San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-08-18

should go home; and the only possible
chance of my becoming Duchess of Clyde
rested on her going home without me.
The alternative was too dreadful for her
to Withstand my pertinacity. She wished
me to remain, and rather than have her
matrimonial project blocked she pre-
ferred to yield, though it was not until
she had made a last appeal on the score
of the extreme improperly of my con-
tinuing to stay in New York alone.
When she had finally consented to take
her departure wrote a note to the Hon
orable Ernest and to one or two other
friends, announcing that we had sud
denly been called home, and then | sat
up far into the night putting my new
tangled wardrobe into plausible condi-
ton. To be patched but neat seemed to
me the most endurable and ingratiating,
and at the same time an equally secure
guise into which to figure, and devoted
my energies to accomplishing that result
before morning. On that same day also,
to my great relief, succeeded in bun
ding off Aunt Helen without further
ado, and the field was clear for opera
tons. should have to trust my maid
to some extent. and possibly to change
my lodgings: but otherwise had swept
away all obstacles to the indulgence of
| Ibis new piece of eccentricity.
1t occurred to me on the way down
town that Mr.. Prime would doubtless
make some inquiries as to my previous
| history and present circumstances, and
that | must go step further and con-
coct some rational story in order to carry
| out my deception successfully. | was
correct in my Surmise He received me
| with kindness, and showing me into his
| private Office asked a few direct ques-
tions. which answered to his satisfac-
ton seemingly. represented myself as
one of that much to be pitied class, re-
ferred to by Mr.. Chelm, of well educated
but impecunious young people, who only
needed employment to be comfortable
and happy | had noparents, nor brothers
and sisters, and up to this time had sup
| ported myself by teaching and by copy
| ing; but the stress of the times had little
| by little cut off the sources of my in
come. and when he met me yesterday
| had sunk down exhausted and in despair
over the prospect of finding anything to
do Such was my pitiful tale.
| Fortunately my handwriting did not
require to be explained away or dis
guised like the rest of me. 1t spoke for
itself, being legible and bold, somewhat
resembling a mans in the latter particu-
lar Mr. Prime looked pleased as he
| glanced at the specimen | prepared for
| his inspection. and felt that the battle
was won a few minutes later was
| engaged as a confidential clerk at a
modest salary. My duties for the time
were to answer letters, and to copy out
and arrange sets of figures at his direc-
rion. and he suggested that should as
soon as possible learn shorthand.
| could scarcely help laughing aloud
as 1 sat and tried to realize my new
| position. Mr.. Primes business was as
| yet, soon perceived, lamentably small
| The Office was commodious, but my EN-
| ployer had besides me only bookkeeper
to help nina gauut withered looking
| lldil VI LIS PSioohbSS SiethSSN
at me now and again over his spectacles
suspiciously, and would, dare say, have
| joined hands with my enemy the police
| officer. as to the probabilities affecting
my moral character. Everything else
was done by Mr.. Prime, who | was
pleased to notice was as spruce as ever
in his personal appearance. His gloves,
his boots, his cravats, and Ike, the
beautifully ugly Ike. were as irreproach-
| able as ever
1t is wonderful how easily one grows
| accustomed to almost any change of
| circumstances OF course the first few
| DAYS of my new life were excessively
strange, and | passed through various
| stages of alarm and modification at my
own hardihood in entering upon it. But
after the first week | settled down to my
work with interest and composure, no
| longer disturbed by fear of detection.
| For so skillful was my disguise that dur
ing that time | ran the gauntlet of the
| glauces both of Roger Dale and the Hon
orable Ernest without exciting the sus-
picions of either am not sure that the
| former did not feel as if he had seen my
face before, for he stared at me wonder
ingly, as it seemed to me, and for mo-
| ment feared that all was over; but he
turned carelessly away, and observed to
my employer, loud enough for his words
| to reach my ears:
Nice looking girl that, Prime, If
you don't look out I'll offer her double
the salary across the street."
This observation directed all eyes to
me, for there were several men in the
group, and among them my English ad-
mirer; but in his case, at least, the adage