San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-12-05


crime in connection with its college
slowly and incredulously. In view of
the fact that nearly all of the boys
came from well known families of high
social position, it was almost beyond
conception that any one of them should
stoop to the plebeian offense of stealing
To man they belonged to the slave
holding aristocracy. They were the sons
of planters, doctors, lawyers The Off
spring of senators and congressman had
drunk at the Singleton fountain of
learning, and, browning boast, the
grandson of bishop was among the
declaimers booked for that identical
mystery Swallowed commencement day.
There was nothing commonplace
about Singleton. Nothing shocking
had ever happened there, and the posi-
bility of disgrace overtaking it through
the medium of any one of its young
aristocrats shook the congregated house
wives to the very center of their nerv-
Gus systems
Mrs. Fitzwilliams, absently dipping
a long handled gourd in and out of the
lemonade barrel, conveyed to Mrs. Ma
ginnis, who was slicing cold tongue in
to newspapers spread ON neighboring
tombstone, her conviction that "the
thing was impossible. There was not a
plebeian in the whole college, from
President Hopkins DOWN"
Mrs. Maginnis poised her carving
knife reflectiyely. Eyes, one"
"You mean that young Martini"
eyes"
"Why, he is the valedictorian. They
Say he is dreadfully smart, studious
and ambitious beyond everything; mid
night oil sort of boy, you know
His father is old Colonel Strong's
overseer, - said Mrs. Maginnis, stabbing
the cold tongue severely.
"Ye-s, that's true. But the boy came
here with Adrien Strong. That ought
to be Endorsement enough. In fact, as I
understand it, Colonel Strong sent him
with his grandson because the boys
had grown up together on the planta-
ton and the overseer had named this
boy for him, which inclined him to give
him a better chance for an education
than overseers' sons usually get.
''Or need. think Colonel Strong is
doing wrong, very wrong indeed, in
breaking down the barriers in this way
What will that poor boy do with the
education he has spent four year in ac-
quiring when he goes back to the plan
tation?"
''He need not necessarily go back to
the plantation, The world is not bound
ed by Colonel Strong plantation fence.
Let him strike out for himself"
Mrs. Maginnis fixed troubled gaze
on the heaped cold tongue ON the tomb
stone Mrs. Fitzwilliams' last remark
struck her as revolutionary She was
sorry to hear such views advocated in
Singleton. 1t panied her doubly to
hear them from the lips of her own sis
ter-in-law.
"Well, if this theft is traced to the
door of chat overseer's son'it will go a
long way toward proving the folly Of
any attempt to educate the masses. Per-
haps it may be as you say, the world is
not bounded by Colonel Strong planta-
tion fence, but / still contend that it
was very uncalled for pulling down
of social fences for him to have sent
| his own grandson and his overseer's son
here on footing of social equality that
cannot possibly be maintained when
they go home.
1.-THE boys are devoted to each other. "
"Now-yes, perhaps"
Lawyer Seephar is to address the
boys ON the subject of those robberies
when the exercises are over. told Hen
riette to wave her handkerchief as soon
as he took the stand. don't care to go
inside before.
Nor l. / confess one does tire of
the dear boys when one has been listen
ing to them straight along for 10 I'M
changing years +"
In due season white handkerchief
huttered briefly in one of the open win
dows. Mrs. Fitzwilliams spread pink
mosquito bar carefully over the lemon
ade barrel and Mrs. Maginnis secured
the cold tongue against the possible dep
relations of flies and spiders. Then
they were ready for the church.
keep your eye ON that Martin boy,
Nell, while old Seephar is scoring the
boys, and will too. We will compare
notes afterward. "
With this understanding the amateur
detectives separated, each passing by
different aisle well up toward the ny
drangeas and the sunflowers that were
making brilliant halo about Counsel
or Seephar's sternly intellectual face.
Each seated herself where she could
get an unrestricted view of the valedic-
torian's face. He was seated ON the
front form, this overseer's son, who, by
right of his plebeian extraction and So
49,,