Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-10-22

by its seclusive and somewhat unattractive
adherents. l became sorely surfeited by high
teas, high churches, high noses and high pri-
ces. After enduring this altitude for a con-
siderable length time, I suffered as all trav.
elers do when they get out of their natural
orbit found it hard to draw breath, and
became dizzy and decidedly exhausted I
began to long for a change I yearned for an
opportunity Of leaving these dry and airy
heights for the Arcadian simplicity Of the
green and fertile valley. This opportunity
presented itself at the hands of my worthy
patron, Bigby. He became terrified to find
that I was fast losing flesh, and looked with
vivid apprehension to the imminent danger of
necessity for padding.
"Once commence that, Mr.. Fithian, and
who knows where it'll stop? There's them
that wears bales of it, and it must be most
awful in hot weather. Then you see, again,
it plays the very deuce with light materials.
1t won't do, Mr.. Fithian you'll have to tone
up"
"But how to do it, Bigby, that's the ques.
ton. I'm afraid I'm booked for declivity."
'sNot bit of it. Just you try something.
See here would you mind doing me favor
It's big thing to ask of you, Mr.. Fithian. /!
know it's little out of your line, but you'd
oblige me-
IF it's anything that lies in my power" I
replied warmly, "I'll be glad to doit. Heaven
knows you have been generous enough with
me-"
"Well, it's just to run out some evening to
my place to dinner. I've got light wine
there that's the best tonic in the world. You
might see how you liked it, and if you could
stand it, I'D send you dozen bottles or so.
Will you come Mr. Fithian? I'll take it
kindly you would"
"Why of course I will, Bigby, and right
gladly too, l assure you. When shall it be?"
"Any time; the sooner the better. The
train leaves at fve."
Iheaved long sigh. was sorely tempted
to close in with the offer in spite of an engage
ment of an eleemosynary character with Ger
trude. But declined. "No, Bigby," re-
piled, family, mot tonight, thank you; but
tomorrow I'll come out to your place, and
we'll try that light wine of yours"
Twas glad afterward I resisted the tempta-
ton, for there was cold glitter in Miss Van
dewater's stony eyes and a compression about
her thin lips that forbade triAing of any kind
Gan exalted and unselfsh character, Au-
gustus," said Miss Vandewater-and you can
see by her calling me by my first name how
intimate we were-"has its first interestin ben
eftting the human race. To see these dear
young faces beaming with delight, to behold
these youthful forms clothed with comfort and
warmth, and be aware that my hand piled
the needlein their behalf, is happiness enough
for me-"
It was pleasant to hear that somebody had
enough of happiness, for I never saw a more
miserable and detected group than that COM
posed of the children attached to the St.
Johns Mission and their patrons. [, myself,
felt that couldn't get lower in the scale of
felicity, although cadaverous looking gen.
tleman had for forty minutes, by my watch,
held forth upon the awful miseries that await
ed US all in eternity. When he had conclu-
ded and Miss Vandewater's severe phaeton
drew up to the little iron door of the school,
when we were securely fastened in this grim
and heavy vehicle, and impelled slowly in the
direction of melancholy Lenten meal at the
house of the heiress, I felt that my career was
finished, that no light wine, however brilliant
its qualities, could save me from eternal pad
ding and eternal woe.
Bufeting with fierce and bitter wind on
my way home that night, reaching my rooms
to find there no fire, and vulgar perseverance
on the part of my landlady for money, l
plunged beneath the bed-clothes with the firm
conviction that nothing, however terrible in
the future, could equal the miseries of the pres
ent, and that the sooner life was over in this
mundane sphere Gas Gertrude was fond of
calling to me, once jolly world) the better for
Augustus Fithian, Esq.
concluded not to 60 out to Bigby's, not to
try any light wine, but to let vile and vim
dictive fate do its worst in my behalf
But I awoke to bland spring morning /;
April had dstolen in upon March, and brought
with her balmy air, sunny skies, and the songs
of few disspated blue.birds that had prefer
red the city to the suburbs. There was some
thing exhilarating in this sudden warmth and
brightness that melted the soul of my long
enduring and justly-exasperated landlady.
The mullins were actually hot, the coffee fra
grant and mellow, the beefsteak rich and sue
culent l carefully avoided Gertrude and
the St. Johns that day, nursed the faint ray
of hope and joy that had sprung up in my
respondent breast, and reached the five o'clock
train for Bigby's with something of my old
appreciation Of life.
Just as we were about starting, and lin
gered on the platform to finish my cigar,
was positively startled by vision of lowell
ness, in the shape of schoolgirl, making
frantic efforts to catch up her skirts and bun
dies and run for the train. She was within a
few feet Of me when the whistle sounded, and
puff went the engine. A look of absolute des-
pair shadowed all her young beauty. She
stretched forth her hands with gesture of en-
treaty, and her blue eyes filled with vexatious
tears. I was Immediately opposite her, and,
finging away my cigar, held forth to her a
helping hand. She leaped trustfully forward,
was caught in my arms and landed safely on
the platform.
"Now that you are safe," I said, II am
shocked at the risk you ran. Never do that
again, l beg of you; it might have cost you
your life"
"Oh! don't regret it," she said; II am so
glad There is no train after this one till late
at night, and papa would be so frightened"
AS she spoke she looked up in my face with
the most innocent smile in the world. had
procured her seat near the rayless stove !;
and if the weather had been wntry, the
warmth of that smile would have heated the
stove-would have radiated the car. All
heaven was in her eyes, they were so bright
and blue; there shone in them so much of
feeling, of candor; vivid color famed in
her cheeks, glowed en- her lips She was like
scarlet cloak in a wintry landscape, and
rested the eye that looked upon her.
ton, but in her slight and cold reply 1 saw an
insurmountabe objection to chance acquain-