San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-01-13
The Master Of Banantrae.
By ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON, Au-
thor c DR. Jekyn and Mr. Hyde"


some diversion, who but the devil Snan UecIue;
From that hour at least began the siege of
Mrs. Henry; thing SO deity carried on that
| scarce know if she was aware of it herself
and that her husband must look on in silence
The first parallel was opened las was made to
appear by accident The talk fell, as it did
often, on the exles in France-so it glided to
the matter of their songs
There is one" says the master, ''lf You are
curious in these matters, that has always
seemed to me very moving. The poetry is
harsh; and yet, perhaps because of my situa
ton, it has always found the way to my
heart. 1t is supposed to be sung, l should
tell you, by an exile's sweetheart; and repre-
sents, perhaps, not so much the truth of what
she is thinking as the truth of what he hopes
of her, poor SOUL in these far lands Ard
here the master sighed. Il protest it is a
pathetic sight when score of rough irish,
all common sentinels, get to this ,hg; and
you may see by their falling tears, how it
strikes home to them. 1t goes thus, father
says he, very adroitly taking my lord for his
listener, land if | cannot get to the end Of it,
you must think it is a common case with us
exiles." And thereupOn he struck up the same
air as had heard the colonel whistle; but
now to words, rustic indeed, yet most patheti-
cally setting forth poor girls aspiration
for an exiled lover: of which one verse indeed
Tor something like it, still sticks by me-
10, will dye my petticoat red,
With my dear boy I'll beg my bread,
Though all my friends should wish rne dead
For Willie among the rushes o."
He sung it well even as song; but he did
better yet as a performer. l have heard
famous actors, when there was not a dry eye
in the Edinburgh theatre; great wonder to
behold; but no more wonderful than how the
master played upon that little ballad and on
those who heard him like an instrument, and
seemed now upon the point of failing. and
now to conquer his distress so that words and
music seemed to pour out OF his own heart
and his own past, and to be aimed direct at
Mrs. Henry. And his heart went further
yet; for all was so delicatelv touched it
seemed impossible to suspect him Of the last
design, and so far from making a parade of
emotion, you would hay0 sworn he was
striving to be calm When it came to an
end, we all sat silent for time; he had
chosen the dusk of the afternoon SO that none
could see his neighbor's face, but it seemed as
if we held our breathing, only my Old lord
cleared his throat. The first to move was the
singer, who got to his feet suddenly and soft
ly, and went and walked softly to and fro in
the low end of the hail. Mr.. HenryS Gus
tOmary place. We were to suppose that he
there struggled down the last of his emotion
for he presently returned and launched into
a disquisition on the nature Of the Irish (al-
ways so much miscalled, and whom he de-
Tended in his natural voice; SO that before
tba hohf in Io |
course of talk. But even then methought
Mrs. Henry's face was shade pale, and for
another thing she withdrew almost at once
The next sign was a friendship this insid-
Ious devil struck up with innocent Miss
Katharine; SO that they were always togeth-
En-, hand Ill hand, or she climbing on his
knee, like pair of children. Like all his
diabolical acts, this cut in several ways 1t
was the last stroke to Mr.. Henry, to see is
own babe debauched against him; it made
aim harsh with the poor innocent, which
brought him still u peg lower in his wife ,
esteem; and to conclude it WAS bond of
union between the lady and the master.
Under this influence, their old reserve melted
by daily stages. Presently there came walks
in the long shrubbery, talks in the Balvidere.
and | know not what tender familiarity.
am sure Mrs Henry was like many good
woman; she had q whole conscience, but
perhaps by the means of a little winking
For even to so dull an observer as myself, it
was plain her kindness was of a more NOV
ing nature than the sisterly The tones of
her voice appeared more numerous; she had
4 light and softnesS in her eye; she was more
gentle with all of US, even with Mr.. Henry,
even with myself; methought she breothed
of some quiet melancholy happiness.
To look on at this, what a torment it was
for MIR. Henry And yet it brought our
ultimate deiiverance, as am soon 70 tell