Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-05-22
Duulorous storp.
From the German of Ferdinand Stole.
C0URTsHIP UNDER DIFFICULTIES
lCONCLUDED.l |

| began to lose all patience with this ab-
surd old counsellor, who took his daughters
mad freaks for so many proofs of skill and
wisdom. I believe that if they had cut my
head off he would have maintained them to
be perfectly justified by the precarious state
of my health. I examined myself to see if
there were anything about me that could pos
sibly afford Dieffenbach a pretext for another
operation. Commencing with my head, I
travelled down to my feet, and rejoiced to
find that, with the exception of my tortured
mouth and punctured arm, everything was
in perfectly natural and healthy state
There was nothing to Justify any further
practice of surgery upon my unfortunate per-
son. I resolved to be extremely on my
guard, and to lock the room door whenever
I was alone.
The day was near its close when We re-
turned to the house, where we found the
supper-table spread. The young ladies were
all absent. Heaven only knew in which di-
rection. Nimrod was out shooting, Dieffen-
bach amputating, and Oxen collecting spi-
ders. Imust confess to greater wish to
see Oxen than Minnie, perhaps, would alto
gethcr have approved. At any rate, with
her should not be in bodily danger. She
would hardly attempt to impale me on cork
ing-pin, like beetle or a butterfly. was
very glad her two sisters did not make their
appearance. TO me their presence would
have embittered the meal. We waited a
while, expecting their arrival, and the coun-
sellor, who could not but remark or suppose
that the impression made upon me by the
occurrences of the morning was not particu-
larly favorable filed up the interval with
praises of his daughters, the excellence of
their hearts, and pointing out how much
better it was that they should have been suf-
fered to grow up half wild in the country
than they should have been exposed, without
the guidance and protection of mother to
the corrupt atmosphere and dangerous re-
finements of the town. When upon this
theme, Frager was inexhaustible. never
saw man so much in love with his own
children. At last he declared he would wait
no longer for the girls, and we began supper.
We had been at table about quarter of an
hour, when the door opened, and Oxen, long
expected, came at last. Very different was
the impression she made upon me to that
produced by her sisters. She was quite as
pretty, but gentle, amiable in counteuance
and manner. She did not run past me, like
Nimrod and Dieaenbach, as if I had been q
part of the furniture, but bowed her head
gracefully and courteously, apologised 70,
her tardy arrival, and added that had she
known I was at Wiesenthal, the most inter
esting researches in natural history should
not have Withheld her from returning home
to welcome me. | was delighted to find hel
so pleasing contrast to her sisters, and, but
for thoughts of Minnie, should at once have
admitted myself vauquished by her charms
She was tastefully dressed-her hair just Q
little blown about by the evening breeze
In her hand she carried covered basket
which she placed upon chair beside hel
when she sat down. The conversation turn
ed on natural history. Out of complaisance
and to win her good opinion, feigned {
lively interest in the science, about which ]
had never in the least troubled my head
We were most harmonious trio. Counsel
lor Frager was in the seventh heaven. L
was clear to the worthy man that Ernestine
and 7 were born for each other. For my