San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-03-06

and me, and with the babyish tears run
ming down my face!
"Why, look here" continued Uncle
Keith, cheerily, with sort of cricket-like
Chirp, I'VE are all as down as possible,
just because You are leaving u.s. and yet
you will only be two or three miles away,
and any day il you want us we can be
with you. Why, there is no difficulty.q,
really: you are trying your little expert
ment, and will say you are a brave girl
for venturing on such brave scheme.
Well, if it does not answer, here is your
home, and your own corner by the fire
side, and an old uncle ready to work for
you. | can't say more than that, Merle"
''Oh, Uncle Keith" | returned, sobbing
remOrsefully, why are you so good to me,
when have always been so ungrateful
for your kindness?"
NAY, nay, we will leave by-gones
alone" he answered, little huskily 81
never minded your tantrums, knowing
there was good heart at the bottom.
only wished was not such dry old fell
low, and that you could have been fonder
of me. Perhaps you will understand me
better some day, and" Here he stopped
and cleared his throat, and said "hir-
rumph" once or twice, and then / felt a
thin cracking bit of paper underneath my
palm. lit will buy you something use
full, my dear" he finished, getting up in
"A hurry. A tive-pOund note and he had
lost so much money and had to do without
SO many comforts! Who can wonder
that jumped up and gave him penitent
hug?
1t was long before | slept that night,
and my first waking thoughts the next
morning were hardly as pleasant as usual.
a premonitory symptom of hOmesickness
seized me as | glanced round my little
room in the dim winter light Aunt Aga
tina had made it so pretty; but here a GER
tain suspicious moisture stole under my
eyelds and | gave myself resolute
shake, and commenced my toilet in bus
iness-lke way that chased away gloomy
thoughts.
Never had the little dining looked
more inviting than when entered it that
morning. One of Uncle Keith's carefully
boarded logs blaZed and cracked in the
roomy Fireplace, delicious aroma of
coffee and smoking ham pervaded the
room. Aunt Agatha, in her pretty MORN
ing-Cap, was placing a vase of hot-house
flowers some old pupil had sent her in the
center of the table, and the bullfinch was
whstliuG as merrily as ever. while old
Tom watched him, sleepily, from the rug.
| was rather long warming my hands and
strokng his sleek fur, for somehow 1
could not bring myself to look or speak in
quite my ordinary manner; and though
Uncle Keith did his best to enliven us by
reading out scraps from the newspaper, Il
am afraid we gave him only partial at
tentiOn. When Uncle Keith had babe me
a husky goodbye, and had gone to his Of
flee, Aunt Agatha and | made a grand
fent of being busy. There wasvery little
to do, really, but | considered it incum-
bent to be in great state of activity. l
am afraid to say how many times | ran
up and downstairs for articles that were
safely deposited at the bottom of my box.
Aunt Agatha put stop to it at last by
taking my hand and putting me forcibly
in Uncle Keith's big chair.
"Sit there and keep warm, Merle; the
cab will not be here for another half hour;
what is the use of our pretending that we
are not exceedingly unhappy? Ny dear,
you are leaving us with a sore heart, | can
see that, and it only makes me love you
all the better. Yes, indeed, Merle" for L
was Clinging to her now and sobbing soft
ly under my breath; land however things
may turn out, whether this step be a
failure or not, will always say that you
are a brave girl who tried to do her duty"
Are you sure you think that, Aunt
Agatha?'
Then she smiled to herself little sad
ly.
You remind me of the baby Merle who
was so anxious to help every one. l re-
member you such little creature trying
to lift the nursery chair, because your
mother was tired; and how you dragged
it across the room until you were red in
the face, and came to me rubbing your
little fat hands, and looking so important.
The chair hurried baby drefful, but it
might hurried poor nanny wOrser;' that
was what you said. l think you would
still hurt yourself drefful if you could
help someone else"
1t was nice to hear this What can be
sweeter or less harmful than praise from !,
one we love? 1t was nice to sit there with .
Aunt Agatha's soft hand in mine, and be,
petted 1t would be long before should
have a coy time with her again. 1t put
fresh heart in me somehow; like Jona-
than's taste of honey, it lightened my
eyes" so that when the final goodbye
came, | could smile as l said it, and carry
away an impression of Aunt Agathas
smile, too, as she stood on the steps, with
Patience behind her, watching until l
was out of sight. / am afraid / am differ
ent to most young women of my age
more imaginative, and perhaps a little
morbid. Many things in everyday life
came To me in the OuiSa of symbols or