The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1855-10-26

wretch who had been twisting about unea-
silly on his rotary stool all this time, and who
was obliged to confess his utter inability to
help them ost Of their dilemma; then the
decision to look a little farther" at which
he, as we'll as the clerk, had inwardly groan-
ed in bitterness of spirit, and the repetition
ofthis procedure at nearly every store in the
town these were some Of the "reminiscences
Of his first going shopping and while the
la les grew more voluble and more oblivi.
Gus Of him in their consultations, he had had
leisure to make a solemn vow, which he had
not as yet felt tempted to break, never again
go shopping with ladies.
Miss Lizzie did not know this, or she might
have been spared wondering ifshe had often
ded Robert Tracy in any way, that he did
not join her, rs he usually did, when he met
her on his walks; he, meanwhile, stroled on,
his ipe eyes cast down, apparently in deep
meditation, though ii tho truth must be
known, his thoughts were on no important
subject than what he slionld do with himself
|-a problem of pretty difficult solution, con-
sidering the idle, aimless life he led.
To be'sure he had profession--that OF
the law-Sand talent enough to make him
eminent, had he chosen to apply himself;
but, unfortunately hc was wealthy and there
was no occasion for burying himselfin musty
books SO, after leaving college and the law
school, he tossed all aside and determined to
enjoy himself
One would have thought this no difficult
task, situated as was Robert Tracy, blessed
with youth, health and wealth but he soon
found time drag heavily on his hands.
Tie determined to travel, and for tim
| thought he had discovered the road to hap
piness; but ere long, he wearied Of sight
seeing, of strange places, strange tongues
and strange faces, aud returned to his native
land. lie made acquaintances, friends as
they called themselves, but, as he saw more
of society, its emptiness disgusted him; he
took no pleasure in the wild and riotous
scenes of dissipation into which his would.be
friends would have plunged him, and, at the
age;of twenty seven, Robert Tracy was wea-
ffffed OF himself and the world.
What should he do with himself, for this
one dayi Ridei Go fishing or cunning
Read, or call on the ladiesl
Pshaw he was tired of all these amuse-
ments. Suddenly his eye rested on a letter
which lay on the sidewalk before him.
Somebody had dropped il; he would car
rv il to the ofice-thst would use up a
half hour of his time.
He picked it up and turned it over; there
was no address, and it was unsealed. Per-
haps it was hand bill done up in this way
to attract attention: but not was written
---he would look at it.; the address might b,
inside and it might be Of importance.
He unfoldedit. 1t was in lady's hand
wrting--not one Of the ordinary writing
school stamp, but firm, though delicate and
! rathe:: peculiar. He had a theory about
ju6g ng the character {, ,om the hand writing
and this was SO original that it attracted him
He glanced at the beginning ofthe letter
My dear John"-John who! John wa
anybody; !; John ,SmiM, perhaps. He turn
e'l it over, and looked al the signature. "Fo
ra !" that gave him no further information
and, inpelled by curiosity, he bagan to read
the epistle.
"MY DEAR JonS.--I have been sitting for
the last half hour, with my pen in my fingers
puzzled myself as to what should say il,
| this. my first love letter.
"lf was q gentleman, now, | might fill
up my sheet with pretty flattering speeches
and tender epithets; but / don'timaginc you
would be delighted were to call You an an
gel, though ] presume you are just as near
being one as am, or any one of my sex : so
that is out Of the question. Then, if / were
to undertake TO tell you how much affection
/ felt for you, why--love speeches don't look
we'll in black and white, and if they did,
what would be theuse of filing up this ia ma
king known the fact that love you yery
dearly, expressing this one idea in Ten iiious-
and different forms. Isn't it a selfeyident
proposition, needing no demonstration, other
than the fact Of my scratching off these lines
to youi Ishonld get tired oft, if you didn't,
so we'll dismiss that topic too. And now
what is left me TO write aboutl Why, .
plenty ofsubjec:s, so you need ut look grave,
in anticipating in future short letters; you
ought, rather, 10 groan under the i,npend.
ing deluge ofink which I foresee for you, for
] just intend, in this and other epistles tha,
may follow in its wake, to think on paper,
TO jot down whatever first comes into this
good-for- nothing head of mine,
cts very pleasant to have a friend to
whom we can open our secret souls, and say
all that we think and feel, without fear OF
being misunderstood |; to speak Of all that is
highest and purest in our nature, without
fear ofmeeting . sneering emile, or scoff.
ing reply; to know that our aspirations,
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