The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-12-10

or interest, or both, can do 80 mucn
for man. Maddening as all this il,
what embitters me most is my sons
contemptuous disregard Of me. To
marry without word Of notice, an at
tempt to win my consent, was an in
suit"
But Mrs. Savi1le, II may venture
to speak on subject SO near your
heart, do you not think that the hope
lessness of gaining your consent held
him back from making the attempts"
1T should have held him back also
from such ungrateful disobedience. He
knew he would break-no, not break
my heart-mine Is not the kind of
heart which breaks-but harden it
with hardness that pains, with a
dull. indescribable aching" And she
pressed her hand on her bosom.
"Oh. yes, it was wrong terribly
wrong" cried Hope, and there was a
sound Of tears in her voice, "but you
know your sons nature. Rightly or
wrongly. he loved this girl with all his
heart, and she was singularly desolate,
friendless, penniless. How could he
desert her, being the man he is? how
could he help her effectually save as
her husband? It was imprudent, I
know, and very wrong, but not unpar-
donable. Dear Mrs. Saville, think how
unhappy your son must be, parted
from you as he is, and oh. think Of
the sad future of self-reproach and re-
greet you are creating for his unhappy
wife,"
do not talk such sentimental rub
bish to me. Miss Desmond. 1t is not
like your usual quiet good sense. Has
Mr.. Rawson placed you with mo to
plead Hugh's cause? If so, it is vast
ed ingenuity. I will not be talked
over; nor does Hugh think it worth
while to make any attempt at recon
Citation"
Probably he fears it would only
embitter you were he to try"
'No; it Is pride and obstinacy. He
has something Of my own nature. How
proud I was Of him once!"
and so you will be again" cried
Hope, cheerfully Foolish, faulty, he
may be. but he has done nothing I'M
worthy of a man Of honor. Does a
marriage of affection incapacitate
man from distinguishing himself in
his profession? Do you not believe
that when the heart is satisfied and at
rest, the intellect works more freely
and clearly?"
"And do you think that the heart
will long rest satisfied when the lot of
it's owner is poverty and obscurity?
There, that is enough. I will not hear
excuses or pleading for my son. If l
thought Mr.. Rawson suggested such in
reference, would beg you to leave at
once"
(Which l can do tomorrow, If you
WISH" said Hope, her pale cheek flush
ing quickly, though she spoke with a
pleasant smile.
Mrs. Saville laughed. 'You know I
should not like you to leave me-" she
said, more genially than Hope once
thought she could ever speak. "Nor
need you do so, If you will avoid vexed
questions" Hope bent her head. "Tell
me-" resumed Mrs. Saville, 'if you did
leave me, what should you do?"
II am not absolutely without re-
sources" returned Hope, land should
try to find pupils or some similar en-
ployment to this"
"But you would prefer staying where
you are?"
Eyes, very, very much"
There is tone of sincerity Il
your words. Pray read to me for
while, and let us have no more agita-
tions"
This long-wished-for opening appear
ed to Hope to have done very little
good. She wrote an account OF it to
Mr.. Rawson. Indeed her correspond
ence with the Rawson family was very
constant. Every week thick letter
went to Miss Rawson, and every week
came a punctual reply. Sometimes
these letters sent Hope to her daily
task with a soft, happy smile on her
Inns: sometimes her quick-falling tears
bedewed the paper as she read. But,
through smiles and tears, she never
failed in her duty to her employer,
who grew more and more dependent
on her daughterly care and attention.