San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-03-15

tication of the same passion that the
father had felt for a nature he deemed
his nobler counterpart. The father was
so much like his daughter that she could
not comprehend him until she was ripe
enough to comprehend herself. Crude
contrasts are earliest perceived, earliest
apnreciated and earliest admired in char
acter as in art.
SO without any resistance Mrs. Broth
ertoft welded Lucy. She let the child
love her and cOntde in her exclusively.
But she hated her She hated Edwin
Brothertoft's daughter. There was the
girl growing more and more like him
day by day. There were the father 5
smile, the fathers manner, the father S
of endearment forever reprOaching the
mother with old memories revived.
All, this miserable woman! She learned
80 fear her daughtCr-to dread the inev-
liable day when that pure nature would
recoil from hers. She watched the gentle
face covertly. When would that look
of almost loverlike admiration depart?
When would disgust be visible? When
would the mild hazel eyes perceive that
the bold black eyes could not meet them?
When woul, the fair cheeks burn with
an agonizing blush of shame?
when will the girl dare to pity me,
as that poor wretch, her father, does"
she thought.
This gentle, yielding, timid creature
became her mothers angel of vengeance.
Mrs. BIothertoft never met her after an
hour of separation without wild emo
ton Of terror.
Has she discovered? Does she know
what am? Did some tattler whisper it
to her in the street? The winds are al
ways uttering name to me. Has she
heard it, too: Did she dream last night?
Has her dream told her what her mother
is? If she kisses me, am safe
Yes. Sweet Lucy always had the
same eager caress ready. She 50 over
flowed with love to those she trusted
that she was content with her own emo
ton and did not measure the tempera-
lure vi IIi6 answering CtIeoS.
All, this miserable mother AS false
to maternal as to marital love- 1t be-
came her task to poison the daughter
against her father. If these two should
ever understand each other. if there
should ever be one little whisper of con-
fidence between them, if she should ever
have to face the tho1ght of their con-
tempt-what then?
Agony would not let her think, What
them? She must prevent the under
standing, make the confidence impos-
sible; it must be heT business to educate
and aim the contempt.
How persevenngly, craf.ily, ably she
accomplished this! How slowly she in
stilled into her child'S n!ind the cumula-
tive poison of disrrust. Often the inno-
cent lips shrank from the bitter potion
One day she might reject it. But the
next there was the skillful poisoner-
her mother.
You cannot doubt me, Lucy" the
woman would say, looking aside as she
commended her chalice. IF it dis
tresses you to hear such things of your
father, how much bittercr must it be for
me to say them"
These pages again refuse to tolerate
the details of this second crime. Let
that too pass behind the curtain.
Closed doors then, for the mother is
at last saying that her husband has
grown baser and baser-so utterly lost
to all sense of honor that she must ex-
clude him from her house, and that her
daughter must herself tell him that she
will never see him again.
Closed doors, while the innocent girl
filings herself into the guilty woman's
arms and weeping promises to obey.
Closed doors, and only God to see and
listen while Lucy, alone in her chamber,
prays forgiveness for her father and pity
for his desOlate and heart weary child.
Closed doors upon the picture of this
fair girl, worn out with agony and sleep.
And walking through her dreams that
grisly specter Sin, who haunts and
harms the nights and days of those who
repel hardly less cruelty than he haunts
and harms them who embrace him.
1t was fearful April morning of sew
enteen hundred and seventy-tve when
this final interview took place.
LET me understand this" said Ed,
win Brothertoft, with the caImness of a
practiced sufferer. My daughter has
made up her mind never to see me
again?"
"She has" said Mrs. Brothertoft.
With what quiet, cruel exultation she
spoke these words! EMULATION mixed
with terror for the thought, Il have
schooled the girl But she may still
rebel. She may spring to him, ant
throw herself into his arms, and theT