San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-11-16

1t aCdS a curious sensation giring her first
lesson.
and be sure you give yourself airs. The
public is a nettle that stiugs if it is too ten
derby touched"
81 am not naturally meek, but l shall
certainly feel anxious"
Have faith in yourself, dear; it's the
only way to get on. Here's a book on
teaching the piano. in German. You study
it, and follow it. Practice up a few of
your noisiest pieces. People seem to
think you can teach music with your fin
gers, instead of your head. They are so
taken with few gymnastics on the key
board
Eyes, Deb, will practice diligently. I
haven't touched the piano since poor gran
ME died"
"Well, it's time you began. You have a
pretty touch and fluent finger. As to
singing; come, let us try that duet Signor
BOccaricho taught you last winter. What
ages away that winter seems to have gone"
"Ah! does it not?" said Mona, with
deep sigh. Where is the book? | will
begin my preparations at once. must do
credit to your recf "}mendatio2. long to
make astart in real life"
Reality is serious thing, yet it has its
inspirations. The sense of doing real work
of earning hard money, has dignity. in
its righteousness which scarcely anything
else bestows; and Mona would have re-
joiced in this new development OF energy,
had she not been so deeply wounded. Her
sudden, complete remuneration by her val
ued friends at narrowly Chase cut her to
the soul, especially as she felt she had in a
measure deserved it. Her bitter disap-
pOintment in Lisle was more regret for the
loss of an illusion than sorrow for a per-
sonal bereavement In her short expert
ence of society, she had no friendships or
intimacies save with Sir Robert Everard's
family. 1t was this abandonment that de-
pressed and saddened her.
1t was a curious, trying sensation the
giving of her first lesson. If the we'll
dressed, demure little damsel to whom it
was administered only knew how awfully
afraid her elegant-looking teacher was of
her. all chance of discipline would have
been over. But silence, backed by gravity,
is a splendid cover for nervousness; and
Mona did not utter word beyond what
teaching required, nor did she ever feel the
same panic again.
"She has beautiful frocks, mamma, was
the sentence of the little ten-year-Old
"Her black cloth must be tailor made-it
fits like glove; and she has such beauti-
full jet earrings"
Nor did the young lady doubt that a
music teacher so attired must be deserving
of all attention.
So the new life was fully inaugurated
soon after Chrstmas-that Christmas
which poor Leslie Warning had hoped would
be so heavenly bright-which Nine. Deb
risay and Mona quietly and sadly cele-
brated together. The former accompanied
her young prOtegee to church, and enjoyed
a particularly crisp French novel over the
fire for the rest of the day; while Mona sat
long at the piano, playing from memory
and dreaming over the past. She gave few
thoughts of the future.
So the days and weeks flew past, and
Mona, with the blessed facility of youth,
began to revive. A simple life, plenty to
do, the society Of n kindly and amusing
companion, are wholesome tonics. Nine.
Debrisay was extremely amusing, she
had been largely educated by observation.
She was at once skeptical and credulous;
her mind was utterly untrained-yet acer-
tain keen mother-wit and largeness of
heart made her Judgment, on the whole,
clear. She was still quick in temper,
though it had been much chastened, and
also extremely resentful of small Sights.
Things had settled down to a regular
routine. The depth of the winter was
over, and Parliament had met, and Mona
had nearly as much to do as she could ac-
cOmplish without fatigue, though she was
quite willing TO do more. Madame even
talked of making little excursion to the
seaside at the dead season, if things con-
tinued to prosper.
Mona was returning late one afternoon,
after one of her busiest days. She was
weary, but more hopeful, though she was
thinking how this time last year she was
looking forward to the mingled joy and
terror of being presented. 1t was little
hard to be so suddenly dragged down, and
carried away from all the gayeties and
pleasures, the society and distinction, that
she had enjoyed few months ago, and to
which she felt she should never return.
Yet there was no bitterness in her regret;
she felt that she was singularly fortunate
friend and such q