Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-06-11


and the latter prophesying great mortifca
tion if she failed, and great misery if she
succeeded.
"What companion for life he'd make, u
said she. "Why old as I am, 1 wouldn't
have him if there was a diamond hung to
every hair of his head-indeed I'd take it as
great peice of insurance in him to ask me,
(and the old lady looked as determined, and
indignant as if John Foster was urging hall
dozen glittering heads upon her accept.
auce.) Why you'll never get civil word
out of the old bear"
"Pooh !' replied the young lady with a
toss of her head, which, bye the bye, was
covered with very pretty ringlets, "what dc
I care for his civility for the little time I'll
be bothered with him? You don't suppose
that any human being can live long who
stufs as he does? Just look at the outrageous
quantity of green peas, and corn he eats at
one dinner, to say nothing of the loads Of
other things, and in these cholera times too,
and what a smoker he is, do believe he
smokes fifty cigars in day."
"Smoking will never kill him." said Mrs
Twitter, "for he only smokes so many cigars
when he gets them for nothing"
DWELL, some men drink themselves to
death, and that's bad enough, but he's cram
ming himself to death, and that's worse, it's
so swinish; I shouldn't wonder if this very
summer took him off"
But Miss Dorcas was as much mistaken
in that, as in all other calculations she made
on the intentions of John Foster, for he not
only lived through midsummer, but through
many succeeding one, though it must be
acknowledged that when he did make his
exit, there was every reason to suppose that
it was expedited by surfeit of vegetables.
In Miss Dobbs' mind and disposition, as
in her face and person, there were few trif-
ling (O defects; even her best friends could
not deny that she was inordinately vain, and
painfully proud; we say painfully, because
pride of certain kind when allied to power
ty, makes their possessor at times very mis-
erable.
Among other attractions, fancied or real,
she had a remarkably small and pretty foot,
which she took exceeding pleasure in adorn-
ing. In every shoe store in the town in which
she lived, she was well-known, and regarded
as perfect nuisance, for she was always
looking for boots or shoes of some uncommon
style or color, and giving vast deal of trou-
Bile without buying much at last. Now had
she been one of the aristocracy, even one of
the species called "codfsh," the martyred
merchants and clerks would have smilingly
bowed her into the store, and smilingly bow
ed her out; their knowledge of her high
position, and full purse, would have purified
her conduct in their eyes, and if they utter
ed "curses deep" they would not have been
cloud" but Miss Dobbs was not one of the
aristocracy, she was (save in her own essi-
mation) but an ordinary mortal.
About the time that she was making "the
dead set" alluded to, she was peculiarly ytrying
to the shoe stores. She took notion that she
must have pair of CATERS of delicate lilac
color, also pair of beautiful pea-green, to
match her two favorite, and most becoming
dresses. They were not to be found in the
place, but she extorted solemn promise
from each of the merchants that he would
send to the North and procure the coveted
articles as soon as possible; but only one had
the slightest notion of troubling himself a.
bout it, and he did it because he knew her
too we'll to hope for peace until she got them;
so at last they came, the very color she so
wanted, and such an exquisite fit, that she
was in perfect raptures, though they cost her
twice as much as they were worth. The
dresses were then worn almost as much too
short, as they are now too long, so that there
was every chance for Miss Dorcas to display
her pretty feet.
On the earliest occasion possible, she donned
the lilac CATERS, and was amply rewarded by
the looks of admiration with which John
Foster regarded them as she walked slowly
up and down her uncle's long piazza. That
night the gentleman staid to tea, not an un-
usual occurrence, though Miss Dorcas thought
proper to draw an inference from it rather
flattering to herself, and therefore took sud.
den notion to visit relative whose residence
was situated on the way to Mr.. Fosters
bachelor apartments. Of course, on hearing
her express strong desire to 60, and re-
gret that "she couldn't 60 alone" and that
"uncle wouldn't 60 with her" &C.; he could
do no less than offer his services to escort her,
and he did so with chuckling alacrity which
delighted Miss Dorcas, while it surprised
her uncle, and slightly alarmed her aunt, for
they both knew that such politcness was out
of character with the man. The old lady
shook her head, and declared that 'it boded
no good-somethiug was going to happen"
and the old man admitted that "it boded
&omething."
Now Mrs. Twitter, Miss Dorcas' aunt)
was one of those very knowing old ladies
who forcsce every thing, and when she
was listening to the details of any event,
you could not help seeing "1 k"or'd tt
written on every feature, before the words
burst from her lips, and her little bright
blue eyes would grow so sharp, and even
portions of her attire look smart enough
to tell wonders if they only had the power of
speech. Like most other thin-faced wrin-
kled little women, she took special delight
in cans with the widest possible borders,