San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-05-21

Ann was uOuCneu DIV the unwOntef
spirit of company hustle, and her gray
pebble eyes caught little CLEAN of
warmth as she sat rubbing the silver cof-
feepot and sugar bowl with silicate.
Something of the cheerful stir, with
vague putfs of perfume, the delicious
odors of baking cakes, must have come up
to Miss Mayhem, secluded in her cham
Der. 1t was on Thursday, the day of the
tea party, that Ann heard the tinkling of
her mistress bell in the middle of the
forenoon. When she went up to her she
found Miss Mayhem sitting in the chintz
covered easy chair near the window that
looked out on Captain Bligh's garden.
There was feverish spot on her pale
cheek and her eyes were eager and I'M
usually bright.
"Ann," she said, with little shade of
hesitation in her tone, "Pve been think
ing if could go down to the company
for few minutes just to show myself
and to tell them how welcome they all
are"
AIMS mouth pursed and her look stiff
ened into strong aspect.of disapproval.
"Fve lived in my old double gowns
and wrappers so long, she went on, fall
tering, and yet with the pathetic eager
ness in her eyes, 81 haven't anything to
appear in. But there are the dresses
had before mother died all laid away in
the press. | wish you would bring some
of them out, Ann, and let me look at
them"
Ann saw the futtering, feeble hands
and the excited look in the CLASSY, sunk
en- eyes. She moved toward the press
with reluctance, as if her joints had sud-
denly grown stiff, but she did move. and
presently came back with some anti
quated gowns hung over her arm. There
was blue merino made for a hoop
faded in streaks and wrinkled, and a
pink lawn with wide, old fashioned
sleeves and low neck to be worn with
lace cape.
Miss Mayhem took the pink lawn in
her trembling fingers and held it up be-
ing hair, where she could see herself in
the bureau glass. 1t was CHASTITY re-
minder of her lost girlhood An odor
of dead summers and withered roses
seemed to steal out of the old lawn. 1t
touched the poor womans memories and
she let fall the pink folds from her pale
fingers, feebly pushing the gown away
with her foot as it lay on the carpet and
broke into weak, hysterical sobs.
'Put me to bed, Ann" she moaned,
sinking down like flower touched by
the frost, 81 am cold as ice.
The heart seemed to break through the
strong barriers of AIMS bosom. She put
Miss Mayhew's head down ON her bony
breast and smoothed her hair with her
knotted brown fingers. There, dearie;
there, dearie," she crooned; don't grieve
so; | wish cramp had ketched Mis-
Whitcumb afore ever she come to this
house."
Ann put her mistress to bed, tucking
her ND warm under blankets with hot
water bags.
Dear me-" said Mrs. Whitcumb, when
Ann returned to the kitchen, 81 do hope
she isn't going to have one of her worst
kind of spells. 1t might interfere with
the tea, and with them cards all out,
shouldn't know what to do"
That's Marthy Marier Whitcumb all
over" muttered Ann, as she retired to
the wootshed to give vent to her feelings.
The tea party came off that evening
without anything to mar the pleasure of
the occasion. 1t was all that had been
anticipated in the way of culinary ex-
cellence. Deacon Folsom, nervous
dyspeptic, ate far more than was good
for him. and his wife was up nearly all
night applying mustard plasters to SEN
sitive parts of his body. There were
several old ladies who Toasted as they
seldom did except at Thanksgiving
/ They laughed and joked softly together
| at the amount they had eaten, though it
| had slightly stupefied their brains The
| three Miss Slows, who were genteelly
| poor, and starved themselves habitually
on bread and weak tea to keep up ap-
| pearances, only wished their capacity
for salad and ice cream had proved
greater, and that the food might abide
with them for days 10 come. The
clergyman even, though bound to set an
example, made noble inroads on the
viands before him.
The nigh tea had been so delicious, such
conspicuous example of good cookery
that the guests were loath to leave the
table Mrs. Whitcumb scintillated in
her black silk with bead trimmings. 1t
was one of the proudest moments of her
life Her religious convictions were
elastic and easily accommodated them
selves in all companies. Had she been
at home in Bath among her own set she