Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-01-16

| the warmth OF her thanks 1or MS KIM atten-
tion to her during the portion of her journey
that she had passed in his company.
II haven't seen any lady for long time
who has pleased me as well" soliloquized the
lawyer, as he took his way to hotel. "stan-
ley is certainly lucky fellow, and if he does
not treat her as he ought to, why, all l can
say is, that he ought to be ashamed of him
SELF"
On the evening of the second day the train
arrived in Charleston. AS Lucy was not ex-
pected, Of course there was no one at the sta
tion to meet her, so the conductor found her
a carriage, in which she drove off with the
smiling Melissa, and soon found herself in
front of her mothers house.
Mrs. Carroll, was of course, taken greatly
by surprise; but she was overjoyed to see
her daughter, whom she welcomed with
warmth quite unusual to her.
"My dear Lucy, this is really delightful"
she exclaimed as she embraced her. "What
an unlooked.for pleasure! But you are look
ing pale, my child I suppose you are IA
tigued by your journey. Where is Mr. STAN
ley? Did he not accompany you?"
"No, he could not come, mamma; but he
let me come without him, as he thought l
would enjoy little visit to you. How nice
it seems to be at home again" said Lucy with
satisfied glance around.
The mother could not forbear an anxious
gaze, for it seemed to her, when Lucy laid
aside her hat, that she was looking changed
and ILL.,
Her heart had not felt at ease since her
child's marriage, for her conscience reproach-
ed her for her own share in the transaction,
and she had never been satisfied with the tone
of Lucy's letters, which had not given her any
insight into her real feelings, or the mode of
life she led.
She tried to believe, however, that all was
we'll, and Lucy, in conversing with her, gave
her no reason to suppose the contrary.
She spoke little of her husband or her
home, and when her mother led to the topics,
so natural under the circumstances, she touch
ed as lightly upon them as possible, and man.
aged always to turn the conversation.
She was, in truth, anxious to think only Of
the present, and to enjoy as much as posi-
BILE the brief recreation that had been allowed
her.
The long weary months Of her imprison'
ment at Mossgrove seemed Ikea disagreeable
dream, and vanished from her mind in the
enjoyment of her temporary restoration to
liberty.
Mrs. Carroll, finding her so uncommunca-
tive in regard to what she was most anxious
to know, resolved to learn, as delicately as
possible, from Melissa, the particulars which
her daughter declined to impart to her.
Accordingly, at the first favorable opportu'
nifty, she summoned the maid, upon some tri-
fling pretext, to her room, and skillfully led
to the desired subject.
II suppose you are pleased to see Charles
ton, and all your friends again, Melissa, are
you not?" she blandly enquired.
"Pleased yes, maam, that is," said Me-
lissa, with an emphasis that left no doubt OF
her sincerity. "I'm done tired of livin' in
that blessed old place up yonder, and that'sa
fact"
"Why, lisa very pretty, pleasant place, is
it not?" asked Mrs. Carroll.
"Dunno bout pretty, Missus; don't have
much fancy for trees and swamps, myself.
It's awful dull there, know [ was real sorry
for missy, livin' shut up in that gloomy old
house. Why, ma'am, she never seed nobody
from one month to another"
"Perhaps there were no neighbors," suggest
ed Mrs. Carroll.
"There was neighbors enough to visit once
in way, but Mr.. Stanley, he didn't want
nothin' to do with any of 'em, and Miss Lucy,
she done jes' what he liked. So she never
went nowhere, and folks soon left off comm"
my poor child," thought Mrs. Carroll but
she look ked as unconcerned as possible, and
merely remarked
"Ohl I dare say Miss Lucy didn't care
much about visiting. When young people get
married, they often prefer staying IN doors,
and leading a quiet, domestic life"
"Pears to me, Miss Lucy would have been
glad enough of little company, Missus; she
used to get awful down-hearted, sometimes.
But she never opened her mouth about it;
'twouldn't be no useif she did. Mas Stanley,
he's regular boss there; it's jes' do this or
do that and Miss Lucy darsen't say no.
He gives her some mighty pretty things,
though"
eyes, suppose so" said Mrs. Carroll, ea-
gerly catching at this gleam Of hope. "She
has everything in the world she wants, don't
doubt"
"she's got plenty of fine clothes, and some
elegant jewellary," said Melissa, who was by
no means destitute of admiration for such
vanities; but lord, Missus, what's the good of
'em if there amt nobody to see 'em? l jes
used to hate to dress her up in her pretty silks
and laces, to sit down by herself in the parlor
to wait till Mas Stanley come home. And
one day she says to me, Melissa says she'
I'D rather have on my plain black dress, to
put me in mind of my dear, dear father, than
to wear all these gay-looking things But
Mas Stanley, he didn't want her to wear
mournin'; said he hated it, and made her
pull it off, Miss Lucy, she had regular
hard cry bout it but it was when he didn't
see her, though
Mrs. CAROLS bosom swelled with indigna-
ton. She had noticed with some bitterness