San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-01-13

changed all But
as all we did was done in ignorance and
should be- so judged, shall so narrate these
passages as they appeared to us in the mo-
ment of their birth, and reserve all that l
since discovered for the time Of its discovery.
For have now come to one Of the dark
parts of my narrative. and must engage the
readers indulgence for my patron.
All the 9th, that rigorous weather en-
dured-a sitting cold; the folk passing about
like smoking chimneys; the wide hearth in
the hall piled high with fuel; some of the
spring birds that had already blundered north
into our neighborhood besieging the windows
Of the hotse or trotting on the frozen turf
like things distracted. About noon there
came blink Of sunshine, showing a very
pretty, winterv, frosty landscape of white
hills and woods, with Crails lugger waiting
for a wind under the Craig Head, and the
smoke mounting straight into the air from
every farm and cottage. With the coming
of night the haze closed In overhead, it fell
dayi, aud ST.. and StarleSS and exceeding cold;
a night the most unreasonable, fit for strange
events
Mrs. Henry withdrew, was now her GUS
tom very early. We had set ourselves of
late to paSs the evening with game of
cards, another mark that our visitor was
wearying nightly of the life of Durrisdeer;
and we had not been long at this, when my
old lord slipped from his place beside the fire,
and was off without a word to seek the
| warmth of bed. The three thus left together
had neither love nor courtesy to share; not
one of us would have sat up one instant to
oblige another; yet from the influence of
custom and as the cards had Just been dealt,
nOntnnpI the form pf MIA wing mi "a
round. should say we were late sitters
and though my lord had departed earlier
than was his custom, l2 was already gone
some time upon the clock, and the servants
ong ago in bed Another thing l should
say, that, although | never saw the master
any way affected with liquor, he bad been
drinking freely, and was, perhaps although
be showed it mott, trifle heated
Anyway, he now practiced one of his tran
sitionS, and SO soon as the door closed behind
my lord, and without the smallest change of
voice, shifted from ordinary civil talk into a
stream of insult.
MY dear Henry, it is yours to play" he
bad been saying and now cor ipued st is
very strange thing how in so small "A
matter as a game of cards, you display your
rusticity. You play, Jacob, like bonnet
laird, or a sailor in tavern. The same dull
ness, tho same petty greed, 70 lenteur :
d'hebete qui me fait RACER; it | strange l
should bave such brother Even Square
toes has certain vivacity when his stake is
Imperfect; but the dreariness of game
with you, positively lack language to de-
pict."
Mr.. Henry continued to look at his cards, .
as though very maturely considering some
play; but his mind was elsewhere
Dear God, will this never be doner cries
the master. "Quel lourdeaul But why do
trouble you with French expressions, which
are lost on such an ignoramuS1 A lourdeau,
my dear brother, is as we might say bump
kin, clown, n clOdpole: fellow without
grace, lightneSs, quickness; any gift of pleas
ing, any natural brilliancy; such a one as
You shall see, when you desire, by looking in
The mirror. tell you these things for your
good, assure you; and besides, Squaretoes"
0o"liin" at me and sitting yawn), lit is one
OF my diversions i'll this very dreary spot, to
toast you and your master at the fire like
chestnutS. have great pleasure in your case,
for | observe the nickname (Iustic as it isl
has always the power to make you writhe.
But sometimes have more trouble with this
dear fellow here, who seems to have gone to
sleep upon his cards Do you not see the APP
plicability Of the epithet l have just explained,
dear Henryi Let me show you. For III
stance, with all those solid qualities which l
delight to recognize in you, never knew
woman who did not prefer me-nor : think"
he continued, with the most silken deliber-
alton, IL think-who did not continue to pre-
fer me-"
Mr.. Henry laid down his cards. He rose to
his feet very softly, and seemed all the while
like person in deep thought. You cow
ardI" he said, gently, as if to himself And
then, with neither hurry nor any particular
violence, he struck the master in the mouth.
The master sprung to his feet like one
TRANSPORTED | had never seen the man so
beautiful -, blow" he cried Il would
not take blow from God Almighty"
Lower your voice." said Mr.. Henry. DO
you wish my father to interfere for you
aganw
Gentlemen, gentlemen" | cried. and
sought to come between them
TIL master caught me by the shoulder,
held Inc at arms length, and still addressing
bis brother; do you know what this meansfp
said he
st was the most deliberate act of my life,"
says Mr.. Henry.
81 must have blood, must have blood for
this" says the master.
please God it shall be YOURS said Mr.
Henry; and he went to the wall and took
down pair of swords that hung there with
Others naked. These he presented to the
master by the points. "Mackellar shall zee
us play fair" said Mr.. Henry Il think it
very needful."
"You need insult me no more,p said the
rnaSter taLyinr ono of the swords ot rand