San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-03-24
MERLES CRUSADE.
BY ROSA NAUCHETTE CAREY.
Author of "B0rbdrG HedthCOte's Trial."
"OuceniC'S Whim," "Thc Search
for ROSJ JmdhllrSt."


soon. Merle" she said, Kindly; but for
Rogers sake we think it better to leave
YOU behind. You see. your position IN our
household makes things rather diHlcult.
1t is quite true, as AliCh saw, mat IN
marrying Won he Is marrying GcuIleWO-
man: but the NethcrtOn and OrtUn folk
are sad gosSips. and al"srlhrr mnGS
would be somewhat uncomfortable for
you both.
Il do not wish to put MIR l!aWtry in an
uncomfortable POSITION | Said, with
touch of my old pride, but she SHOOK her
head at me. still smiling.
''YOu need not be afraid Of what Roger
saws; he simply glOries in your work. lie
is quite willing to publish the whole thlnS
to the Netherton world at once lie tolu
me quite seriously just now that there was
not lady in the place to compare win
YOU. He hOnOrs You as only true man
can honor a woman.
The tears came into my eyes. Yes, |
knew this. ! answered humhly that dld
not mean to be proud: would 90 as he
and my mistress wished. :,
.Thpn. if YOU are so generous, Merle
she said. quietly, you will not come TO
Marshlands Just now, 70 involve Roger
IN all sorts of perpleNing dltflcult!es; on at
least. if YOU come it must be as my guest,
and not as my nurse.
.'Oh, no" | returned, shrinking back;
''Then. my dear Merlr. will Won act as n
sensible woman> Stay with Mrs. Keith
during our absence. and quietly prepare
for yOur wedding. Roger thinks in OctO-
Der both YOU and he might be rcady.'
The idea startled me. What would
Aunt Agatha say? But very soon found
Aunt Agatha was quite OF my mistress
Opinjon. and was almost as eager as Mrs.
Morton to smooth things as much as pos
sibIe for Mr. HaWtry. After the flrst
shock of my surprise, came gradually TO
the same conviction. Mr.. liaWtry Sald
Very little to me on the subject; on the
contrary, he laughed to sC0rn the luea
! that my service was derOgatOry to him.
| 81 loved YOU first because you were so
| brave and uncOnventiOnal-heCa you
were unlike any other girl Why should
| Won saw such things to ME, Merle?"
| And after that I ceased to say them:
| hut how [ honOred him for that manly
| expression of OpiniOn' But his very gen
| crosby made demands on me. knew MS
| home was solitary, ana that lie het Hn III
| cOmpaniOnship. He was too unselnSh tC
| nrpss his wishes on me, but he evidently
! saw no reasons for delay.
| Welded with good grace at last, When
! 7 found even Aunt Agatha was against
me: but neither she nor MI HaWtry
| knew what it cost me to part so soon
with NV mistress and the children. 1t al
out me. .-
Mrs Morris had promised to remain
| until Christmas: but Hannah would be
married before then, and wondered sad
" as | drove with my luggage to the cot
t3rr who would replace me at Prince
| Gate.
lin the morning. SOW thy seed, and il
the evening" withhold not thy hand
How those words came to me a mOntl
later, when rtnp of my Old schOOl-fcllOWs
! Helen TranSOmp. wrote to me and begged
me TO use my influence with my mistress
/ and procure the situation for her.
knew her sad circumstances would ap
peal to my mistress 1eellh& heaie. roo
| Helen, hers had been a trying life. He
| family had suffered great reVerSes; from
wealth they had been reduced almost t
iudigcucc. Her father had died, worn on
viii fhe bitter struggle. and her love
had given her up for a richer bride.
Helen had borne her troubles with
patience that bOrdercd on herOlsm; but l
had broken the springs of youth. Sh
looked tar older than her Years warranted
and much Of her beauty had faded; Du
| she was fair and geutlc-lOOking, with sol
| manners, that seemed to win my mistress
Unr love of children was evident; she ha(
! n uuict influence with them that made II
eclf felt.
Miss Transome will never take you
|
} few weeks after Helen had taken up N
work; "hul she is very nice and kind t
the children, and Mrs. Morris says | sha
be able to trust baby to her. | do be
| lieve the poor thing looks little happie
! already. | went in just now, and hear
her laughing at something Joyce sale
She has such silvery, pretty laugh"
knew that my mistress would 500
. take poor Helen into her heart, and wa
e,I.d to think she had found such a kin
refuge. We did not speak much of Hele
then: was paying my good bye visit
Princes Gate, for two days later was II
be married.
They had loaded me with beautiful gift
suitable 10 my new position: but Twas nc
= ! thinking Of them or of my mistress las
loving speech as | walked across tn
bridge 1t was October again, and til
red and yellow leaves were floating on tn
1 water: the mellow air and sunshine spOk
U Of harvests garnered in while the cart
Rested after her labOrs.
NV harvest had come already, and Vt
| the labOrer had worked but short tim
in the vineyard, while others would to
until evening" had done so little an
a reaped so much. Through the slantin
SunDeamS looked to the distant hon
where Roger was waiting for me, in tina
home where. God willing, we should WOr
/ together, not leading IDLE lives, but Sha
Ing with others little of our happines
/ u nd where. ont of our full hearts, W
should surely give praise continually;
and rs these thoughts came to me, seen
ed to hear Rogers deep voice echoiD
: Amen
THE END.
9f womea vlu c,,muot iced Their children
who brca,, tn..r health with ovcrwork, O
| yyos+n If j., igr,0rcrIr likeness come, no to us