Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-04-10
gu @rigimal storg.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
FLORIMOND;
DIVORCE OR No DIVORCE.
BY MRS. CLARK WARING.
CHAPTER XVIII.

SUNSHINE AND AN UNEXPECTED STORM.
After this memorable dinner party, and the
rigid selfcontrol which had rendered the occa-
sion very trying one to Ralph Eglinton, he
began to reap the rewards of his cunning
schemes. Florimond was not vain woman
(if my reader belongs to the sterner sex do
not expect him to believe this-yet, neverthe-
less, it is true) and, moreover, she had not,
like so many of her sex, an inordlnate idea Of
the exalted effect her many charms of person
and manners produced on others; so she read
lily gave credit to this apparent change in
Ralph's sentiments. Had not another woman
estranged the heart of her husband from her ?
And if she did not possess those graces- that
necessary power of attraction to retain has
love-could she hatter herself that she pos.
sessed the ability to retain the love of man
in nowise bound to her? No! And Flori-
mond did not consider that the undeveloped,
untutored Florimond of those days, was but
a feeble object of attraction, compared to the
full-fedged Florimond of her present exist
ence At all events, conviced that Ralph had
overcome his hopeless passion for her, Florl-
mond no longer avoided him; and laying
aside the frigid reserve which had its birth in
Ralph's too evident admiration, she showed
herself to him now, in new and most fasci-
mating light. He gained now, for the first
time, a nearer view into the soul-life Of the
woman whom he loved, and obtained closer
insight into the rich stores of her brilliant in
tellect. Not that our heroine was learned
woman, who could argue on points of philoso-
ply, or deliver precepts in ethics, or dive into
the profound depths of metaphysics. Far
from it. The bent of her intellect was essen-
TALLY feminine, and after all these years of
study, she was merely an accomplished wo-
man; her very accomplishments being of
womanly character Though gifted in sever
al respects, she was not by any means erudite
or strong-minded. She had read much and
that of the choicest literature, and she possess
ed the rare art of displaying knowledge Of
facts and books, without being pedantic. Her
most extraordinary gift was her memory,
which was truly astonishing Doctor Eglln-
ton assured her, it quite surpassed the memo
ry of that Greek called Charmidas, who could
repeat from memory the contents of the larg-
est library of the ancients. Florimond could
repeat correctly, whole volumes by rote. She
could do more; she could repeat, perfectly,
whole poems, written in a foreign language,
which she did not understand, having only
learned them as an exercise of memory. This
remark of Ralph's was drawn forth by some
of her numerous repetitions, for now, at his re-
quest, she frequently repeated some of those
poems or elegant dissertations she had studied
under his mothers teaching. The delicious
voice, the graceful posings, the expressive ges-
lures, the perfect symmetry of her face and
her well.developed 6gure-above all, the mys-
terious magnetism of her glorious dark eyes
80 enchained his senses and his love, that he
sometimes called on God to strike him with
thunderbolt or otherwise destroy this gift Of
life, if it was so ordered by Fate that he could
never win this woman whom he so devotedly
and passionately loved. All unconscious Of
the fearful struggle going on between Ralph's
heart and his outward seeming-for, accord
ing to current belief, Doctor Eglinton was
now engaged to Miss 3ainbridge-Florimond
no longer denied herself to him; but entered
with spirit into the enjoyment of his society,
and made herself in return agreeable to him,
as she unfortunately so we'll had the power to
do. Ralph brought her new books-and old
books (Which oftentimes, like old friends, are
so much better than the new y books which
she had read with his mother; and now select
ing those passages which his mother had loved,
she read them to the son, each word, uncon-
sciously to her, tangling him deeper in her
tolls. 1t was saying great deal for Doctor
Eglinton's selfcommand and Grmness of char
acter, that he never, during whole month of
such friendly and familiar intercourse, breath
ed a word of that impulsive love which burned
in his heart, which flied his thoughts by day
and turned his nights into wakefulness ; and
which dimmed the ruddy color on his hand
some face.
Doctor" said Mrs. Ravenswood one day,
struck by this unusual paleness, II think you
overwork yourself The weather is getting
too warm now to work so hard. Directly,
you will have to doctor yourself instead Of
doctoring other folks, which you will find not
halfso pleasant"
"Oh it is not work." said the doctor, IL
have untold strength and can stand any
amount of work but my mind is worried
and"
"Why, what about?" asked Florimond,
looking at him innocently.
The Doctor became embarrassed at her con-
tinued gaze, which Mrs Ravenswood observ-
ing, she feared she had committed some great
blunder-perhaps his engagement with Miss
Bainbridge had been broken off,
II beg your pardon" she s.ammered, IL
did not mean"
Haven't you heard the newsf' inquired
the doctor, ray of light presenting for his
extrication.
"No, have not-what news?'
eve have had a dreadful commercial con-
vulsion in town-the great Central Bank has
failed"
"The great Central Bank" exclaimed
Florimond, dropping in seat. "My God! p
Appalled, at her tone and looks, the doctor
CALCULATED
"Why-did-you have' Are you inter
ested ?'
"Eyery available cent have on earth,