Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-05-15
4nmlorous Storp.
From the German of Ferdinand Stole.
couRTsH1p UNDER DIFFICULTIES.
BY HUMOROUS HISTORY.

When I left the University Of Jena, I
went to live with an uncle-who, since the
death of my parents, had supplied their place
to meat pleasant country-house within
an easy distance of his mandatory. Uncle
Reinhold was much attached to me, and,
although he had not objected to my prolong-
ing my university life rather beyond the usu-
al age, when I finally quilted Jena he strong
ly urged me to turn my attention to indus
trial pursuits, holding out to me the prospect
of becoming his partner, and ultimately sole
proprietor of his profitable business. Accord
ingly, for upwards of year I applied my
self to master the mysteries of looms and
shuttles, correspondence and accounts, al
though these were much less to my taste than
the tranquil life I had led at Jena, study
ing little law, but diving deep into our
noble German classics, and storing my mind
from the works of the best prose-writers and
poets Before the year was half out, fell
deeply in love, but this T dared not tell my
uncle. Minnie was the sweetest fairy that
ever tripped over lawn without doubling
daisy; her hair was Of the richest auburn,
her eyes were of the deepest blue, her mouth
was a rosebud, and with my hands could
span her waist, but-alas that terrible but
she lacked one thing which my uncle set
above all the graces ever combined in god
dess. Her mother, the widow of poor
clergyman, lived upon scanty pension, and
Minnie was dowerless. So we kept our loves
q profound secret, and trusted to time and
the chapter of accidents. Both young, we
could afford to wait, and, confident in each
others affection, the possibility of another
union never entered the head of either of US.
My uncle frequently spoke TO me of ma
trimony. He advocated my early marriage
perhaps little from selfish motives, for
he often joyously anticipated the charm a
young and graceful women would bring into
his dwelling, and the delight he should have
in dandling granddaughter on his knee
Warm-hearted and generous, he yet in every
thing was completely the man of business
and he looked upon it as settled matter
that, although I had very little fortune Of
my own, my expectations from him should
insure me rich wife. This idea seemed
so rooted in his mind, that it sometimes oc
casioned me uneasiness. Iforesaw some an
ger and much opposition when the day
should come, and come it must, that should
confess to him my love for sweet penniless
Minnie.
One morning, in the usual bundle of let
ters came one which seemed to give my un
Gle unusual satisfaction. I supposed it II
contain large and profitable order, for those
were the letters over which he generally
rubbed his hands, twinkled his eyes, ane
gave other unmistakable marks of content
ment. 10 my surprise, instead of tossing
it over to me, with an exulting ''There, m.
boy" he carefully folded it up and put i
into the breast-pocket of his coat. All tina
day he was in state of particular exhilara
tion. At dinner he said little, but somethin!
agreeable evidently occupied his mind. A
last, when, at evening, he had established
himself in his easy-chair at the open windoV
his meerschaum in his mouth, fash of gol
den Rhenish at his elbow, a lovely Landscape
and gorgeous sunset before him, the myste
~ was revealed. The letter was from hi
old friend, Counsellor Frager, who lived OF
his pleasant domain of Wiesenthal, about
day and half's drive from U.S. The coun
sellor, whom I had twice seen at my uncle
since my return from college, was wealth,
widower with three marriageable daughters
whom I had not seen. My uncle, it appear
ed, had lately been in correspondence wit
him respecting the propriety of bringing