Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-05-02

and volunteered to trim crayon for Mildred
who sat near drawing.
"No, thank you, Eta. 1t is too dark nov
to finish this sketch. must put it up for 6
clearer day"
She pushed aside her easel, and sat dowr
. by her cousin on the sofa..
"I will answer for Kate, mamma" she said
taking the dark slender fingers in her own
"I know she is not triaing with Count VOL
Altenberg."
Mildred was paler than usual. The blue
veins on her transparent temples were pain
fully visible; yet the fond ones around hel
tried to believe it was only the effect of the
gloomy weather. AS she spoke now, Kate in
voluntarily altered her tone Of affected sur
prise.
"Milly, dearest, I am not" she replied ear
nestly, stroking the thin hand lying in hers
II really do like Count Hugo very much-the
more so that he is Jacks friend, who esteems
him highly, as you know; and I do not see
why we should not enjoy each others society
without fear of les bienssances."
"It is not that fear which influences me to
speak to you, my child" Mrs. Weir said
"as your guardian now, and standing as I do
in your mothers stead, I must guard you as
she would do. This young mans future hap.
piness may soon be in your hands,; woman
can not be too careful in encouraging such
responsibility, and it will be too late to tell
him then that you are only friend"
"What will prevent my accepting him as
more than friend if he asks me?" Kate in
quired in low voice, blushing vividly. 1t
was evident the young Aids wooing had sped
in spite of his Indifferent English.
Mrs. Weir and Mildred both looked amazed,
and it was moment or two before her aunt
spoke.
"Do you not know that no officer in the
Bavarian service is allowed to marry unless
he and his bride have fortune between them
of certain number of Malers-much more
than an ordinary marriage portion-proba-
bly, more than Count Altenberg's entire es-
tate?"
The flush on Kate's brunette cheek died
suddenly away,
"Oh! well," she said, with an impatient
movement, "then we can afford to amuse our
selves on smaller sum. Pray, aunt Katha-
rine, don't notice my little cfaires They al
ways diea natural death, and require neither
smothering nor starvation"
During this conversation Henriette stood
silent by the window, apparently deeply alb
sorbed with the course of rain-drops on the
panes. She now turned around and spoke in
her deliberate, drawling way.
"If the only objection to Count Hugo is his
want of fortune, Kate needn't fret about it.
heard Jack tell Colonel Meredith that he
inherited larger estate with bis title than
any young nobleman in the service, and that
he was the sixteenth, in direct line, of his
name, which constitutes him Knight Of St.
George I think if Kate likes him as much
as he likes her, we all ought to be delighted.
I am sure I will be glad, for thought him
nice from the very first"
This unusually long remark was not met
with suitable gravity. Kate burst into a
ringing laugh, and even Mrs. Weir could not
repress smile at the ludicrous solemnity Of
Henriette's manner.
"Good gracious, Eta p Kate cried, as soon
as she could command her voice, zone would
think you were about to give me your
blessing on the auspicious occasion. 1t is not
quite 80 serious yet"
But Henriette was persistently suspicious,
and privately asked Jack after dinner what
was the Altenberg coat-ofarms.
"A goblet or on field azure" he replied,
seriously; and the simple girl forthwith insti'
tuted search among her silks for these colors,
intending to embroider tobacco pouch as
suitable compliment to her future brother-in-
law.
1t cleared of beautifully that evening.
All the young people, including aunt Agatha,
went out for walk, Mrs. Weir and Colonel
Meredith declining on account of the damp
ness. They were returning about dusk in
gay spirits, even Mildred seeming brighter,
when an unusual stir in the courtyard of the
University attracted their attention. Hun
dreds of students in quaint costumes, with
hooded cloaks and tri-colored skull.caps, were
gathering into line, each bearing torch.
The corps-seignors, in black velvet coats and
broad tri-colored scarfs crossing the breast,
white leather breeches and huge top-boots,
were arranging the squads, their swords clank-
ing and spurs jingling as they hurried to and
fro.
1t was like scene of magic. The glare Of
torches upon the messy white facade Of the
Ludwig Church, and the grand old pile Of the
University with its hundreds Of tall windows,
the long lines of sparks upon the ground as
the students struck their lights to refresh the
flames-the columns of ruddy smoke swaying
in the nightair, now Illuminating the features
of some delicate fair-haired youth, and anon
throwing into splendid relief the gigantic fig
ure of corps-seignor striding along like
Viking with drawn sword and streaming yel-
low hair.
Now they started. Waving their torches
and shouting "Victoria Bavaria? the long
procession moved forward, preceded and fol-
lowed by bands of musicians playing the most
inspiring martial airs. Here the light fell
upon heavy old balcony, carved and over
hanging the narrow street; there, upon q
quaint gabled house with ivy creeping over