Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-03-28
Au 0rigiual grize Stprg.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
rHEFATE OF MILDRED WEIR.
Ry MRS. CLARA DARGAN MCLEAN.
CHAPTER w

And famed upon the braZen greaVes.
Of bold Sir Lancelot.
A red-cross knight forever kneeled
To lady in his shield"
The short winter afternoon was rapidly
verging into night, when there came a thun-
dering rap at the front door, followed by a
terrific peal of the bell.
"Good gracious!' Henriette exclaimed,
startled out of her usual apathy at that hour,
for the whole family were enjoying siesta,
previous to dressing for the opera. "What
on earth can be the matter, Kate p
"Either the house is on fire, or the police
man drunk" ..-
Kate rose leisurely out of the depths of a
huge armchair before the fire where she had
been coiled up, halfasleep, and turned the
Venetian blind little.
"Why, there is hack before the door, and
trunks, and-Oh I do believe it is jack!
She opened the bedroom door, and rushed
down the hall en- dssha1iAe as she was, and
called over the landing
"Whos come? Fulton, who's come? Is
it JackF
"Hallo Is that you, Kittyf" cried mas
culine voice, and masculine steps came bound
ing up the staircase. A scream-a laugh,
and
"Oh my dearest, darling Jack!' declared
to the breathless listeners in the room that the
long.expected miracle had taken place, and
the absentee returned. Henriette followed
suit in a breath, and the same scream, laugh,
and series of oscillations ensued.
"By Jove, you are jolly pair" Mildred
heard the "iolliest" voice exclaim. 81 wonder
if any other fellow ever had two such sisters
to give him such a welcome. It's worth while
going away to get such shower of kisses
when you come back"
But Oh Jack, to think how you caught
us 1t is such a surprise! And we had no
idea, you know!
Kate was saying this in bursts, as if she
hardly knew whether to laugh or cry.
"No matter! I can't see you-it is so
'darkly, deeply dusk in here. But where's
my mother?'
"In her room. Come, we'll 60 with your
and the three started down the corridor, when
Jack suddenly stopped and called out
"By gracious, Kate, you're a stunner!'
'sNo doubt" she said laughing; "don't be
making fun of me, Jack This is real each
mire robe.de-chambre, and you know you al
ways admired hair a Ia Ninon."
A peal of musical laughter followed this
thrust, and Mildred heard no more but the
confusion of tongues.
1t was happy family group that assem-
bled round the dinner-table that evening"
The proud parents looked from one to the
other Of their children, but their eyes rested
with peculiar fondness, upon the handsome
face of the returned heir. He was of that
unusual style of masculine beauty which
unites regularity of feature with great physi::
cal power; combination seldom found in
these degenerate days. The rather low, clas-
sical brow was redeemed by the chronological
development of the tvp-head, over which the
close-cut, luxuriant dark brown hair clustered
in shining masses; the long, straight slender
nose that gave feminine delicacy to the pro-
file, was contradicted by the strong, round
chin land the perfect woman-mouth and small
white teeth, which must have given him a
right to be called "beautiful boy" was al
most entirely concealed by the dropping silky
moustache. Then the great, broad shoulders
that seemed formed for somebody's support,
the deep chest, the powerful muscles, devel-
oped by exercise in athletic sports, all COM
bined to strike the most casual observer with
admiration. Among his friends he had been
styled "Prince Schamyl;'' and, indeed, his
rare achievements in horsemanship, his brave
ry and knightly accomplishments, entitled
him to rivalry with the Georgian chief who
so long de6ed the Autocrat of all the Russias.
"Prince Schamyp now sat leisurely drink
ing his wine, the dark-blue eyes-Tartar-like
in their peculiar oblique setting, incliniDg up
ward toward the temples-bent from under
their slender arched brows upon his newly
found cousin. Mildred did not blush when
she looked up and found the thrilling orbs
fixed upon her. She very quietly returned
the look with smile. Jack laughed out
right.
"Well, my pretty little cousin, you are
either the most unconscious of your sex, or
the most-consumm little Airt. Don't you
see how desperately you strike my fancy?"
"What nonsense, Jack" Kate cried. "Mil-
dred, don't mind him. He has way Of say
ing things, like all the men, that don't amount
to much"
Mildred joined in the laugh which followed
this sage remark, and then said in her simple
way:
"I am not accustomed to Aattery, cousin
Jack, and you must give me time to grow
used to it gradually, otherwise 1 may be
spoilt."
"No danger of that" he answered, setting
down his glass emphatically; "you must have
been shut up in a convent all your life, to
come out such perfect daisy. Now, that is
not fattery. l am glad you abjure bright