San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-10-29

tion; perhaps also in slight degree,
greeting. After she had given it she
stood still for second or two; then,
in answer to very faint motion of in
vitation, he found himself seat, and
upon this she resumed her own. But
she had not as yet opened her lips, and
it was he who had to clear his throat
and begin to speak again.
II heard of your arrival few days
ago from Miss Dunstan,-and think l
had the pleasure of seeing you in
church yesterday" said Mr.. Walking
ton.
YES, was at church yesterday;
But do not know any Miss Dunstan,"
Mrs. Hill answered, in a cold, quiet, in
different voice.
"Oh, had understood-I beg your
pardon-it is my mistake, 1 see.
thought you had met her?"
II know no one here whatever"
Indeed? But / hope you may soon
become acquainted with Miss Dunstan.
You will find her-ahem!-a most eX-
cellent person."
There was no answer to this, except
slight, almost imperceptible motion
of the head.
Full of kindness and benevolence.
Indeed the whole family-Mr. Dunstan
is away at present-but all the ladies
of the family | am sure you will like
exceedingly"
Still no reply. Then Mr.. Walking
ton took up fresh subject.
"You are-I think you saba strang-
er here?"
"Yes-an entire stranger" This
was said in the Same tone of cold COM
posture.
"A stranger to this part of the coun-
try altogether"
Yes"
II hope that when you become better
acquainted with the neighborhood, you
viii find you like it. We have a good
many objects of interest near u.s."
And then Mr.. Warrington began to
talk about these objects, and this occu-
pied the time with tolerable success for
some minutes. AT length, however, he
came to a stop (his small archaeological
harangue had been almost exclusively
monolOgue), and there was a pause,
and he cleared his throat afresh.
1t had been rather uphill work so far.
Suppose he were to try and touch her
feelings, he thought. Silent as she was
upon ordinary subjects, she might like
to talk about her troubles perhaps. So
Mr.. Warrington allowed few mo-
ments to pass in silence, and then,
bending his head forward little, and
sinking his voice into proper tone of
gentle sympathy
lyon have had, think, the misfor-
tune lately to lose your husband?" he
said.
There was to this for an instant no
answer, then the reply came in che
same unchanged cold tone.
"Yes-my husband is dead"
You are very young to have been so
so heavily afflicted" said Mr.. Walk
ington feelingly, but making this asser-
ton very much in the dark-nay, even
in the act of making it, having an I'M
easy recollection that the loss of hus-
band is not necessarily to all women a
heavy affection. and perceiving that it
was quite possible that to this one her
loss might not have appeared in that
light at all. However, the remark was
made. and the assumption that her huS-
bands death had afflicted her was at
any rate charitable one.
She was sitting with her thin hands
folded over the work that lay upon the
knees. As Mr.. Warrington spoke, her
first slight sign of feeling was betrayed
by her in a faint, almost unnoticeable
flush passing across her face. She was
silent too for a moment, as if she had
to swallow down some emotion, or to
steady her voice before she could reply
to him. After that instant's silence
she said slowly:
Yes, l have been bitterly afflicted"
There was a distinct stress laid upon
the word bitterly" an accent of dis
tinct though mOmentary passion.
Gods ways are often very mysteri-
Gus to us. 1t is difficult for us-weak
as we are-sometimes to recognize His
hand,- the young clergyman be-
gan.
Yes; you do not know how difficult
it is"
He rose from his seat after some mo-
ments had passed in silence. The in
terview had been short one, but he
felt that he did not know how to con-
tinue it. After the rebuke of her last
words he could not resume the tone
toward her Of spiritual guide, nor
could he without awkwardness return
to the commonplace of ordinary con-
versation. He felt that, unsatisfactory
as any course that was open to him APP
peared to be, he had better at any rate
select the most simple one, and take
his leave. So he rose up gravely, after
d ulUult VI ucCcllU ollOuCC, tIu LllduO %
little-on the whole-not ungraceful
parting speech.
IF it should be in my power at any
time during my stay here to be Of any
service to you, hope you will make
use of me-either as clergyman or 9TH
erwise," said the young man. II have
intruded on you so soon after your ar
rival, because sometimes on other occa-
sions, have found, to lady who hap