San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-06-17

or less of, and of which little Pearl had
a ,tenfold portion now, at the most in
,opportune moment, took thorough pos
session of her and closed her'lips, or i'm
PEELED her DO speak words amiss. After
putting her finger in her month, with
many ungracious refusals to answer good
Mr.. Wilson's question, the child finally
announced that she had not been made
at all, but had been plucked by her
mother off the bush of wild roses that
grew by the prison door.
This fantasy was probably suggested
by the near proximity of the governors
red roses as Pearl stood outside of the
window, together with her recollection
of the pink rosebush which she had
passed in coming hither.
Old Roger Chillingworth, with smile
on his face, whispered something in the
young clergyman's ear. Hester Prynne
looked at the man of skill, and even
then, with her fate hanging in The bal
.ance, was startled to perceive what
change had come over his featurts-how
much uglier they were, how his dark
complexion. seemed to have grown dusk
Ter and his figure more misshappen-
since the days when she had Familiarity
known him. She met his eyes for an
instant. but was Immediately constrained
to give all her attention to the scene now
going forward.
This is awfulr' cried the governor,
slowly recovering from the astonish-
ment into which Pearls response had
thrown him. 'Here is child of three
years old and she cannot tell who made
herl Without question she is equally in
the dark as to her soul-its present de-
pravity and future destiny! Methinks,
gentlemen, we need inquire no further"
Hester caught hold of Pearl and drew
her forcibly into her arms, confronting
she old Puritan magistrate with almost
a fierce expression. Alone in the world,
cast off by it and with this sole treasure
to keep her heart alive, she felt that she
possessed indefeasible rights against the
world, and was ready to defend them to
the death.
"God gave me the child!" cried she.
HE gave her in requital of all things
else, which We had taken from me. She
is my happiness!-she is my torture,
none the less! Pearl keeps me here in
life! Pearl Furnishes me too! See we
not she is the scarlet letter, only capable
of being loved, and so endowed with
million fold the power of retribution for
my sin? Ye shall not take her! will
die firstr'
my poor woman" said the not un-
kind old minister, ''the child shall be
well cared for!-far better than thou
canst do it"
"God gave her into my keeping" re-
peated Hester Prynne, raising her voice
almost to shrek. 81 will not give her
up!" And here, by sudden impulse,
she turned to the young clergyman, Mr..
Dimmesdale, at whom up to this mo-
ment she had seemed hardly so much as
once to direct her eyes. "Speak thou
for me!' cried she. Thou vast my
pastor and hadst charge of my soul and
knowest me better than these men can.
will not lose the child! Speak for me!
Thou knowest-for thou hast sympathies
which these men lack! Thou knowest
what is in my heart and what are a
mothers rights, and how much the
stronger they are when that mother has
but her child and the scarlet letter!
Look thou to it! will not lose the child!
Look to itr'
At this wild and singular appeal,
which indicated that Hester Prynne's
situation had provoked her to little less
than madness, the young minister at
once came forward, pale, and holding
his hand over his heart, as was his Gus
tom whenever his peculiarly nervous
temperament was thrown into agitation.
He looked now more careworn and ema-
ciated than as we described him at the
scene of Hesters public ignominy; and
whether it were his failing health, or
whatever the cause might be, his large
dark eyes had world of pain in their
troubled and melancholy depth.
"There is truth in what she says" be-
gan the minister with a voice sweet,
tremulous but powerful, insomuch that
the hall re-echoed and the hollow armor
rang with it; truth in what Hester says,
and in the feeling which inspires herl
God gave her the child, and gave her, too,
an instructive knowledge of its nature
and requirements-both seemingly so
peculiar-which no other mortal being
can possess And, moreover, is there
not quality of awful sacredness in the
relation between this mother and this
childy'
"Aye!-how is that, good Master DIM
mesdale?' interrupted the governor.
make that plain, pray your
at must be even so," resumed the
minister ssFor If we deem IL other