San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-03-07

used to look up so brightly when she saw
us, and such q lovely color would come
into her face at the sight Of her COY, but
she never kept him long. BE quick, y
Travers," she would say, putting the child
in my arms. II can hear your masters
footsteps on the stairs, and he will be
waiting for me-" And then she kissed
her hand to the children, and took up her
letters again; but sometimes / caught
stifed sigh rs we went out, as though the
days work was distasteful to her, and she.
would willingly have changed places with
me-
On our return the children had their
MONDAY sleep, and Hannah and l busted
ourselves with our sewing until they woke
up, aud then the nursery dinner was
brought up by Rhoda. Hannah always
waited upon us before she would consent
to take her place.
In the afternoon l sat at my work and
watched the children at their play. or
played with them. When Reggie was
tired nursed him, and in the twilight l
sung to them or told them stories.
never got quite used to Mr.. Morton's
yisits-they always caused me embarrass-
ment. His duties at the House occupied
him so much that he had rarely time to
do more than kiss the children. Some
times Reggie refused to be friendly, and
struck at his father with his baby hand,
but Mr. Morton only laughed.
Baby thinks fardie is only man."
Joyce observed once, on one OF these occa-
sions, but him is fardie"
Mr.. Morton looked a little grave over
this speech.
Never mind, my little girl; Reggie is
only baby and will know his father
soon" But think he was grieveda little
when baby hid his naughty little face on
my shoulder, and refused to make friends.
$50 GO" was all he condesCended to OBJ
serve in answer to his fathers blandish-
ments.
Mrs Morton seldom came up to the AZ
nursery until | was putting the childre fin
to bed, but even then she never stGell as,
for more than ten minutes. There were
always visitors below, or it was time to
dress for dinner, or there were letters to
write. 1t was evident that Mr.. MOrton's
wife had no sinecures post. l think no
hard-worked Seamstress worked harder
than Mrs Morton in those days.
Now and then, when the children were
sleeping sweetly in their little cots, and
was reading by the fire, or writing to
Aunt Agatha, or busy about some work
of my own, would hear the soft swish { )
silk dress in the corridor outside. aZed&
there would be Mrs. Morton, looking love-
ler than ever in evening dress
Il have Just come to kiss my darlings,
Merle" she would say. Dinner is over,
and am going to the theatre with some
friends; they are waiting for me now, but
| had such longing to see them that L
could not resist it," -
1T is bad night for you to go out" I !, III
observed once. "Rhoda says it Is snow'h
ing aud you have little cough, TraveI
tells me" int
"Oh, it is nothing" she replied quickly ~
81 take cold very easily" But l noticed
she shivered little, and drew her furred =,
| mantle closer round her, "How warm .
and coy you look here!'' glancing round
| the room which certainly looked the pic
| ture of comfort, with the lamp on the big
| round table, and Hannah working beside
| it; and then she took up my book and
| looked at it, 1t was copy of Tennyson's
| poems that Aunt Agatha had given me on
| my last birthday.
"If you want books, Merle" she said,
| kindly, "Mr. Morton has a large library,
and l know he would lend you any, if
| you will only be careful of them. Charles,
| the Under foOtman, has charge of the
| room If you go early in the morning,
and write out list of what you wish,
and give it to Travers, will see you are
| supplied"
THANK you; oh, thank you, Mrs, Nor
| ton!'' l exclaimed, gratefully, for / was
| fond of reading, and the winter evenings
| were long, and ID book was better COM
| pany than Hannah, though she was a nice
! girl, and | never found her in my way. /
| used TO talk to her as we sat at work to-
| gether. She was a little shy with me at
| first, but after time her reserve thawed.
She was farmers daughter, the young
est but one of twelve children, and her
| mother was dead. She told me she had
| five sisters in service, and all doing well;
but tho eldest, Molly, stayed ct home to
| take care Of her father and brothers.
grew interested at last in Hannah's
simple narrative. 1t was a new expert
ence Of life for me, for had never taken
much notice of any servant but Patience
before. liked hearing about Wheeler's
| Farm, as it was called, the old black-tim-
bered house, with the great pear-tree in
| the courtyard and the messy trough out
of which tho little black pigs drank, and
round which strutted the big turkey cock
| Gobbler, with his train Of wives.
Tho courtyard is pretty sight of a
| summers morning." Hannah said once.
| growing quite rosy with animation, "when
Molly comes out with her apron full of
| corn for her chicks. do love to see them
| all coming round her-turkeys. and geese,
and chicks, and fowls, and the little ban
| tam cock always in the middle. And