San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-08-04
A Romantic Young Lady
BY GEORGE GRANT.

coupled with the glamor of universal
homage. contented me.
But this did not last long. | learned
to make distinctions and to generalize,
and from this primary stage of develop
ment began to entertain positive likes
and dislikes.
1t was not, however, until the winter
was waning that Mr.. Roger Dale occu-
pied a different place in my thoughts
from half a dozen others, although he
| had been polite to me from the time Of
| my first ball vt his mothers house. 1t
would be difficult to say exactly what
| distinguished him from the rest of their
| admirers in the eyes of every girl with
any pretensions to beauty or style: but
| ne was undeniably considered at that
time in the circle of my acquaintance
| as the most fascinating man in society.
| He was commonly spoken of as interest
| ing, and there was vague impression
] that he was lacking in constancy. 1t
| was not unnatural, therefore, that
should be fattered at his singing me
out for assiduous attentions, especially
when he possessed the art of letting me
understand in a quiet, gentlemanly fash
| ion, and without the aid of garish COM
pliments, that was the only girl in tine
room for whom he cared straw. l did
| not believe him, but ! was pleased, for
that was the way in which l wished to
| be wooed by the Que whom wished to
| believe.
So in course Of time became willing
| to retire with him into Conservatives
| and ante.rooms to avoid interruption.
| was still fond Of dancing, but had re-
covered from the frenzy which blinded
me to everything but the rapture of the
moment. liked to hear Mr.. Dale talk,
and without an affinity of ideas our in
timacy must have died a natural death.
But we found a common ground of SYM
| PATTY in our revolt against the subservi-
ency in modern life of romance to mat
ter of fact considerations. He harped
| upon this string, and awoke correspond
| ing chord in my breast. His ideas were
| a correlation of the dreams of my girl
| hood. felt that | was understood.
There was such a thing as the love had
imagined; Mr.. Dale had pondered over
it, fathomed it, and could talk about it.
Not that | considered myself in love
| with him, or him with me. We simply
were friends-tnat was all. But exist
ence seemed nobler when illumined by
his theories
| He declared that the Puritan fathers
| and their descendants lacked the power
Of expression. People were afraid to ac-
knowledge they loved. The ardor that
| distinguished the passion of other races
and made it beautiful was nowhere to be
found, for if it ever dared to manifest it
| self the breath of ridicule wilted its
| growth. The expensive floral Offering"
was more priced than the single dewy
bud of the true lover, and the zeal and
sentiment of chivalry had yielded to the
| olighting prose of a commercial age.
My Aunt Helen was the first of the
family to comment on my intimacy with
| him.
What does your friend Mr.. Dale do?"
she asked one day.
| "Do?"
YES. mean what is his business
down town.
81 don't know, Aunt Helen" | an
swered, and spoke the truth. had
never thought to inquire.
The Dale blood is not the very best
in the world" she continued presently,
with her head bent over her work almost
| as though soliloquizing. "As regards
| position they are well enough, but two
of this young mans uncles were ex-
tremely dissipated, and l fancy that the
father was not much to boast of. He
died early, just after | was grown up
| remember him though. He was a
handsome creature"
listened with glowing cheeks, but
made no response.
They have very little to live on, ]
imagine" she observed nearly five min
utes later.
''Of whom are you speaking?" | in
| quired with dignity.
The Dales, child, of course. 1t was
generally supposed that Mrs. Dale was
left very poorly off believe her hus-
bands life was insured for something,
aud they own their house. Pussy al
ways looks we'll dressed, but they must
have to scrimp in other ways"
Pussy Dale was Rogers eldest sister,
a girl of Just my age. They were a
family of five. four of whom were
daughters.
II don't see that their being poor is
anything against Them" said, little
hotly.
Moo" replied Aunt Helen reflective
ly, perhaps not. But don't know
what your father would say to him as a
son-in law"