Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-05-23

was strangely silent.
"Whatisit?" asked her mother after awhile.
81 was thinking of Mr. Ellison. He is
different man from the others I have met. l
hope he will not be killed"
II hope so too. He is good mana living
example that religion is to be preferred to all
the honors blood and wealth can bestow. He
gave up ease and luxury voluntarily, and
devoted himself to life of study and good
deeds. I shall love his church, for his sake,
if nothing else."
81 think it is his influence that has helped
make Mrs. Elliott and Grace so pure and un-
selfish" ..'.I
"And I can see it is his influence, that has
kept my ambitious daughter from envying
the high estate of our rich neighbors.'
II think, mother, your and fathers content,
and usefulness in the sphere allotted you by
Providence, and my early life among people
who valued mind and morals, more than rank
and wealth, laid the strong foundations, if
Mr.: Ellison has helped raise the superstruc.
ture. I shan't let you two be cheated out Of
your due for anybody, no matter how good"
Mrs. Wright smiled. Ellen's lively man
ner was always delightful to her. After
pause, Ellen's face grew grave again and she
asked
"What was it Mrs. Elliott was telling you
yesterday about Mr.. Ellison? Miss Grace
wished to see my late verbenas, and couldn't
stay to hear it."
It was long story, but the substance Of it
was this Mr.. Ellison was younger son Of
one of the oldest families in the State. When
hardly more than boy, he fell in love with
Miss Archie-the same lady after whom Grace
is named she warmly reciprocated his
affection but marriages in great families are
often made or broken by parents with little
regard to affection, and as she was destined
for Reginald Singleton, a man much older
than herself, she was forced to discard the one
her heart had chosen. ~ '--
Singleton's family was no better than Eli
sons, but he was far richer, and that carried
the day. Grace Archie was made to marry
him, and Ellison, nearly heart broken, was
sent off to college. It was not suitable
match. Singleton was not man Of fine SEN
sibilities, and did not know how to appreciate
his sensitive, enthusiastic, spirited, sensible
wife, and though they did not quarrel, they
could not always harmonic.
"Grace tried to be good wife, but she felt
all her husbands incapacity to understand
her warm nature, and was often chilled and
repressed. After Jack was born-that same
Jack your father says has more sense than all
the other men who come to Mr.. Elliott's--she
had harder time than ever, for she wished
him to be raised good boy, and his father
thought it was cunning to teach him all kinds
of mischief She never interfered when Sin
pleton made the child climb, ride, swim or
shoot, though he was hardly more than a
baby but when he gave Jack wine or brandy,
and taught him to curse, she fought fire with
fire. For the drinking, she gave bitter or
nauseating medicine, and persevered in it till
the child would take severe whipping from
his father before he would taste drop of
liquor. To break him from profane words,
his mouth was washed with soapsuds, or some.
thing equally disagreeable, and he was told
how bad and wicked it WAS to use them.
"She wept and pleaded with her husband not
to teach the child to be wicked, buthe seemed
to think it was only fine fun, and nothing
very wrong. She never left Jack with his
father when she could avoid it, and always
punished him if he obeyed bis wicked orders;
yet the child loved her with all his heart, and
only feared his father"
"But mother, this is not telling me about
Mr.. Ellison; it was his history wished to
hear"
"Well, I was coming to it. His life is all
wound up with the Singletons and Elliotts.
He gained great credit for scholarship, and
was preparing to study law, when he met
with great change, and law was given up
for divinity. This displeased all his relatives,
except one great uncle, who was so eccentric
as to believe religion was good for men, as we'll
as women and to show his regard, he left all
his great fortune to his pious nephew. This,
and the death of two older brothers, made him
even richer than Singleton. After he was or
dained, he came home, married Mr.. Elliotts
Youngest sister, and settled into one Of the
most benevolent and sainted men in the city.
Fully half his income was given to the poor,
and in so quiet and unostentatious manner,
that few Of his intimate friends knew Of his
unbounded charity. ....
"From being gay fashionable woman, his
wife became an active Christian, loving her
husband devotedly, and aiding him in every
way in her power. They had nothing to mar
their happiness except the loss of their two
children. ..a ...-. It ...
"When Jack Singleton was about six years
old, his mother died. She begged repeatedly
of Mr.. Singleton to give Jack to Mrs. Elliott,
and to let Mr.. Ellison have the directing of
his education, but he would promise nothing
And when she prayed him to give up the
world, and be Christian, he said, it was the
wine in her head-the doctor had stimulated
her till she did not know what she said But
she had no wine in her head when she died,
and her last words were-'Tell Mr.. Ellison 1
leave my child to his prayers T.
"Mr. Singleton seemed to feel his wife's
death quite deeply. He permitted Jack to
stay most of his time with Mrs. Elliott, and
never again made him taste drop of liquor,
or permitted profane word in his presence, if
he could prevent it.
"In a year or so, he married Mrs. Edwards,
widowed sister of Mr.. Elliott, and as she had
two boys of her own, she was very glad Jack
chose to stay with her brothers children rath
er than live with her.
"She didn't see what made Georgia, who
had five children of her own, so fond Of noisy,
rattle.headed Jack, who nearly set her crazy
with his continual restlessness and racket 1t
was astonishing! For her part, she was glad
enough to be rid of the troublesome torment.
"Two years afterward, Mr.. Singleton died,
leaving the most of his property to Jack. Mr..
Elliott was executor, but the direction of Jacks
education was to be in Mr.. Ellisons hands.
So it came about that Grace Singleton's last
wishes were granted. ....
"Mr. Ellison taught Jack himself for some
years, and e,en when he sent him off to a
good school, he saw great deal of him.
HAftar Mrs Ellisnn's health failed and