Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-06-16
CHAPTER Nv.

somewhere if I can ever find it," and the
speaker searched in his different pockets fol
the missing epistle. CHA how is this
I must have left it in my other coat. Well,
ask me to dine with you, and I will bring il
round with me-"
"Happy to have you, Randolph" replied
Manvers, smiling at his eccentric friend,
"but still more happy to have my letter, and
if you do not object we will walk together tc
the hotel and obtain il"
"Ha, ha! one would suppose the honey
moon not yet over. did not your separation
contradict it. What in the name of all ere.
alton, Manvers, made you send your young
wife away from you?"
"Simply because" replied Manvers, link,
ing his arm in that of his friend, IL was
not so selfish as to deprive her of what my
business deprived me-pleasure."
"Humph !" said Randolph sarcasticany,
"one might have supposed her pleasure
would have been at your side"
"You would not have my grey hairs so.
Der her youth to the gravity of forty" re.
piled Manvers, coloring
"What did you marry her for?" said
Randolph, abruptly.
"Certainly not to bury her," replied Man.
vers, coloring still more deeply.
"You deal in negations," said Randolph,
curtly. "Look you, Manvers, your area good
lawyer, an able exponent of justice, and the
world calls you an upright, honest man
here is knotty point for your investigation,
help me, to unravel it. A man, old enough
to know better, marries wife, young, gay,
and lovely; be brings her to his home and
only keeps her long enough to teach her q
new grace by adding the charm of matronly
dignity. She is eonfding. unsuspicious.
truthful, Judging our sex by but the one
standard, and that standard the noble one
of her husband. She is launched at once
into the vortex of society, alone-for wife
is alone, when away from her husband-and
such vortex the whirlpool of Saratoga
Here she meets not only those whose boast ii
isto triAe with the unsuspecting; (from these
her innate modesty, and matronly decorum
preserves herr but with others, who under
the specious guise of friendship and truth,
would undermine every principle of recti
tude and duty-those who expatiate on the
sacred affections of the domestic circle, while
theyinsidiously weave atempter' web around
the trusting heart and crush out every holy
affection Of its nature; those who covertly
laugh at the purity in woman, and think
the sex exalted but to fall. And she is
thrown with those of her own sex, too, who
have forgotten how to blush, and never con.
slider themselves dressed unless they are in
a state of half nudity. Think YOU, nature
joyous, frank, affectiouate, can pass such
an ordeal unscathed? Think you, she leaves
the gaiety, batteries, the destinations of such
life, as pure as when she entered; or is
willing to return to her husband and her
home, and rest in his love and in its peace
as she did before? Will not her fancy, led
captive by the gay frivolities of the season,
long for its fashion and excitement? Will
not her heart, accustomed to the idle fatter.
les and idle attentions of the hour, crave the
sickly food? And who is to blame? Did
the husband who vowed to cherish, shield
her; or did he With morbid sentiment
counsel her departure, and call it generosity
orwith astill falser philanthropy send her from
the security of his home, while he lauds his
own selfabnegation? Wise man of the
law, all this is legal, and I grant you law is
justice; but alas all justice is not law
You place her in furnace and you know
that fiery waves of temptation will assail her
but your hand does notkindle the torch, and
if she falls her folly has consumed her. You
wash your hands in innocency; but is there
no smell of fire on your own garrnents?"
"You would read me lesson, or give me
warning-which, Randolph ?" said Man
vers, with pale face and compressed lips.
GA word to the wise is sufficient" replied
Randolph; "but here we are at the hotel, LEI
me get the precious epistle."
'Dine with me at four. I keep bachelor
hours" said Manvers, as he left with his un
opened letter. His face was very pale ant
very grave, as he closed his Office door snt
sat down to read his letter; but as he reat
the expression softened, and at length sat
isfed smile rested upon his face. While clos
ing the letter he said "My Clara, truthful
and pure"
"Do you think of visiting Saratoga thi
season." said Randolph, few hours later
"Scarcely. cannot leave my work."
"When do you expect Mrs Manvers? ?"
"Not before the season is over"
"Ah !" replied Randolph, and there wa
a slight elevation of the eyebrows and a lool
of astonishment which annoyed Manvers
spite of himself.
"The truth is, Randolph, l am not afraiC
of trusting my Clara anywhere, and, spite o
your terrific invective, feel perfectly secur
of her standing the ordeal"
"Possibly !" said Randolph, sententiously
Then leading the conversation to legal mat
ters they discussed other subjects. In th
midst of an animated argument upon cor
tested legal point, Randolph abruptly said
"Do you know Leslie, Harry Leslie"
"No," replied Mauvers, "is he lawye
Il