San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-03-01


girl. To her morbid imagination they ex-
pressed pity. perhaps scorn. She Grim
soned.
There was momentary lull, so that
they all heard her when she said in pc
culiarly loud, harsh. defiant voice:
Mine isn't living: mine isn't"
"Yoursi Did you have sweetheart
once?" asked the married woman, not un.
gently, though there was the slightest per
ceptible accent on the pronoun.
And why moi" asked Liza, and her
voice was louder than before. st isn't
only pretty girls rs has people caring for
'em. There's other things besides looks"
"Of course there are, dear" said Miss
Calender soothingly, for 'Liza's eyes
flashed ominously. Goodness il worth
much more to Il good man."
What was his name, Liar" asked
Polly Blaines.
Polly was conceited, and LIZA hyper
sensitive, scented patronage.
II amt going to tell yer" she said.
Then, with swift contradiction. "his first
name was Charlie"
"Was he handsome~ asked Polly, pinch
ing her neighbor under the table, so that
the latter, high colored. coarse looking
girl, gave little squeak.
81 never zee anybody better looking"
said Liza with promptitude. HE wasn't
any of your pink, dolly men," Polly's
favored sutton happened to be fair.) He
was dark, and his nose was straight, like
gentleman's, and his teeth was white, and"
Liza warmed to her subject-"and he
used to wear red silk tie with a pin in it.
And" she went on, "he always gave me
lots of presents-lots--and he loved me SO
as he couldn't bear me out of his sight.
Oh" she cried excitedly, che did love me,
and we was so happy, keepin company, and
he was a-goin to marry me- She paused
abruptly. Indeed, her shrill voice had got
almost beyond her control
"What did he die Off" asked one of the
girls, with genuine compassion in her
tones.
Indeed, from that day began a new era
for Liza. Whether it was that Miss Cal
lender singled her out for special attention,
or because they were really capable of a
lasting impression themselves, it is impos-
sible to say, but it is certain that she was
differently treated by the other women,
and equally certain that this treatment
had salutary effect upon her. Repellant
at first, she grew daily more approachable,
less suspicious, more gracious, and her
better qualities came into play. Perhaps
the influence of Miss Calender had not
little to do with this, for from the begin.
ming Liza had loved her, and now her
feeling was little less than worship And
to love another is so good for a woman's
soul that it works like magic on her whole
being. 1t made possible to Liza the COM
prehension of love higher than Miss Cal
lenders; and the little London heather,
being taught by her dear lady concerning
those things Of which she had been ignor-
ant hitherto, became what the girls called
religious"
Toward the end Of the summer, she con-
sented to be confirmed, and went to classes,
and this seemed to the others to make Liza
more important, especially when she ex-
planned that "there was ladies at the
classes"
Liza was nearer being happy now than
she had ever been in her life, and yet abe
seemed sadder too. Often she heaved great
signs that made her neighbor turn and look
at her, and frequently there were marks Of
tears on her face; so that by and by grew
evident to the Others that there was some
thing weighing upon her.
had developed a sort of friendship for her,
ventured to ask If anything was the mat
ter with her.
81 can't help seein as you amt quite
yourself, Liza" she said. you amt in no
sort O. trouble, are yer?"
Liza shook her head
'Cos il there's any way of helping yer,
Liza, it amt much as | could do but
what 7 can | will, yer know. Might it be
as yer've quarreled with some one, or is it
yer rint, now!-or perhaps maybe"-color-
ing, in doubt rs to how Liza would take
it, maybe you're caring for some one
agin, which we can't help our feelings"
Liza shook her head.
st amt nothink o. that Mrs. Jones'"
she said.
at wouldn't be religion, as is depressin
you, ! hope?" said Mrs. Jones, with as much
severity as she was capable of. at do take
some people like that, which there was a
young man our way as came nigh goin off
his head, but that amt material. 1t ought
to make us 'appy. My Jim, he's sort O. re-
ligious hiSself, which he pays great rispeck
to Sundays, and always washes hisself, and
Pm sure u brighter man you couldn't see."
sit isn't religion" said Liza, land yet
it is. Everything gets sort O. turned up
side down when one looks at things that
way, and all what seemed natural once
seems wrong now. It's interestin seein
how things twist around, but it's sad too
it's disturbin. There's past things I'd wish
different now"
"P'raps you could undo 'em," suggested
Mrs. Jones, who was eminently practical.
Anyway. God knows, don't he, if you're
sorry:"
Liza sighed.
~ s'pose," she said, with apparent ir-
relevance, lone didn't ought to care if one