San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-05-24

SUCet 10 NtS OJCH uOOT.
Miss Mayhem humbly hoped that hel
frightened grasp on life-the little hectic
flush of hope that came to her that au
tumn mOrning-was not due to presen
timent of Sister Martha's near depar
ture. The world looked very beautiful to
her eyes that crisp, blowy day. There was
alittle gap between the Woods house and
old Mr.. Simons' place, where she could
catch distant glimpse of the hills with
the yellow foliage shining against the
blue like golden pillows fringed with
flame. The pale glimmer of the fad.
ing willows, the white stems of young
birches seen through thinning wells of
leaves, seemed like a new and delightful
picture Today there were no troops of
school children passing by with Their
dinner baskets and books, but a great
company of emigrating birds settled
down in her front yard, preened thep
feathers and consulted together with
noisy talk on the wall, and at last rose
and flew away with a great whir OF
wings. The smallest incident made he,
happy.
1t was easier to love her neighbors
when her head ached less and the films
of weakness, spotted with black, ceased
to dance before her eyes. She held up
the little rose colored garment she was
making in her thin, pale fingers, and felt
an unusual sense of comfort and warmth
steal over her as she listened to the soft
swapping of the logs on the old brass
andirons. The large empty house seemed
warmer and cozier now that she knew
Sister Martha was speeding homeward
on the train. In country phrase Mrs
Whitcumb was mo company" for her
sister-in-law. They could not find COM
mon meeting ground, and to have her in
the house, even though unseen, brought
with it sense of oppression.
Meantime the captain sat just where
his visitor had left him, when she closed
the front door and he heard her foot.
steps retreating down the walk. He felt
utterly weak and unnamed; the water
stood in great drops on his forehead as
he lived over the scene and saw what
was in his heart when he was tempted
to clutch the woman's throat. He had
knocked down mutinous sailor once on
shipboard with Delaying pin, and he
remembered having had the same sensa-
lions then, before the fellow began tc
show signs of life. But there were other
things to think of, terrible as that muir.
derous impulse looked to him, and deep
as was the precipice over whose brink
he had taken flying glimpse.
The confession of that woman came
back to him bit by bit out of the turmoil
of his sensations. He saw how poor
Vinie had been tricked by Martha Whit
cumb and her own mother. who was
rabid to seize upon any rumor to his
hurt, however black. But Vinie had
loved him all the time. Her soul, inno-
cent and white, had taken no stain.
Even if she believed he had wronged
her she had forgiven him. She had
faded and withered and suffered in
silence through the years, but had kept
glimmer of trust in him alive in her
gentle heart. She had sat by her win
dow to watch him as he passed with
averted head. She had listened for his
footsteps and lived ON the signs of his
existence-the smoke going up from his
chimney, the light in his window, had
known when he came and when he
went, had, trained her ear to catch all
reports of him in the wind
He felt his strength quite broken as
he sat there with his dark head in his
hands, and the tears began slowly to
tricl<le throuph his brown fingers The
| impress &C the mothers hard. unjust