El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-10

feet, cursing her for a coneummatt
f1irt, and left her sobbing and re-
preaching me for my wrath anc
cruelty.
That night went to town and tried
to drown despair in dissipation. Al
the end of a fortnight 1 had almost
persuaded myself I was cured. when
one night at the opera, 1 saw he1
seated beside a young fellow of whom
I had been vaguely Jealous from the
beginning. Lord Sandmouth's sailor
son, just returned from sea.
She was smiling on him as she had
smiled on me, and my jealousy broke
forth as fercely as ever. 1 could not
tell whether I loved or hated her most
The next day I determined to put the
sea between her and me, but could
not at once decide to which side of the
globe 1 would steer-whether to make
for Norway or the Nile, New York or
New Jerusalem, when 1 remembered a
commission, entrusted to me by dy-
ing friend in India some two years be-
fore, and I decided on fulfilling it be-
fore starting on longer Journey.
He had died of fever in the jungle,
and 1 was the only European with him
during his illness. He had asked me
on my return home to find out If his
mother was still alive, deliver a pack
age of letters into her hand, beg her
forgiveness, and tell her how deeply
he regretted their long estrangement.
For fifteen years he had not seen or
heard of her, but he gave me her ad-
dress at their time of parting. in re-
mote village on the coast Of Donegal.
After a weary railway journey. and
many hours painful jolting over miles
of wild barren mountain, I found my
friends mother living in desolate
farmhouse halfway up craggy peak
overlooking the sea, eight miles by
road from the nearest post-town-a and
a more disagreeable, repeHent, harsh
toned old woman it was never my ill
luck to come across.
1t was with feeling OF repugnance
that I delivered the poor fellows last
request for forgiveness, hearing the
way she sought to make spiritual cap
ital to herself out of his very death,
and improve the occasion for my bene-
fit.
Unceremonious1y cutting a pharisai-
cal phrase short, I was in the act of
rising to take my leave when a girl
her apron full Of freshly-dug
potatoes, which she held out to Mrs.
Sassy for inspection.
mike sent you in these, and wants
to know if he's to go digging for the
market"
With an fmperious gesture she 81
fenced the girl, motioning her to the
where, after the first startled
glance in my direction, she sat quite
still. looking out to sea.
I resumed my seat half unconcern-
eddy, and stared at the new arrival
with an interest quite unaccountable
10 myself; certainly, her beauty did not
appeal to me, she did not even strike
me- as being possessed of ordinary
good looks. Her face was covered with
freckles and tanned by the sun, and
her hair fell in an unkempt mass
around her neck and shoulders; her
lress was coarse serge, unre1ieved by
he slightest attempt at trimming or
ornament. While I looked, my
thoughts went back to Edith, on whose
airness I had often Toasted, sitting in
he sunlight, as this girl was now, her
pretty fingers sparkling with dia-
nonds, bangles and bracelets tinkling
on her wrists and mingling
With the soft frou frou of lace and silk
ach time she drew her needle through
he everlasting strip of oatmeal cloth.
4ace-could I imagine such a texture
hadowing that child's little brown
list lingering the clay-crusted pota-
Ter lazily who she was-servant or re-
alton of the grisly chatelaine?-
ny surmises were brought to an
brupt close. Mrs. Casey's improving
ration had reached a rounded period,
nd I was evidently expected to say
Amen" and take my departure, chas-
ened and edited in spirit. 1 rose to
ay good-by.
you will have a charming after |
Don for your walk, Mr.. Dennys," she |
aid, taking my hand with some
lacrity. Situated as you behold I |
m, away from all civilization, regret |
is not in my power to offer you even
he form of hospitality" When I had
a hasty disclaimer she re-
umed complacently, But you will
ak; you came from Ballykillagan,
id you not?"
Eyes, 1 walked thence-I could find
o car in the village; it must be eight
r nine miles at the least"
Because you came by the road; by
le cliffs and across the Goats Back
s not quite five. Helen, my grand
aughter here, will put you on the
ack if you like"
1 said I would like, and the next
mute Helen and I were standing out
de. I waited for a moment thinking
lie would want hat. cloak, or sun
lade, but, as she seemed to consider