Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-06-17

contrasts between her own condition in life
and that of Mrs. Cartwright-but from pure
love. She had always been warmly attach,
ed to her cousin; and the years during
which new life-associations had separated
them, had increased rather than diminished
this attachment But the gladness Of their
meeting was soon overshadowed at least
for cousin Sally. She saw by the end Of the
first days visit, that her cousin was more con
cerned to make a good appearance in her
eye,-to have her understanding that she
and her husband were getting on bravely in
the world-than to open her heart to her as
of old, aud exchange with her few pages
in the history of their inner lives. What
interest she had in the new carpet, or the
curtainless window, that seemed to be the
most prominent of all things in the mind OF
her relative? None whatever! If the visit
had been from Mary Cartwright to herself
she would never have thought for an instant.
of making preparations for her coming, in
the purchase of new furniture, or by any
change in the externals of her home. All
arrangements for the reception would have
been in her heart.
Cousin Sally was disappointed. She did
not find the relative, with whom so many
years of her life had been spent in sweet in
tercourse, as she had hoped to find her. The
girlish warmth Of feeling had given place to
cold worldliness, that repelled instead oi
attracting her. She had loved, and suffered
much had passed through many trials, and
entered through many opening doors into
new experiences, during the years since their
ways parted and she had come to this old
dear friend, yearuing for, that heart inter
course-that reading together of some Of
the pages of their books of life, which she
felt almost as necessity. What interest
had she for the mere externals of Mary's
life? None! None And the constant
reference thereto, by her cousin seemed like
desecration. Careful, and troubled about
the things of life, she found the dear, old
friend of her girlish days to whom she had
come hopefully, as to one who could compre
hend, as in early years, the feelings, thoug hts
and aspirations, which had grown stronger,
deeper and of wider range Alas Alas
! How was the fine gold dimmed in her eyes
Dear Mary?' she said to her cousin, on
the morning of the day that was to end her
visit-they we're sitting together in the little
parlor, and Mrs. Cartwright had referred,
for the fortieth time, to the uushaded win.
dows, and declared herself mortified to death
at the appearance of things,-'Dear Mary
1t was to see you and not your furniture, that
I came. To look into your heart, and feel
it beating against mine as of old not to pry,
curiously, into your ways of living, nor to
compare your house-furnishing with my own.
But for your constant reference to these things,
I should not have noticed, particularly, how
your house was attired and if asked about
them, could only have auswered-'She's liv-
ing very nicely Forgive me for this plain
speech, dear cousin! / did not mean to
give utterance to such language; but the
words are spoken now, and cannot be re-
called
Mrs. Cartwright, if not really offended,
was mortified and rebuked; and this state
of feeling, united with pride, served to give
colduess to her exterior She tried to be
cordial in manner toward her cousin-to
seeA as if she had not felt her words; but
this was impossible. for she had feltth too
deeply. She saw that the cherished friend
and companion of her girlhood was dnap'
pointed in her; that she had come to lcok in'
to her heart, and not into the attiring of her
home and was going away with diminished
affection. After years Of divergence, their
paths had touched and separating once
more, she felt that they would never run
parallel again.
A few hours later, cousin Sally gave her
parting kiss. How different in warmth to
the kiss of meeting! Very sad, very dis,
satisfied with herself, very unhappy did Mrs.
Cartwright feel, as she sat musing alone af'
ter her relative had departed She was con-
scious of having lost friend forever, be
cause she had not risen to higher level to
which that friend had attained-not in ex-
ternal, but in the true internal life.
But sharper modification was in store
for her. The letter of her husbands friend,
in which he returned the due.bill for one
hundred dollars, fell accidentally into her
hands, and overwhelmed her with conster-
nation. For that new carpet, which had
failed to win more than a few extorted SEN
tences of praise from cousin Sally Cray, her
husband had lost the esteem of one of his
oldest and best friends, and was now suffer-
ing in silence, the most painful trial of his
| life.
Poor, weak woman Instead Of the pleas
ure she had hoped to gain in the possession
of this carpet, it had made her completely
wretched. While sitting almost stupe6ed
with the pressure that was on her feelings, a
neighbor called in, and she went down to
the parlor to meet her.
What a lovely carpet" said the neishbor
in real animation. Where did you buy itP
at Martin's,' was answered.
Had they any more of the same pattern T
inquired the neighbor.
This was the last piece
The neighbor was sorry. 1t was the most
beautiful pattern she had ever seen, and she
would hunt the city over but what she would
e ;,,.I l;lo ~