San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-03-06
MERLE'S CRUSADE.
BY ROSA NAUCHETTE CAREY.
Author of "BdrbdrG HedtbcOte'S Trial"
"QuecntG'S Whtm," "Trhe Search
fin. RDSjI lmdblIJSt -

try me, | am sure neither you nor Mrs.
Morton will repent it,"
He looked at me very keenly again as
spoke; indeed, his eye seemed to search me
through and through, and then his whole
manner changed.
have been told that Nature had been
kind to me in one respect by endOwng me
with pleasant voice. | believe that |
was freer from vanity than most girls of
my age, but | was glad in my nmOst
heart to know that no tone of mine would
ever jar upon human ear, but was more
than glad now when | saw Mr.. MOEtOn's
grave face relax.
You speak confidently" he returned.
'You seem to have a strange faith in your
own theory, and plenty of self-reliance,
but am afraid that, like most young peo-
pie, you have only regarded it from one
point of view. Are you aware of the I'M
pleasantness of such situation? If you
came to US you might have nothing of
which to complain from Mrs. Morton or
myself, but we could not answer for the
rest of my household; the servants would
regard you as a sort of hybrid, belonging
to no special sphere; they might show you
scant respect, and manifest great deal
of jealousy.
Il have faced all that" l returned, with
a smile, but think the difficulties would
be like Bunyan's lions-they were chain
ed, you know. / do not believe these
things will hurt me. I should never be
away from the children in the nursery; l
should be unmOested and at home"
"Alickr' | could hear a whole petition
breathed into that softly uttered word.
Mr.. Morton heard it, too, for he turned at
once, and then looked at his wife.
DO you really wish to try this young
person, Violet, my dear? 1t is for you to
decide; this is your province, as | said be-
fore"
"If she will love our children and watch
over them in our absence" she whispered;
but l caught the words. Then aloud,
Yes, thank you, AliCk, | should like to
try her. think she would make Joyce
happy | can go and see Mrs. Keith
this afternoon when | am ont driving,
and perhaps | could arrange for her to
come soon"
Very we'll" he returned, briefly; but
he spoke in the old dry manner, as though
he were not quite pleased. when you
are disengaged will you join me in the
library? have some more letters want
copied
II will be ready SOOn' she said, with a
sweet grateful glance at him, as though
she had received some unexpected bounty
at his hands; and as he wished me good
morning, and left the room, She contin-
ued, eagerly, "Will you come with me
now and max" acquaintance with the
children? | have seen them ALREADY this
morning, 50 they will not expect me, and
it will he such surprise My little girl,
is always with me while | dress | have
50 little time to devote to them; but |
snatch every moment"
She sighed as she spoke, and began TO
understand in dim. cropping sort of way,
that Fate is not so unequal after all that
even this beautiful creature had unsats-
fled wants in her life, that it was possible
that wealth and position were to her only
tiresOme barriers dividing her from her
little ones. Her sweetest pleasures only
came to her by snatches Most likely she
enTed humble mothers, and did not pity
them because their arms aChed with car
rylng heavy infant, aching limbs being
more DearaDle than an aching heart.
flight of broad, handsomely carpeted
stairs brought us TO a long shut-n CORR
dor, fitted up prettiIy with plants and
statuettes. A rocking horse STOOD in one
corner: the nurSerT door was open. 1t
was long, cheerful room, with three
windows, looking over the public garden.
and fitted up with degree of comfort
that bOrdered on luxury Some canaries
were singing in green cage. gray Per-
sian kitten was curled up in the dolls
haSSinpt a lttlp Oipl knanlinO tho
cushioned windOw-seat peeping between
the bars at some children who were play
ing below. AS Mrs Morton said, softly,
"JOyce, darling" she turned round with
quite a startled air, and then clambered
down hastily and ran to her mother.
"Why, it is my mother" in quite an in
credulOus voice, ana then she caught hold
of her mothers gown, and peeped at me
from between the folds.
She was pretty, demure-looking child,
only somewhat thin and fragile in appear
ance, not in the least like her mother, but
l could trace instantly the strongest re-
semblance to her father She had the
straight, unCurling hair like his, and her
dark eyes were little sunken under the
finely arched brOws. 1t was rather
bewitchng little face, only too thin and
sallOw for health, and with an intelligent
expression, almost amounting to precO-
city.
and where is your brother, my dar-
ling?" asked her mother, STOPPING to kiss
her; and at this moment a pleasant-look- |
ing young woman came from the inner |
room with a small curly haired boy In her
arms.
As she set him down on the floor, and !
he came tOddling over the carpet, forgot =,