San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-08-06

In the bitterness of my humiliation
and distress at the pertidy of Roger
Dale came near running away from
home. My youthful Imaglnations, as |
have already mentioned, were of a real
istlC order, and it had been a favorite
scheme with me to become shop girl
So when this sorrow overwhelmed me
thought seriously of going ont into the
world to seek my fortune in some such
capacity II was only my fathers kind
ness during those dreadful first days
that deferred ne from carrying out
some romantic plan of escape, felt
sore and mortified and ready to take
any steps that would separate me from
my old surroundings.
Aunt Helen did her best TO comfort
me hut | was in no frame of mind to
talk it all over. which was, | knew, her
main idea of soIace-that and frequent
offers of tempting food On the other
hand, my father made no allusion to the
wretched incident during the fortnight
he remained at Tinkers Reach.
He treated me exactly as If nothing
mad happened. except that every morn
ing after breakfast he proposed a walk
through the woods or up the mountain.
Indifferent to everything as | was at the
moment had a consciousness that this
exercise was beneficial to me and | was
grateful at heart Anything was better
than harping over and over again on the
same string the story OF my wrongs
Walking interrupted this II a measure,
though during the long tramps which |
mad with my father we rarely talked,
and usually IN monoSyllabieS In this
manner we explored the outIaying coun-
try within a radius of twenty miles, and
when night came was 80 taclgued that
| vas apt to sleep and consequently was
spared the pale cheeks and dull eyes
that for the most part atflict those who
have undergone an experience similar to
mine
One of the reasons why did not run
away from home was my lack of funds
/ WAS penniless. for all my money was
with the securities threw into the sea.
was inclined however to congratulate
myself upon this eXtravagaut proceed
lng tor the reason that had acted less
mpulsIvely might not have detected
Rogers seltishneSs until 1t was too late.
But when Just before my father went
away he handed me roll of bank bills
the color rose 10 my cheeks and | began
to reflect upon the enormIty of my Of
tense He told me that he had ordered
a saddle horse to he sent TO me from
town which he hoped | would use reg
ularly. and that IN the autumn he pro
posed to take me with him on a Journey
to California.
listened in silence. but 1 rode the
horse. and found him lust the compan-
ion required He could not talk, and
vet was sufficiently spirited to prevent
me from self absorption. My father
also sent me IA bux of books which EN-
Oraced variety of literatu"- Although
there were some light amusing
sketches among them mus Of senti
ment and poetry had been excluded
On the other hand. he had picked out
the latest and most authoritative pub
locations relating to history, science,
biography and travel. by which soon
found myself engrossed and diverted.
read voluminously. and when this sup
ply was exhausted | wrote home for
more
This was my interest during the re-
mainder of the summer. and when au-
tumn came | was conscious of having
undergone mental change. Whereas
| was formerly trusting credulous and
optimistic. at least toward all except |
myself, was become suspicious even of
the seal of sincerity, weighed words, and
applied the scalpel of analysis to others
u.A3iYes .ls. WI as t EssL.G-own.