Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-03-07

frame. Nearer he came, and now she could
discern his face-the fair handsome face and
blonde curling hair she remembered so we'll.
Arly's prophesy had come true.
Before she could gather selfpossession
enough to come forward even step to meet
him, he was at her side, clasping her trem-
bling hands in his. ETHEL, Ethel" he cried,
forgetting in that moment Of intense Joy that
he had never before addressed her by that
familiar name; and she, raising her eyes in
mute greeting to his face, betrayed uncon-
sciously in that one beaming glance the trans
port of joy and welcome her lips dared not
give utterance to.
carly was Albert's first question.
"Heis we'll, quite well he has just left me-"
"And Mr.. Conway?"
Ethel shook her head. "Come in," she
said softly, "and will tell you ALL"
He followed her into the well-remembered
room, where everything looked SO familiar and
yet so strange. He could hardly realize the
difference in his position since the last time he
had entered it. They sat down together on
the old chintz sofa, not leaf or flower Of
which he had forgotten there was the marble
clock ticking in its usual place; the same
portraits hanging on the walls, the same vases
on the mantel-piece and table, holding bo-
quets that looked like the very same he re-
membered seeing there the day before he went
away. ..... ...,..
Ethel told him in few words Of Mr.. Con-
ways death, and other events which had
transpired during his absence.
"My dear, kind old friend" Albert said
sorrowfully. The news of his loss sent the
first pang to his heart that had assailed it
since he had set foot on his native soil-or
rather the soil that had always seemed his
birthplace, 80 closely was it entwined with
his earliest and fondest recollections.
Then came his own story, with what a
throbbing heart, Ethel listened to the revela'
tions that seemed so wonderful, so hard to
believe; while the most wonderful and incred-
ible part of it all was that he was actual sit
ting beside her once more, looking at her with
those frank blue eyes, that were all the time
telling her separate and perfectly compre-
hensive story of their own.
Minnie came down presently, and uttered a
little shrek ofsurprise at the sight of the two
figures sitting there in the twilight She
could not believe the evidence of her own
senses at first; but when she found that they
were not playing her false, she gave the re-
turned wanderer hearty welcome home.
Then came fresh, though abridged recital of
what sounded almost too much like fairy
tale to be true; and then Albert, finding that
full hour had elapsed since his arrival,
started up and declared that he must 60 to
Arly without further delay.
"What will he say to you for not going to
him at first ?" laughed Minnie.
II half expected to find him here" said
Albert, "though should have come here first
all the same, under any circumstances He
will easily forgive me-" And he gave Ethels
hand meaning pressure that sent crimson
blush to her cheek, even under cover of the
darkness that hid it from his eyes.
We shall pass over the meeting of the long
parted brothers-for such they still were in
heart, though not in name. There are mo-
ments whose happiness and measureless con-
tent passes the power of words, and such was
the moment in which Albert Beaumont held
Arly once again to his heart.
So much was there on either side to ask
and tell that it was long past midnight before
they could make up their minds to retire.
Tom-the faithful Tom-who still held the
post of butler and general tactotum at Oak
hurst, fell down on his knees in a sort of &C.
stacy and delight at the sight of his beloved
master and Pedro nearly overwhelmed him
with boisterous caresses. Soon the news
spread like wildfre through the yard and
quarters"
"Massa's come home Young massa's
come homew And every negro on the place,
old and young, sought and obtained admission,
to profer to him their glad though humble
welcome. One thing only distressed them
that they could no longer call him by his old
familiar name.
And now, how swiftly and happily did time
glide by. How like the old careless days
were those in which the reunited party gath
cred under the walls of the Grange, never
wearied of recounting the past, and rejoicing
in the present.
Fortune, the fair and tickle goddess, who
had blessed the wanderer with her smiles after
so many weary months of care, held in reserve
for him the choicest of her gifts, which he
craved, yet at first dared not plead for. Now
that he had reached the haven Of his desires,
he trembled to suefor blessing which seemed
to him tooinfnite to be within his reach. He
was not bold lover-many time the words
he longed to speak trembled into silence on
his lips. And Ethel grew shy and silent in his
presence, and sometimes even made pretext
of Withdrawing from the happy little group
of which she was the sunshine, because she
feared that tell-tale blush might reveal to
his eyes, or other eyes around, emotions she
would have died sooner than betray.
carly p said Albert one day, II would give
worlds to be certain of one thing"
"What is that p asked Arly.
"Cannot you guess? Don't you remember
what the wish of my heart was before went
away?"
"Oh! that Do you know, dear boy, l
have been puszling myself to get at the truth
of that matter for some time past Why
don't you speak to her at once?"
81 am such miserable coward about it.
Suppose find she does not care for me-"
"At least, you can but try"
"Do you think stand any chance. !"
"The best in the world"
"You really think so, Arly; if I thought
that I'd be the happiest man in the universe"