San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-02-24

ling, shaking her pretty head obstinately.
And he doesn't dare contradict her. lou
behaved really badly" she goes on, re-
proachfully, land at such time, too,-Just
when was dying to tell you Snch good
news" ,,.
"Good?-your aunts-" eagerly, "haver re-
lented-they-"
"Oh, no! oh, dear, nor says Miss Beres-
ford "They are harder than ever against
ron. Adamant is a sponge in comparison
with them. 1t isn't that; but Madame
O'Connor has asked me to go and stay with
her next Monday for a week!-there!'
And me toO?"
"N-o. Aunt Priscilla made il a condition
with regard to my going that you shouldn't
De there"
"The- And Madame O'Connor gave in
to such abominable tyranny"
without murmur."
81 thought she had soul above that sort
Of thing" says Mr.. Desmond, with disgust.
But they are all alike"
"Who?-wOmen"
"Yes."
"You mean to tell me that am like Aunt
Priscilla and Madame OCOnnOr"'
"Old women, 1 NEAR" with anxious haste,
seeing a cloud descending upon the brow Of
his beloved.
"Ohp
And, after all, it is good news" says
Brian, Frightening, because though can't
stop in the house for week, still there is
nothing to prevent my riding over there
every one of the seven days"
That's Just what thought" says Moni-
ca, ingenuouSly, with sweet little blush.
"Ah! you wished for me, thenW
She refuses to answer this in any more d.
| rect manner that her eyes afford, but says,
| quickly, doubtfully,-
1T won't be deceiying Aunt Priscilla,
| your coming there to visit, will it? She must
| know she cannot compel Madame OConnor
| to forbid you the house. And she knows
| perfectly you are an intimate friend OF
hers"
"Of course she does. She Is a regular old
| tyrant,-a Bluebeard in petticoats; but"
mo, no; you must not abuse her." says
Monica; so he becomes silent.
She is standing very close to the trunk OF
| the old beech, half leaning against it upon
one arm which is slightly raised. She has
no gloves, but long white mittens that reach
| above her elbow to where the sleeves of her
gown join them. Through the little holes
| in the pattern of these kindly mittens her
white arms can be seen cleaning like snow
beneath the faint rays Of the early moon.
With one hand she Is playing some imagi-
| nary air upon the trees bark.
As she so plays, tiny sparkles from her
rings attract his notice
Those five little rings" says Desmond,
idly, always remind me of the five little
pigs that went to markell don't know
why"
They didn't all 60 to market" demurely.
Zone of them, knOlU, stayed at home"
so he did. l remember now. Somehow
| it makes me feel like boy again."
Then, according to Hood, you must be
| nearer heaven than you were a moment
ago"
II couldn't" says Desmond, turning, and
looking into her beautiful eyes. my heaven
has been near me for the last half-hour." If
he had said hour he would have been closer
to the truth.
A soft, lovely crimson creeps into her
cheeks, and her eyes fall before his for a
moment. Then she laughs,-a gay, mirth-
full laugh, that somehow puts sentiments to
flight.
Go on about your little pigs" she says,
glancing at him with coquettish mirth.
About your rings, you mean. never
look at them that don't begin this sort of
thing" Here, seeing an excellent oppor-
tunity for it, he takes her hand in his. This
little turquoise went to market, this little
pearl stayed at home this little emerald got
some-er-cheese-"
mo, it wasn't" hastily. 1T was roast
beef"
$50 it was. Better than cheese, any day.
M mo I iObt L.,
emerald-I mean, a pig-wouldn't like
cheese"
Il don't suppose it would like roast beef a
bit better" says Monica; and then her lips
part, and she bursts into a merry laugh at
the absurdity of the thing She is such a
| child still that she finds the keenest enjoy.
| ment in it.
Never mind" with dignity, land permit
me to tell you, Miss BeresfOrd, that open
ridicule is rude. To continue; this little
| pearl got none, and this little plain gold
| ring gOt-he gOt-what on earth did the littlC
| plain gold pig-l mean, ring-get?''
| Nothing. Just what yOu ought to ge
| for such badly-tOld story. He only cried
| Wee"
| ''Oh, no, indeed. He sha'n't cry at all.
won't have tears connected with you in an,
way"
She glances up at him with eyes half shy
and pleased and with the prettiest dawnini
smiles upon her lips.
He clasps the slender fingers closer, a
though loath to part with them, and yet hi
tale has come to a climax.
IF have told my story so badly, perhap
had better tell it all over again." he says
, with a base assumption of virtuous regret
mo. l would not give you that trOubl
for the world" she says, mischievously, an
then the dawning smile widens, brighten
into something Undesirable, but perfect.
ooh, Monica, do think you are the swee
. oct thing on earth - saws tho VOunp maj