Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1873-09-18
LOVE On A Loa,
"Miss Becky Newton. +"
N Hill -

chair, and putting his feet up on the
piazza, unfolded a newspaper. Miss
Becky Newton bit her lip and went
o, with her sewing. She wondered
if that was going to be the last of it
She had felt this proposal coming for
nearly month, but the scene she
had anticipated was not at all like
this. She had intended to refuse
him, but it was to be done gracefully
She was to remain firm, notwithstand'
ing his most eager entreaties. She
was to have told him that though
respecting his manly worth and up,
right character, she could never be tc
him more than an appreciative and
earnest friend. She had intended to
shed few tears, perhaps, as he knel1
writhing in an agony of supphcatlou
at her feet. But instead he had ask,
ed her the simple question, without
any rhetorical embellishments, and OF
being answered had plunged at once
into his newspaper, as though ne
had merely inquired the time o.
day. She could have cried with vex-
alton.
You will never have a better
chance" he continued after pause
as he deliberately turned over the
sheet to find the telegraph reports.
"a better chance for what 2 she
asked shortly.
"a better chance to marry q
young, good-looking man, whose gal
lantry to the sex is only exceeded by
his bravery in their defense" Fred
was quoting from his newspaper,
but Miss Newton did not know it.
"And whose egotism is only ex.
cceded by his impudence, retorted
the lady, sarcastically.
Before long," continued Fred
"you will be out OF the market. Your
chances, you know, are getting slim
mer every day"
"Sir!"
"It won't be great while be-
fore you are ineligible. You will
grow old and wrinkled and"
"Such rudeness to lady, sir, is
monstrous, exclaimed Miss Newton,
rising hastily, and flushing to the
temples.
"fll give you final opportunity
Miss Becky. Will you mar"
"Not if you were the king Of En-
gland" interrupted Miss Newton,
throwing down her work. II am
not accustomed to such insults, sir. /"
And so saying she passed into the
house and slammed the door behind
her.
"She is never so handsome as
when she is in rage" thought Fred
to himself, after she had gone, as he
slowly folded up his paper and re-
placed it in his pocket. 81 was a
fool to goad her SO. shall never
win her in that way. But I'll have
her.. he exclaimed, aloud. by
Heaven, III have her, cost what it
may"
Very different was the Fred Eek
erson Of the present, pacing nervous
" up and down the piazza, from the
Fred Eckerson of a few moments ago,
receiving his dismissal from the wo-
man he loved, with such calm and
imperturbable exterior. Fer he low
ed Becky Newton with all his heart.
The real difficulty in the way, as he
more than half suspected, was not s."
much with himself as in his pocket.
Becky Newton had an insuperable
objection to an empty wallet. The
daughter of wealthy Louisiana
planter, reared in luxury, and the
recipient of weekly allowance of
pin money sufficient to pay Fred's
whole bills for month, she had NO
Immediate idea Of changing her sit
uation for one OF less comfort and
independence. Besides, it had been
intimated to her that a neighbboring
planter of unusual aristocratic line
age had looked upon her with cove
tous eyes. To be sure, he was old
and ugly, but he was rich, and in her
present mercenary state of mind, Miss
Becky Newton did not desire to
allow such chance of becoming a
wealthy widow slip by unimproved.
But alas for human nature If
Becky was really so Indifferent to
Fred Eckerson, why did she run up
stairs after that interview, and take
the starch all out of her nice clean,
pillow-shams by crying herself into
mysteries on the bed. 1t was not all
wrath, not all vexation, it was not all
pioue. There was somewhere deep
down in Becky Newton's heart. a
feeling very much akin to remorse.
She was not sure she would not some
day be sorry for what she had done
She had no doubt she could be very
happy as Fred Eckerson's wife, after
all. -.
"But then," she cried, growing
hot with the recollection, Il never
could live with such man,-never
When Fred Eckerson had walked
off some Of his feelings on the piazza
he concluded to take a look at the
river. The Mississippi, which flowed
within FIVE hundred yards OF the
house, was at the time nearly at the
height of its annual "sprine; rise.
It's turbid waters, rushing swiftly to-
wards the sea, had nearly filed the
banks and in many places had bro.
ken through the levees and flooded
the lowlands for many miles. A Gre
vase Of this desliiption had been
made in the farther bank, nearly op-
posits the house, and the windows Of
the Newton mansion commanded 9
view of q vast and glittering inland
sea, not laid down on the maps. The
main current Of the stream bore up
on its cofee-colored bosom an enor-
nous mass. Of floating timber, which
was dashed along IN the boiling Hood
rendering navigation wholly impos.
sible. The waters were still rising
and the frequent crashes farsand neal
told: of the undermining pdwerof the