The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1890-07-11

frightened his s :
Though he was very =, S;
kind 10 him, in his own qdss -
the child stood little in awe orssS - 6
gave his father none Of the childish -
6dences or merry chatter which might |
have reused the silent man.
They were not rich; but Mr.. Kendall
had a small income from certain proper
ties he owned, and on that they lived; the
father among his books and studies, and
the son growing up, as children Will 1t
is way they have.
Ethel's mother was a widow and
wealthy. Besides being the only daugh-
ter. Ethel was an heircss in her own
right. and would be mistress of large
fortune as soon as she reached the age OF
TWENTY-FIVE. Mrs. Van Zandt was fully
alive to the importance of her daughter
prospects, but the thought of money
never troubled either Tom or Ethel.
As they both grew older, however,
and Ethel was almost eighteen, the I'M
pleasant fact became evident to Tom that
Mrs. Van Zandt disliked him. He had not
noticed it IS a Child; perhaps the dislike
was ONLY passive then-perhaps not there
at all; but it certainly seemed to be there
now. Her bow was frigid, her manner
icy; the dear little drawing-room had
lost its coziness FOR him.
And now, unknown to Tom, the worst
T had happened. Ms. Van zandt had for.
bi5den Ethel to have anything further
TO do with him, and Ethel hal heard the
i edict in silence. Accustomed to obey
0 her silence was taken for assent; anC
1 Mrs. Van Zandt congratulated herself OF
: the management with which she had set
tied this little affair.
And poor Tom He could not under
/ stand, at first, why all his invitation
? were refused by Ethel. why she was n
, longer ssrt home to him; no more dc
lirhtful little strolls; no more rides
What was the natterl There was OIL
( one solution of the mystery, and tha
: was one which he did not like TO discus
even with himself.
One moonlit evening Ethel had gon
= down TO the garden, and there, leanin
= or the little wall, was Tom She starte
back, but ne called her SO imploringl
/ that she half hesltated, and then WI
lost; for in another moment she too VI
a leaning on tie garden fence.
n "Oh, Tom, Tom, she whispered,
must 90 back-I must!"
'sNow see here, Ethel, +" he said, ha
n in command, half entreaty, "what is t
y matter with you anyhow Lately "
10 refuse to see me; you run away If con
I in sight, and now you are unwilling ev
to speak to me. No-I shall not let y
u go I'LL you tell me. Out with it"
d, And as the dismal story was told To
t. gnawed the ends of his moustache di
n gently, and then the wretch laughed
~ actually laughed. She looked up at h
= in surprise
ep "Do not be angry, Ethel" he sal
tsOf course, 1t is rather serious; but
YOU think it will stop my loving 70
he Why, Ethel, dear, nothing on earth c
Wy do that. l wish though l had known Il
no sooner, although 1 have suspected
;. much from the first. shall set my W
80 to work at once, and Wen see, Ethel
ID wen see. So don't cry. Certainly '
he must obey your mother as well as y
ZEN can; but / have not made any prom
in to her, nor do I intend to give you l
>. Well seel"
e. And little later, as Ethel went sof
his up stairs, she thought to herself how "
Ich and brave he was.
It'll