San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-24
IN ['-'7 SWIM
The Story . Ethel Jones.
Related HERSELF.
4 Press Association
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Copyright ny Press Association
cain ta.iy say that WITH any -<STl,er man
it would have been different; but Mr..
Hall magnetized me, and by the superior
weight of his character compelled me to
exhibit myself in my baldest colors.
During the rest of the afternoon kept
laughing feebly to myself while think
ing of the picture that should have
presented if / had given way at the criti-
cal moment-seated in stagnant rock
pool at the feet of Middleton Hall and
weeping bitterly! l was terribly dis
gusted with myself; 1 longed to be able
to go through it all over again so that l
might try to come off successful, yet at
the same time could not help feeling
that had done something vaguely heroic
in throwing away such a chance. In fact
do not know which was the stronger
feeling-my vain regret or my unwar-
rantable pride.
After thinking it over for some days
came to the conclusion that after having
betrayed myself by that wretched blush
| had done the best thing possible in re-.
fusing him instead of trying to keep my
hold on him, for felt confident that if
he had ultimately married me it would
have been only from his sense of honor,
and he would have been miserably IN
happy to think he was marrying firt.
And now, said to myself, it's all over,
once for all, and can begin my pursuit
of Penn Charter without being dis
tracted by thoughts of any other man.
But though agreed with myself l was
not by any means satisfied. When re-
turned to town got together copy of
Matthew Arnold and beautiful little
set of Macaulay's works that Mr.. Hall
had given to me, and sent them to his
club with note saying that in view of
what had occurred l did not feel justi-
fed in keeping them. received brief
answer thanking me for my note, and
telling me that he was going to Heidel-
berg for the winter to study Roman
law. So, with a sigh, in which disap-
pointment and virtue still struggled for
the mastery, babe him adieu, and he
rode away.
But to return to Narragansett and
Mr.. Charter. When l came to begin my
campaign in earnest l found that was
by no means as confident as 1 had BEEN
Perhaps the adventure of which | have
just been speaking made me doubt the
soundness of my foresight and judy
ment. certainly felt nervous and per-
haps depressed, and | was little at
loss how to proceed. Luckily Mr.. Char
ter did not come to Narragansett for sew
eral days after Mr.. Hall had gone away,
so my general tone had a chance to i'm
prove. Moreover, | was favored by
chance while | was still debating as to
whether my plan Of operations really de
served the name of good generalship,
and | was not SO undecided that | could
not instantly take advantage of my
opportunities.
1t was on the day after Mr.. Charters
arrival that several of US had been chat
ting together on the beach after bathing
digging our feet into the sand, idly
flinging little stones into the water, COM
our acquaintance-and one by one the
others had dropped of until Daisy Ca
maybe and | were lett alone with Mr..
Boullter and Mr.. Charter. Daisy Ca
maybe was rather horrid girl from some
where i'll the interior Of New York The
Canayles We're absolutely nobody, and
no one ever heard of them in the winter;
but Daisy always came out at watering
places, to which fancy her family took
her for matrimonial reasons. Just now
she was divided in her mind as to which
of the men she wanted to insnare. On
the one hand there was the temptation
TO take Bran away from me; yet am
quite sure she thought that she might
get more out Of Penny, for she was an
awfully merCenary little wretch, and
was always Ogling men who were known
20 send bouquets or who had dog carts
besides which she used to cast her bread
upon the waters by giving presents so
that return might be made in kind.
When found myself alone in her COM
pany determined to depart, but
checked myself almost Immediately and
said, "Wait, Ethel, till you see what is
going to happen.
AS expected, she finally made up her |
mind that Penny was her better game. |
She was lying on the sand leaning her |
cheek on her hand. Her hair-she really |
had magnificent hair-was pretending to |
be drying, and she had it gathered away |
from the sand and flung her over shout
der Artless thing! | knew what was
coming.
"Oh, dear mel" she said, with glance !
out of her eyes sat Mr.. Charter. ''Oh,
lear me! This sea bathing is horribly |
bad for my hair. 1t is splitting at the
end, every bit of it!''