San Saba County news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1874-19??, 1893-01-13
BETRoTHED AT DAWN.

horison without exhibiting a sign oil
life or motion.
In the east glimmered a FAINT indi-
cation OF pink light.
Nr. DHerble remit mbered his love
and his morning appointments In
five minutes he had dressed and de-
scended the stairs into a garden.
where his big greyhound greeted him
with u bark of delight accompanied
by frantic leaps of joy and pleasure.
BE quiet Tiger.n
Then. in vain trying to repress the
animal. he added:
Come along. then
The greyhound started OF quick as
an arrow through half open door,
and his master smiled rs he watched
him. He sew him bounding over the
vineyards by "a path of which he
knew every inch. 1t was a path they
took together every day and it led TO
the last cottage OF the little hamlet
TO the house Of Mr. and Mrs. Simons
wealthy New Workers. and their
daughter Miss Ethel.
90. wonder il she is awake yet "
thought Mr. D'Herble. Has she
not made a bet with me? Can it real
iy be true that we are going together
u watch the sun rise from tue top OF
the tower Of Alaspert;'
For the past three months he had
been flirting with Miss Ethel
Il began at Paris and had continued
here in the country. where he had
been clever enough 10 induce the
Simonses to come and spend the
SKINNER.
lie haa 40 fear but that he would be
q pleasing son-in-law to the old peo-
pie. He was rich. Of good family and
possessed many fine qualities
The question was. VIII she CON
sent2 There was so much coquetry
in her playful ways; so much reserve,
too in her sudden moods of cold sill
ence that he hardly knew what TO
think.
: Sometimes with her musical laugh
ter her arch and soft glances she
made him conscious of a feeling of
nearness and familiarity that was as
suddenly dispelled by a frigid good
bye that instantly brought him back
10 his position utterly disconnected.
Only yesterday. pointing to the
tower OF Alaspret which from a lofty
elin commands a view over the whole
country Of Caux for ten miles around.
she said to him:
is il true. as the legend says that
the girls OF the village follow the
custom of climbing alone with the
men TO whom they are engaged to
see the sun rise from that tower?"
And he had answered:
1t is indeed a superstition that be-
longs to this part. A betrothed
couple never fail to observe it. They
believe that if the sun rises behind
clouds and is invisible the marriage
will be an unhappy one: but If it
rises bright and uncIouded it is a
sign that their future is to be bright
and happy
And with laughter in her voice she
had said:
oh. but then the sun must have
spoiled many a marriage by not show
ing himself"
such a thing has been known ="
he answered. though very rarely.
In nine cases cut OF ten the love of
the hetrothed proceeds unchanged as
before II the omer is unfAvorable
they are incredulous and set it at de-
fance; and they only accept II if
favorable TO their love"
Then Miss Ethel had Gaia: 1T
must be lovely sight to see the sun
rise over the country. | should like
to 90 ur to the tower some day."
He looked into the depths of her
lovely eyes.
1t viii be splendid tomorrow.
Miss Ethel"
DO you think so really? If SO. I
shall &c"
':And-er-might l be allowed to
accompany you?" he stammered.
She looked him straight in the face
with a proud glance that was inde-
scribe.
You may do so II you wish
lie was now on his way to the APP
pointed meeting placel 4 peculiar
rendezvous perhaps but not any
more so than the moments of solitude
which they had spent together on
the water or on the yeranda OF the
cottage.
But at this moment new impulsd
Of hope made his heart beat He hae
just seen Tiger before the railing of
the cottage. The dogs lean BODY
was trembling with the JOY a dog
shows when he hears friend ap-
preaching. Almost at the same min
ute Miss Ethel made her appearance.
She was irreproachably dressed. Her
golden hair fell in waving lengths
from under her little straw hat. She
wore pink dress; her tiny feet we're
cased 10 yellow leather shoes her
bands in pretty brown gloves
Good morning she said.
g This was uttered in tone so dry
aud frigid that the gushing thanks
bIr. D'Herble had prepared stuck in
his throat and refused TO come out
10 silence they both entered the
little path that led through the woods
10 the tower
An odor OF damp earth rose from
the leaves ana grasses All was
wrapped in profound silence. Not a
sound stirred the air. There was an
impression OF loneliness and solitude.
The strangeness OF the hour ana
the place and tho unusual earliness
OF their rising hour combined with
their impressions to produce in the
young couple q certain feeling of
melancholy not without its charm.
They were also aware of a feeling
OF awkwardness between them which
their modesty rather made them
shrink from. Each was astonished at
his and her own audacity.
However. they had gone too far to
turn back and feeling the charm OF
an adventure which brought them
thus together they kept most Of their
thoughts for the sunrise. Moreover,
as the hour approached they felt q
prsaentimont that the oracle was