San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-03-11

nursing The horror of publicity which
distinguished the old time gentry pre-
vented her family from sending her to
an asylum. even when she was at the
worst. Tender care and years of tran
quillity finally restored her mind to its
balance. but by the time she resumed
her place in the family her natural sell
tishness had been fostered by unlimited
indulgence and developed by the consid-
GRAFTON which had become the habit of
the house.
She had some trifling property, derived
from her mother, sufficient for her sup
port in other peoples houses, but not
enough to GABLE her to have one of her
own. 1t was standing grievance with
her that her brother Hector, her guardian
and trustee. had sold her land and invest
ed the proceeds in such a way that the
principal was beyond her control. Her
nephew Hector had been equally faith
full to her interests. so she drew her lit
tie income regularly, unvexed by the
storms that beset and finally stranded
the family property. Her home she
made principally with her nephew's
widow. to whom she was kind in titful
way. and systematically attached.
She preferred her old home and her
old rooms and familiar surroundings,
she said: but the truth was that in other
houses she was forced to exercise self
restraint that was irksome to her. She
went about among her kindred and
made long visits, during which Mary
and her boys enjoyed themselves and
their immunity from blame: but always
sooner or later she returned to them.
This lady (as has already been more
than hinted) Ned Anthony had disliked
from his earliest boyhood. Once she
had accused him unjustly of trampling
down the tulips in the garden, and had
taken the word of little, negro boy,
who was really the guilty party, in pref
erence to his own. The race prejudice
between the poor whites and negroes of
the south is thing Of wonderful
strength, their mutual contempt i'm
mense: and to have negro believed be-
fore him. and that, too, when he was
speaking the truth and the negro was
lying. was an insult that was likely to
live and rankle.
The grudge was added to by little
scene which occurred about two weeks
after Anthony's introduction to Mrs.
Beverley. He had called several times
and had established quite an intimacy
with the boys. having some fondness for
children and decided Partially for
those Of his own sex. Miss Cornelia had
been absent UT otherwise engaged at the
time of his visits; so that the pair had
never met since the tulip episode, so
fresh in the memory of the one, so COM
pletely obliterated from that Of the
other. .a.r~
They had all come out for a walk
Mary, the boys and Miss Cornelia- A
splendid dam of sticks and stones and
mud had been constructed across the
creek in the ravine which separated the
two portions Of the estate, and the little
engineers, wild over their first success,
had scampered to the house to entreat
their mother to come out and inspect it
In the hall they were joined by Miss
Corneiia, whom the children In their
glee invited to accompany them. 1t was
Hector that proffered the invitation,
and as he was the old lady's fsvorite she
readily consented.
The party proceeded on their way
pleasantly, little Hector helping his
aunt over all the rough places, as his
mother had taught him. At the pond
made by the damned up stream they
We're Joined by Anthony, who had seen
them from his window as they left the
yard.
Mary introduced him to her aunt. who
had heard of his wealth and was prepos-
sessed by his appearance and therefore
disposed to be gracious to him. She
even gave him her delicate old hand
to shake, although the nod and the slight
motion of the hand toward the hat with
which he had acknowledged the intro
duction was not the mode of salutation
to which she had been accustomed. She
------ - - - - - -
talked to him also and made herself
pleasant. in spite of his careless replies
and the fact that he addressed most OF
his remarks to Mary and the boys.
"The old girls broken all to pieces
was Anthony's inward comment. "She
used to be a good looking woman, re
member, but I'll be damned if she's good
looking now; her nose is a regular par
rot's beak. wonder if she thinks I'm
fool enough to bother myself doing the
civil to an old squaw like her when there
is metal more attractive at my elbow. j
don't pan sorry grit when can get pay
ing rock"
He made himself agreeable to the chill
dren, however, showed them how to
strengthen their structure. promised to