San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-15

taught me that do justly was a rule to
be followed h5erally-not a figure of
speech. | do not know who can tell me
better than you what want to know"
81 am not sure that you can do any
thing, if do tell you what know of
your family's history, and if you are the
man take you for the knowledge will
not make you happier"
81 must risk that" answered John
So,ners, meeting steadily the lawyers
eyes.
The latter settled himself in his chair.
"Your ancestors on your mothers side,
the Boultons, he said. owned much
land adjoining this property, which in
your grandfather's time belonged to the
Douglas family, of whom you have
heard. But, like many rich men, your
grandfather, while owning much COW
eted more, and his neighbours acres were
fertile.
stephen Douglas and his wife We're a
kindly, honest couple, thinking no evil
and trusting their more pretentious
friend, for your grandfather acted in a
very friendly manner toward them. He
took warm interest in their business;
made bargains with them which, how
ever, always fell out mysteriously in his
favor; and once, when an unfavorahle sea-
son spoiled their crops, advanced them
money with great alacrity, the interest,
which was high, should run on-he did
not need it. At last in various ways he
got them in his power, and as they were
growing old, and their only child, son,
had left home to follow the sea-and in
those days letters passed but rarely and
news travelled slowly-there was no one
to look after their interests and warn
the old couple of their dangerous friend.
Matters went from bad to worse and at
last the end came. ..-
''One day Mr.. Boulton foreclosed the
mortgage and the Douglases had not
money outside their property to meet it.
At first they were too nearly dazed to
realize that the man whom they had
trusted fully had been working their
ruin for years. They looked first at each
other lit was in this room they say that
the scene took place., then as the truth
SdlllO W OOCphCh louSldo
turned and faced your grandfather.
You have ruined Margery and me- he
said slowly, but your i'll gotten gains
will not prosper. You have worked
your own undoing, for you will never en-
joy. what you have sinned against your
own soul to gain. A curse will follow
you and your name You will be pun
ished in your sons, for your wicked blood
flows in their veins, and when your time
comes to die your sin will lie heavy on
your soul, and you would give all you
own to undo this days work.
1.-The cove6ous man quailed before the
just wrath of the simple minded man
whom he had despoiled, and from the
day when the poor old couple, driven
from their home, where they had spent
all their married life, took refuge in the
little spring house in the swampy
meadow, in sight of their own old home,
misfortune followed him. He kept his
wealth to be sure, but his sons quarreled
among themselves, and as they grew
older their evil lives were notorious,
even in those days when vice was hid
den less than now. They were large,
strong men, but violent fever attacked
them, and their evil courses did not fit
them to resist it. Two of them died.
1t was said that one of them called his
brother in to play the violin for him to
keep up his spirits as he lay on his
deathbed and raved and swore dreadful
oaths with his last breath. All your
uncles, as you know, died unmarried,
except your Uncle Martin, and as he
left no children of course this property
naturally falls to you, as your mother
was the only daughter of the family"
"What became of the Douglas family"
asked John Somers. who are left of !
it?" ID. s..s.,,s.
'Stephen and his wife died In the
little house down in the meadow. 1t was
very pathetic, the neighbors said, to hear
the old man when he grew childish fret
ting for his lost land. He was Tory, !
and he used to wish that the British |
would come and then he would get his |
farm back, he said, but his dim old eyes |
looked in vain for the friendly British. |
heard that years after the old couple |
were both dead man came here and
inquired about them and went to see
their graves. He said he was their son
who went to sea years ago, and have
never been able to find out anything
definite about him. When he heard of
his parents injuries he would not see
any of your family, though he and your
uncle Martin had played together as
boys. He was handsome man, people
said, and looked prosperous, but have
never heard of him since then, though !
have made some inquiry"
What was his name?'
"William-Will Douglas, as he was