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

She aCas tutng the T1tmpled strings of a
green gtngham su'.bonnet.
with yellow hair and the quick wit that
my Gabrielle used to be so fond of hav
in up here from the quarters?'
81 didn't know whether to feel mad
or proud at her establishment, boys.
Sounded something like she didn t think
our Liza had any right to her good looks
and her proud air. l think she seen that
wasn't particularly complimented, for
she said very quick and very sweet:
'''She was always very pretty and
very bright, but this is the picture of a
patrician beauty
"Then l says: L suppose you mean
she don't look like she belonged to Mar
tin and me- / reckon the books and the
smooth days and ways has done a heap
for her. Brooms and dishwater don t
help nobody's good looks. Iwarn't as
rough lookin by deal when I went to
live in the quarter lot, and I've seen
many a worse lookin Teller then my
Eben.
"Now, Eben, don't let that silly old
head of yours get turned The madam
sorter smiled when spoke up SO spunky
and said, Mr.. Martin is an unusually
handsome man, Rebecca, and if you had
cared 'nough for appearances you would
have been as good lookin today as when
you were married.
Here Mrs. Martin waved such small
pleasantries aside with broad sweep of
her blunt fingered hand.
But that's neither here nor there,
Mrs. Strong, said, short and crisp. I
wanted to talk to you about my girl
You was the one that urged us on to
sendin her away from the quarters till
her schoolin was done. You was the
one that done all the letter writin for
me and helped to keep her in the dark
without our ever thinkin of the day
when she'd halter come back to it all.
But she's comm. We can't keep her
away no longer She's finished Don't
you reckon we'll be somethin of shock
to her-us down home, Imean-me and
Martin and the boys?' "
"What did she say, nanny"
1t was moment of thrilling interest
to them all. Mrs. Strong's opinion car
ried incalculable weight with it Mrs.
Martin had paused refiectively.
"She is great woman, Seth. She
weighs her words as exact as she weighs
out the sugar for black Suzanne to pre-
serve with. Speakin of preserves, Eben,
she wants you to have them gherkins
gathered for the pickles. She says CHER
kin1 is Adrien's favorite pickle"
"All right about the gherkins-but
bout Liza. What did she say?"
"Nothin. She asked me to leave tn,
picture there. She wanted to show it t.
her father. She came down stairs still
a-holdin on to it. Her face looked sober
er than when we went up to fix Adrien'
room l reckon she was thinkin how
sweet it would be if her Gabrielle wa
comm home looBin like that to sleep il
the rose scented room that looks out owe
the lily pads"
''She didn't say nothin?'' Seth voic
was full of disappointment
Noth1n that counted, Seth. She JUS
said oncet or twicet, Mrs Martin,
envy you. The idea of her envyin me 7
The overseer tilted his broad shoulder
sidewise, the better to consult hug
silver watch by the light of the moon
A broad beam of white light fell athwal
the recumbent form on the steps Chal
lie had taken no part in the famil
council His eyes were closed and hi
folded arms rose regularly with the ris
and fall of his jeans waistcoat Set
leaned forward and took him gently b
the shoulder.
"Blest if the boy amt gone SCUM
asleep! He's just tuckered out. He lne,
I wanted to finish that fence. and h