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

lilIyslc, who for TWO or three years past
had been settled in the town. 1t was
understood that this learned man was
the physician as well as friend OF the
young minister, whose health had
severely suffered of late by his too I'M
reserved self sacrifice to the labors and
duties of the pastoral relation.
The ;governor, in advance of his
visitors, assembled one or two steps and,
throwing open the leaves of the great
hall window, found himself close to
little Pearl The shadow of the curtain
fell ON Hester Prynne and partially CON
,cealed her.
"What have we hereT' said Governor
Bellingham, looking with surprise at the
scarlet little figure before him. II pro
fess have never seen thelike since my
days of vanity, in old King James
time, when | was wont to esteem it a
high favor to be admitted to a court
mask! There used to be a swarm of
these small apparitions in holiday time.
and We called them children of the Lord
of Misrule. But how got such guest
into my half"
AYE, indeedr' cried good old Mr..
Wilson. "What little bird of scarlet
plumage may this be? Methinks / have
seen just such figures, when the sun has
been shining through richly painted
window and tracing out the golden and
crimson images across the floor. But
that was in the old land. Prithee, young
one, who art thou, and what has allied
thy mother to bedizen thee in this
strange fashion? Art thou Christian
child-ha? Dost know thy catechismi
Or art thou one of those naughty elfs 81
fairies, whom we thought to have left
behind us, with other relics of Papistry,
in merry old England"
Il am mothers child" answered the
scarlet vision, land my name is Pearl"
Pearl? Ruby, rather, or Coral OF
Red Rose, at the very least, judging
from thy hue" responded the old min
lister, putting forth his hand in vain
attempt to pat little Pearl on the cheek.
But where is this mother of thine? Ali
see," he added, and turning to Gov
ernor Bellingham whispered, 'This is
the self same child of whom we have
held speech together, and behold here
the unhappy woman, Hester Prynne, her
mother"
"Sayest thou ser cried the governor.
NAY, we might have judged that such
a childs mother must needs be a scarlet
woman and worthy type of her Of
Babylon. But she comes at a good
time, and we will look into this matter
forthwith"
Governor Bellingham stepped through
the window into the hall, followed by
mis- three guests.
Hester Prynne," said he, fixing his
naturally stern regard on the wearer of
the scarlet letter, "there hath been much
question concerning thee of late. The
point hath been weightily discussed
whether we, that are of authority and
influence, do well discharge our con.
such as there is in yonder child, to the
guidance of one who hath stumbled and
fallen amid the pitfalls of this world.
Speak, thou, the child's own mother
Were it not, thinkest thou, for thy little
ones temporal and eternal welfare that
she be taken out of thy charge, and clad
soberly, and disciplined strictly, and in
.structed in the truths of heaven and
earth? What canst thou do for the child
in this kind?'
Il can teach my little Pearl what j
have learned from this" answered Hes
ter Prynne, laying her finger ON the red
token.
Woman, it is thy badge of shaner'
replied the stern magistrate. 1T is be-
cause of the stain which that letter in.
dicates that we would transfer thy child
to other hands"
Nevertheless" said the mother calm
ly, though growing more pale, "this
badge hath taught melt daily teaches
met is teaching me at this moment
lessons whereof my child may be the
wiser and better, albeit they can profit
nothing to myself"
1--WE will judge warily," said Belling.
ham, "and look well what we are about
to do. Good Master Wilson, pray you
examine this Pearl-since that is her
udlnt- anu see "ueGHSI ShS HdJu ubu
such Christian nurture as BELTS child
of her age"
The old minister seated himself in an
armchair and made an effort to draw
Pearl betwixt his knees. But the child,
unaccustomed to the touch or familiarity
of any but her mother, escaped through
the open window and stood on the upper
step, looking like a wild tropical bird of
rich plumage, ready to take fight into
the upper air. Mr.. Wilson, not little
astonished at this outbreak-for he was
grandfatherly sort of parsonage, and