed
name, but she had began to hope,
either that Hedge Wood burn would
give her up or be unable to find her
until she could earn money enough
to take her to England where she
hoped to find friends among her
fathers kindred. Even when she
became aware that the man was on
her track she did not despair until
she stood face to face with him on
New Years eve. "Ah can it be-" she
concluded, "that l am here, with you
dear friends, rich and hopeful, and
he is dead! How strange, how Won
derful are the changes of life"
A brief silence fell upon the happy
trio, and then Mrs. Graham down
whose face the tears had been falling
said: "My poor lamb, yours has
been a sad life indeed, let us hope
the shadow are passed forever" while
Arthur never demonstrative, could
not conceal the pain he felt at the
narration.
It was decided at her earnest re-
quest, that Elsa should take up her
abode for the present with Mrs. Ora
ham while Arthur would Immediately
take the proper steps to pay over to
her the money due her, when had
accumulated since his fathers death.
ut amounts to about ten thousand
dollars per year and there is the in
come for three years due, that Will
make you perfectly independent So
far as relates to money, and 1 am
sure that Aunt Susan and Nellie will
join with me in offering all that friend
ship, gratitude and love may give"
"You may fully" replied Mrs.
Graham sealing her compact with a
loving kiss on Elsa's brow" and I am
only glad and not surprised, to find
my lovely and loveable girl friend,
making the woman she promised.
80 you fill me with happiness by
such goodness" cried Elsa, her old
bright smile breaking through her
tears. If Harry were only here! but
I must wait as patiently as 1 can for
his return. 1t does not seem to me
that L can ever complain again for
anything that may happen, since
l. escaped the terrible fate that
threatened me. And 1 am glad
and grateful Arthur, believe
me, for money enough to raise me
above, want, and enable Harry to
return to school, but halfthe sum you
named will be an abundance for us.
I had rather you would keep the
rest.u
Arthur looked at her fOndly, long
ing then and there to offer his own
fortune in addition to hers but he
was no easy gallant man of the world,
he was shy, and had modest esti-
mate of himself, and he remembered
too, that she had not been silent,
worshipful observer of him for three
months as he had been for her. He
was comparative stranger to her,
so he hushed the fond words ready
to be spoken, and grayely as became
her trustee, told her that he had no
option in the matter. That he was
only carrying out the terms of his
fathers will. That he was sorry to
lay so great a burden upon her, but
he really had no choice, and therefore
she must try and bear up under so
great calamity!
1t was two weeks later that Mrs.