San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-16

He nad IsOl1e away ana VOID not come
back until he was heart whole again.
But still-she lowed him! She knew
now that il was indeed John Smith,
Junior, the ,draper's son, whom She
fastidious and refined as she prided'her-
self upon being-loved with her whole
soul and strength. Loving him so pas
sionately she dare not become the wife
of another man. Il should despise my.
self" she thought: ~ should grow to
hate him" And so Mr.. Fitzhardy had
to take his refusal, softened by many ex,
pressions of regard and heartfelt thanks.
When he pressed to know the reason
if there were any one else-she stopped
him with pale lips confessing faltering-
ly, Don't ask: i have been very unhap-
by; have noheart to give-l shall never
marry: or at any rate, not for very
long time" And with this he had to be
content.
Then came kind Mrs. Smith. Frances
was obliged to see her, Mrs. Lisle being
still quite unfit to face visitors. The
good woman had come on a mission of
friendliness. II should like to get to the
bottom of that business about Johnny
she said to herself as she rolled along
the road to town in her luxurious car
riage There's hitch somewhere, I'm
sure; and what I've got to do is to find
out where it is | must try and make
friends with the girl. Pretty~dear! !
like her little naughty 'stand-of' ways;
my Johnny deserves a wife who can
hold her head high-hes "a gentleman.
bless him, and ought to marry a lady. !
wonder if it's the shop that sticks in her
throat?-or, perhaps, even-oh, non
sense! can make her like us if try,
I'll be bound. I'll ask her to come and
stay at The Grange for bit, just till
they've had time to look about them
Poor, dear DR.. Lisle! what a mercy it
was that Providence spared him until
Johns leg was nice and sound again
Here she wiped away tear of graft
tude.
In this mood, It was no wonder that
Frances found her a most sympathetic
listener to thessad details of their loss
The girl met her in softened state of
feeling too-compunction for the con-
temptuous manner in which she had
spoken of the poor soul to her son;
some natural tenderness toward the
mother of the man she loved, as well az
that stripping of conventionalities
which is the common effect of the neal
approach of death or any great sorrow
These made the innate craving in her
for love and sympathy leap out toward
that intense sympathy in poor, vulgar
Mrs. Smith. which brought the tears to
her eyes and the culver into her voice,
and Frances recognized fully that it was
possible to reap much comfort and con-
ISOLATION from words among which the
letter II" was chiefly conspicuous by
its absence.
Indeed she hardly noticed now the de-
ficiencies which had SO often made her
shudder. 1t was heart going out to
heart, the weak and sorrow stricken ap-
pealing to the strong and sympathetic.
Mrs. Smith had tact too. She said not
a word of her son and his troubles, but
simply drew the girl out to speak of her
question of visit to The Grange was
negatived al once Il cannot spare the
time" said Frances. 81 must find en-
ployment of some kind without delay"
Here was grand opportunity. Then,
my dear" replied her visitor, 81 think ]
know exactly what will suit you. am
looking out for nice young lady to
10
daughter to me in fact. You see | am
very lonely. Mr.. Smith is away all day
at business and-and my son nearly al
ways off on his travels, or if not he has
q mans place to make in the world and
can't be always tied to tiresome old
woman's apron string. Now, want some
one who will be tender to my failings, and
put me in the right way, too, when /
make little slips. Mr. Smith, he's SO
anxious for me to be all right, and some
how | think it's easier for the men;
they're always out and about, noticing
things. And the loneliness is trying.
All! it's not easy always to be happy,
even in a big house full of fine things,
if you've nobody to love in it! never
was much of hand at fancy work; be-
sides, what's the good, when can buy it
ever SO much better done; nor books
either; they do make me that sleepy!
| mol what want is just something
| young and pretty about me to take an
I interest in. Now, what do you say
You see, you'd be earning something,
which would be real help to your
mother, and can't tell you what a
| pleasure and comfort it would be to me
to have your dear fathers daughter by
| me and try and return some of his great