Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-25
CHAPTER I.


CHAPTER I.
1 must lightly indicate my early history.
Ny father was prosperous business man
Il the city of Philadelphia. No name on
Market street was more respected, and GER
ainIy no store front on Market street WIS
Iglier than his. lie was a kindly MN. en-
irely devoted TO his business, and all the
more because it demanded slight knowl-
-dge Of science, which gave him an excuse
or subscribing to The Scientific American
md forming cabinets of specimens"
vas exceedingly fond of him, and he,
hink. preferred me to my younger sister,
VINO WIS prig. as mnny girls are.
may be that ! ought to ascnbe my
FRS preference to the fact that, being
'ecocious child, | soon learned how to
at billiards, for 1t was IN that game
he found his chief, and indeed his
relaxation. In course of time | be-
quite an adept, though it was tire
TO have to knock the balls about night
night, and many long evening have
mt in my fathers company, stretching
Elf across our big green table and
king my tall cue with childish gravity.
mother was as ambitious US my father
contented. Long before either of her
,hters was old enough to understand
meaning of the word position" she
discovered that it was impossible to
ey to his mind in any way the idea
there could be anything wanting to
idea for the future happiness of
i and Elizabeth Jones was that we
TO marry energetic young business
live quietly in the country, and raise
and families TO be the admiration and
air Of our neighbors. II may be i'm
I'd that my mother rarely endeavored
nvince him how trite were his ideas
| add that whenever these visions of
uture pastoral happiness of his daugh-
presented themselves to his mind he
.iably was excited to declare an inten-
to retire from business himself and
similar bucolic joys on my grand
RS farm in Lancaster county. My
ler's hopes, however, were none the
distinct because my father did not
en- 20 share in them; she looked to US
l double snare OF energy ana pains.
at least, OF her daughters has not dis
iuted her.
mother Was an ignorant woman in
ways, but she was quick, apprecia-
far sighted and possessed of consider
knowledge of the world-cr, rather,
Q fittings of the world, which amounts
same thing 1t was this knowledge
enabled her 10 succeed in establishing
ions with advantageous people against
inc of our growing up. Considering
Ter disadvantages tfor she never dared to
How my father TO suspect that she was in
riguiug for her daughters her success was
wonderful. Perhaps the success she did
btain was not so wonderful as her tact and
elf control. She managed never TO appear
,ushing; she always behaved with good
aste. and she kent several obnoxious rela-
ions out of the way, but as l incline to
hink, after my fathers failure and death,
IL her care might have been of no avail
whatever
Old Mr.. Latitude told her she would
ave Goosid hard time TO get those girls
nto Philadelphia society--and his reasons
or saying so were excellent. He also de-
ired her TO count on him for assistance;
nut rs his function in society was simply
he collation., condensation and diffusion
4 gossip, his offer involved more temporary
God VIII on his part than future profit to
nv mother. 1t certainly looked rs if she
Tere going to have a hard time, and we
night easily have dropped out of sight, for
hough we had acquaintance with some
eople it rested with us to keep it up, and
was only Is. / am inclined TO ascribe our
uccess to the fact that my mother was
BILE TO keep US at Miss NGyburn's school.
Ii helped matters to 4 certain extent that
ny mother Immediately crossed the Rubi-
on OF Market street and established her
elf among the people whom we wished TO
now, but we might never have accom-
Ilished anything further if it had not been
or the connections we We're able to form
Z Miss Msyburu's and the kindness of the
iris we met there We were not entirely
Unknown. to be sure, nor altogether disap-
reved OF when we first went there. Ny
aother has often reminded me of her policy
nth Mrs. Hathcrne at Cape May. Ii was
ur FIRST visit to the sea-we had been used
o spend our summers at my grandfather's
armand before Mrs. Hathorne appeared
&c had been allowed to run wild with
ONE children whose manners were not too
ed, but whoss voices and appearance were
I Pittsburg Pittsburgy; and imagine
hat we were at times 6isagreeaSie. But
Then Lofty and Gerty Hathorne appeared
ur liberties we're saatched from US.
On the beach we were attended by my
nothers maid, and my mother in the mean
ime waited three days for another servant
bur dinners we took no longer in the pub
&c dining hall, but at the nurses and chill
ren's table The fine muslins and broad
ashes in which we had delighted were laid
side, and we soberiy wore our flannel
resscs all day long. Ny mother took care
D behave in Mrs Hathorne's presence as if
hey had exchanged positions, and the con-
euuencs was that at the end Of the week
re were familiar with the girls, and Mrs.
Iathorne had conyersed amicably with my
sother upon the beach. 1 do not think,
herefore, that Mrs. Eethorne was greatly
ispleased some one or two years aftsrward
D find that Lefty and were III the same
lass at Miss Mayburn's and very likely to
ecome intimate.
1 look back to my shcool days with graft
ude. affection and regret. According to
ny fathers preconceived notions We ought
. have been sent 10 a boarding school,
ut he was unable to make up his mind to
xiia US from home, and be Made no pb--