Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-04-10

as BqOtlan. 1 nave Pleuty VI lahu III I'o
South-a thousand acres but it is not under
cultivation and has been only an expense to
me to pay the taxes on it. | have house
there, too but I cannot 60 back there, and
even if wanted to, I do not believe l have,
at this moment, sufficient money to take me
there. My poor child, she cried, putting her
arms around Berta, Eve are beggars in a
strange landP
"But your house in town. asked the doc-
tor, infinitely distressed; "does not that be-
long to you?"
eyes" said Mrs. Ravenswood, "but it was
only partly paid for and shall have to sell that
to pay some very heavy debts. You know
how expensively- extravagantly-l have
lived. My poor child-Oh what shall DOR
"Let me tell you what to d." said Ralph,
impetuously, all selfcontrol now scattered to
the Winds "Come to these arms, which long
to enfold you-accept my love, become my
wife, and with Gods help you shall never feel
the stings of poverty. Dearest Florimond l
am not rich, but love you devotedly, and l
l can work for you, and if health is spared
me for few years, can even promise you
wealth. You shall never want, my queenly
Florimond, any comfort or luxury to which
you have been accustomed"
"Why, Ralph-Doctor Eglinton," said
Florimond in profound astonishment, "have
you forgotten Miss Bainbridge-your betroth-
ed? My poor friend! see you have an
impulsive, noble heart, and feel a sympathy
for me in this grievous afliction. But re-
member, cannot listen to such words from
you-remember our compact
:BIas. no, the hope, which friendship has conceived
But fill its measure high.'"
."I will not deceive you any longer, Flori-
mond. have only feigned that love to Eli
noir Bainbridge, to gain access to you. am
not engaged to her and I do not love her.
Will you not believe that my heart is only
yours-yours with the most sincere, unchang-
ing devotion? Remember it is the son Of
Madame Ignatius who pleads to you for hap
piness-for life-for I cannot live without
you. Dearest Florimond, answer me-"
"Again l tell you," said Florimond, in
scarcely audible voice, "that I cannot listen
to you. I cannot marry you. 1t is impossi-
ble."
"Why is it impossible" !" he exclaimed, a red
spot almost like anger burning on his cheeks,
and his vigorous frame trembling with intensity
of emotion. "Do you think it your duty to
remain always true to the memory of your
dead husband and to blast my eternal happi-
ness, through sentimental idea of eternal
reverence to his memory? Is my suffering
heart to weigh nothing against his cold body
in the grave? All! Florimond, you cannot
be So cruel
Florimond shuddered, and hid her white
face and moaned. Ralph bent over her and
said almost in Whisper
"Florimond, do not think | am vain man,
it is not that but we are so we'll suited to
each other, so congenial in our pursuits, and
the bent of our nclinations are so harmonious,
we would be so happy in each other. There
is in my heart an instructive conviction which
tells me that am not personally objectiona-
BILE to you, and it tells me more, dearest Flo
rimond, it tells me that you could love me if
you would allow yourself to do So Why do
you fight against that love?
Florimond uttered faint cry and attempted
to rise from her seat and leave the room.
"You do not escape me in that way" said
Ralph, with mixture Of tenderness and de-
cision, and he encircled her waist with his
arms. "I will not release you now, until you
grant my prayer, or else give me some reason
for rejecting my suit"
"You must not hold me !" exclaimed Fori-
mond, trying to escape from him. 81 will
write you full explanation"
"That will not do" said Ralph, decsively,
pressing her tighter to his heart "You are
to tell me now, or else these arms are your
prison forever"
"You are really ungentlemanly," said Flor
mond, her pale facenow flushed scarlet; "but
if you must know the truth, am not what
seem. Ravenswood is not my real name, and
my" She could not utter another word,
though her lips still moved involuntarily.
"For the love of God speak," cried Ralph,
hoarsely, gazing into her face with terrible in
tensity; "speak FIorimond, or my heart will
burst"
my husband" said Florimond, in that Pc
culiar voice of hers, which always thrilled
him to his hearts core, 'my husband, the
father of my child, is still living man."
Ralph's arms dropped away from her as if
she had stabbed him with a poinard, and a
smothered sound of horror and anguish, half
groan, halfcry, escaped him. He sat down
staggering on chair, and leaned his arms
on table and buried his face in them.
"Oh! my God," he groaned, "have mercy
on me-"
"Ralph," said Florimond, melted to tears,
for the pity she felt for his anguish. II never
meant to wound you in this way. Did | not
tell you always, that you must not love me !;
that there was an insuperable obstacle in the
way of my marrying you%
"Yes," said Ralph, raising his features, still
contracted with sharp pain, II do not blame
you in the least for what now suffer ; and
Florimond, you must not blame yourself: As
long as you thought 1 cared for you, you never
gave ME the slightest encouragement, and you
were not even friendly to me, until you
thought I loved another woman. 1t was my
own blindness. Even that poor child tried to
enlighten me. She told me her father was
still alive, but when I saw written on the back
&c +ho+ n;otnra "Doa6 since Oct % 1884, d"