San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-06-16

selves in such grim fashion as the Puri-
tanic nature would permit-playing at
going to church, perchance; or at scourg
ing Quakers, or taking scalps in sham
fight with the Indians; or soaring one
another with freaks of initiative witch
craft. Pearl saw and gazed intently,
but never sought to make acquaint-
ance.
In the afternoon of certain summers
day, after Pearl grew big enough to
run about, She amused herself with
gathering handfuls of wild flowers and
fiinging them, one by one, at her
mothers bosom; dancing up and down,
like little elf, whenever she hit the
scarlet letter Hester's first motion had
been to cover her bosom with her clasped
hands, but whether from pride or resig
nation, or feeling that her penance
might best be wrought out by this un
utterable pain, she resisted the impulse
and sat erect, pale as death, looking
sadly into little Pearls wild eyes. Still
came the battery of flowers, almost in
variably hitting the mark and covering
the mothers breast with hurts for which
she could find no balm in this world,
nor knew how to seek it in another. At
last, her shot being all expended, the
child stood still and gazed at Hester,
with that little, laughing image of a
fiend peeping out-or, whether it peeped
or no, her mother so imagined it from
the unsearchable abyss of her black eyes.
''Child, what art thou?" cried the
mother.
"Oh, am your little Pearl!'' answered
the child.
But while she said 1t Pearl laughed
and began to dance up and down with
the humorsome gesticulation of little
imp, whose next freak might be to fly up
the chimney.
cart thou my child, in very TRUTH
asked Hester.
Nor did she put the question altogether
idly, but for the moment with portion
of genuine earnestness, for such was
PEARLS wonderful intelligence that her
mother half doubted whether she was
not acquainted with the secret spell of
her existence and might not now reveal
herself.
Eyes. am little Pearlr' repeated the
child, continuing her antics.
Thou art not my child Thou art nc
Pearl of mine" said the mother half
playfully, for it was often the case that
a sportive influence came over her in the
midst of her deepest suffering. Tell
me, then, what art thou and who sent
thee hither."
Tell me, motherr' said the child seri-
ously, coming up to Hester and pressing
herself close to her knees. "Do thou
tell me-"
"Thy Heavenly Father sent thee!' an
swered Hester Prynne.
But she said it with hesitation that
did not escape the acuteness of the child.
Whether moved only by her ordinary
freakishness or because an evil spirit
prompted her, she put up her small fore
finger and touched the scarlet letter.
He did not send mer cried she posi-
lively. 81 have no Heavenly Fatherr'
Hush, Pearl, hush! Thou must not
talk sou answered the mother, sup
pressing a groan. He sent us all into
this world. He sent even me, thy
mother. Then, much more, theel Or
if not, thou strange and elfish child
whence didst thou Gomez
Tell me! Tell mer' repeated Pearl,
no longer seriously, but laughing and
capering about the floor. at is thou
that must tell met"
But Hester could not resolve the
query, being herself in dismal labyrinth
of doubt She remembered-betwi a
smile and a shudder-the talk of the
neighboring townspeople who, seeking
vainly elsewhere for the childs pater-
nifty, and observing some of her odd
attributes, had given out that poor little
Pearl was a demon offspring. =.
Hester Prynne went one day
to the mansion of Governor Bellinghan
with a pair of gloves, which she had
fringed and embroidered to his order,
and which were to be worn on some
great occasion of state, for, though the
| chances of a popular election had caused
this former ruler to descend a step OF
two from the highest rank, he still held
an honorable and influential place among
the colonial magistracy.
Another and far more important
reason than the delivery of pair of en-
broidered gloves impelled Hester at thi:
time to seek an interview with per
sonage of so much power and activity il
the affairs of the settlement. 1t hat
reached her ears that there was a design
ON the part of some of the leading in
habitants cherishing the more rigit
order of principles in religion and gov
| eminent to denrive her of her child