The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-10-31
MESCEEsIANY X
HALL q We EN-
soPHY LANGHAM's DIARY.

We have been II week here to-day,
and [ have never once opened my
diary. There is blank in my book
from that day we left our dear mo-
t'ler and our quiet house, till this
dly, October 81. But as 1 have made
q firm resolution to keep faithful
chronicle of this year, (Which is now
fast waxing to its close must write
retrospectively, recording the events
which have filled the week omitted,
us we'll as [ can, from memory
Our parting from mamma was II
sad one. We had never left her be-
fore and both Margery and [ feared
she would be very lonely without us.
We did not, on that account. wish to
accept Miss Laugham's invitation,
but our mother though it best that
we should; she has always regretted
that we knew SO little OF my fa-
Tiers family, which was an ancient
and wealthy one. 1t was their fault
that we did not
Because my father (the son Of a
younger sony was not rich, only pos
sessing the pay of al officer OF the
army; and because he had married q
country clerGyman's daughter, with
only y moderate dover, they scarcely
took any notice Of him. an occasional
invitation for the shooting season
even gradually growing less frequent,
till 1t ceased.
Sir Jonathan LanGham. his uncle.
lived in great style at Maldon Hall.
bnt after his death the maiden heir
esses withdrew altogether from the
-Ar.IfI
mate friends. We had forgotten their
existence, when Miss Largham's let
ter of invitation to ourselves recalled
them to our memories. 1t was really
very touching epistle. though sim
ply and coldly worded
In her advanced age, she had lost
her sister, and shorty after Hiss Au-
gusta's death, Il singular mortality
had deprived her of the two nephews
who were next in succession to the
property. ''She was alone" sire
said, Sin the world and u yearning
had come over her to see and make
acquaintance with poor Frank Lang
hams children. Would my mother
spare MS to her for few weeks?"
"Allow me, however" continued
with any view as to the disposal Of
my fortune that I send this invita-
ton. Unhappily las L cannot for
bear thinking) my fathers will dis
poses OF it. after the death of his
daughters, to the next male heir. and
this heir now appears to be q young
Irishman, very distantly related
though, by pure descent, he is one
OF the family. He is to visit me
shortly"
My mother was decided in her re-
solution to let us go by this part Of
the letter. Miss Langham could not
ascrlbe our visit to any mercenary
motive. We could not incur by it 4
degrading suspicion-so we came to
1t was a cold autumn twilight when
we entered the park, and feeling of
strange awe, a kind of misgiving Of
approaching evil, stole over me as
watched the old trees bowing their
heads solemnly towards us, as if in
token Of Il gloomy welcome I shivcr-
ed. Margery looked round at me
and said laughing, Somebody is
walking over your grave"
"A more poetical Arab reading of
>such creeping of the flesh is. that
something evil is near u.s. / re-
piled.
Thanks, sophy. 1 am the only
person near YOU she said, merrlly
"There! You shivered again. Are
yon cold?'
"No!" said I, ''but very melancho-
ly. Is there not something sadden-
ing in this old place, whose ancient
trees have sheltered so many Of our
race, long since gomez
''Not to me-, said bright Margery.
81 can but think what Il splendid in
heEit:tnce it is, AND how + wish Miss
Langhan would leave it to me- Lis.
tel-there is chime of church bells.
Is it in honor of our appearance at
the ancestral ball, do you think?'
NO said !. "lhe ringers are only
practicing
You are Il strange mixture Of the
common place and sentimental, So
ply, said Margery. do the bells
say nothing to you?''
Only, 'Sophy ant Nargery go
home again, to my ear. not being
such an agreeable he; ing as Whit
tin9ton's was, said [.
Then Margery began an eager dis
cnssion about bells and their varied
vpif.nc o,,l b~v. ,,ol,.Io