Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-04-30

Ills ueplCCatluS loHo ihooo A1i''e AS60 "
pettishness perhaps it was with an irrepressl-
BILE touch of coquetry, too, that she answered
in softened voice
"I'm not angered at you, Jem."
"Nor at them neither, l hope" said Jem.
"It shouldn't be such hard fate for you to
have to walk little way with me alone
When I'm with you in crowd, can never
find chance to say the half of what l want
to say to you"
81 am sure," said Elsie, II don't see what
you can wish to say to me, that you couldn't
say as we'll in a crowd"
"Many, many things, Elsie" said Jem,
"and I think you are not quite sincere in say
ing that you think the contrary. May tell
you what some of thenl-the chief ones
are?"
II don't care about hearing them now" said
Elsie. "Look, Jem, at the moonlight shining
on the leaves of that tree at the corner Of the
fence; doesn't it make them look exactly like
silver?'
eyes But I am not thinking of the tree
now," said Jem, whose voice had grown very
earnest. "Elsie-why do you keep trying to
turn off from what most want to say?'
GLOW should I know what you want to
say?"
"You might not knoau, perhaps but, Elsie,
dear, I should think you might guess what it
is I've had on my mind this long while to
tell you"
Elsie did guess, we'll enough. Even if she
had had no previous certainty of his senti-
ments toward her, the tremulous tone of his
voice, and the close pressure ofbis firm strong
hand on hers, would have given her an idea
now of what he meant. A short time BEFORE
aud the knowledge would have impaired moth
ing but joy to her heart but the foolish, wa
vering little heart was all astray now. She
cast about in her mind for some means where
by she might prevent him from uttering the
words she knew were coming; but before she
could collect her thoughts sufficiently to do
so, they were spoken. Plain, unvarnished
words they were, eloquent in no way save
with the expression of love that invested
them with all the grace of poetry, for it was
a love long cherished and nurtured in the
depths of warm, honest heart.
Elsie hung her head with an almost guilty
feeling as she listened she felt convicted of
having encouraged Jem in many ways, and
how could she tell him that she did not care
about him-that all her feelings were now
changed?
When he ceased speaking, there was short
silence then she spoke, low and falteringly-
"Oh Jem, I am very sorry-1 wish you
hadn't said that"
"Why not, Elsie? Why shouldn't say
that love you? It's only what you know
already, and what everybody knows"
"Then I wish you didn't, Jem-I-"
"Look here" said Jem, in dismayed tone,
"you don't mean to tell me that you're going
to throw me over now, Elsie, when I've loved
you and followed you faithfully so many years,
ever since you was a little lass going to the
village school, and when you've always made
me think you liked me better than the rest of
'em."
Elsie could not answer him. She trembled
and looked away, and something seemed to
rise up in her heart and plead for him-but
then the echo of another voice, more melodi-
GUS, seemed to sound in her ear she heard
other words, more softly spoken, saw another
form, how different in its elegance and grace
from that of her rustic lover, and felt again
that kiss upon her hand-the same hand that
Jem's powerful clasp seemed to threaten to
crush, so ruthless was its pressure. "You
hurt me" she said, in low tone, and imme-
diately his hold relaxed.
II did not mean to hurt you, Elsie l
wouldn't give you pain, as you know, for any
thing in the whole world. It's my rough,
bearish way, 1 suppose. But speak to me,
dcar-only one little word, to prove to me that
I've misjudged you, and that you've not been
playing me false all this time"
"Playing you false" echoed Elsie, almost
relieved to find something to take umbrage at,
since it made her task easier to perform.
"How could I play you false? l am not
bound to you in any way that I know Of, Jem
Sterling"
"Bound no, you are not bound by any
promise but there are other things nearly as
binding as words, and if signs are true, Elsie,
you've given me many a one to show that you
did care for me-"
~ don't know what you mean" said Elsie,
not without qualm of conscience, however,
for Jem's words were true. II am not &C.
countable for every foolish word may have
spoken; and if you think you can force me
into acknowledging that I've given you hold
on me by anything I've ever said or done,
you'll just find that you are mistaken"
II don't want to force you into anything,
Elsie" said Jem, with mole sadness than an
ger, for he was deeply hurt by her tone. 81
ask your pardon if I offended you; I dare say
expressed myself badly, but may be you
didn't quite understand. All I meant was,
that had fancied, from your manner, that
YOU wouldn't receive what I've been telling
you quite as coldly and unkindly as you have
done; I did think you liked me, or I would
never have spoken about it. You know-or
perhaps you don't know-how dearly love
you, and you'll not find another that will be
more constant to you than l have been and
it does seem hard to be spoke to as if I'd done
a wrong, when l would lay down my life it.
self to make you happy"
Elsie's heart swelled, and she felt much like