Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-01-01
gu @rigiual Stnry.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
DESTINY;
OR,
HOUNDED DOWN,
BY NELLY MARSHALL McAFEE.
CHAPTER I.

Just lifted by the breeze, were unbound, save
for the faded blue ribbon that held their gilt
tering wealth of waves from her perfect face,
faultless in its coloring and outline, but shad-
owed in every feature by bushed and name
less sorrow.
She was leaning from the curtainless, dingy
window of room in a tenement house in the
pleasant village of Bristol, Tennessee Her
rose-leaf chin rested in her slender palm, and
her eyes were riveted upon a splendid landau,
lined with dark blue satin, containing two su-
perbly dressed ladies. Slowly the four mag
ni6cent bays pranced along the public thor
oughfare, as if conscious of their beauty and
the elegant equipage they dlew after them.
The ladies were languid and diaingue in their
air, and seemed to gaze on everything about
them with an inefable Indifference that had
not the energy to be disdain.
The younger was two-and-twenty years old,
and very handsome, although moulded after
petite pattern. She was brilliant, dark, with
eyes as lustrous as stars deep roses burning
on her cheeks; and velvety lips, full and
scarlet as dead-ripe cherry.
The elderly companion was once blonde,
and still retained traces of fresh and volup-
tuous style of beauty; but her cOuntenance
wore sinister expression, repulsive and dark,
and her voice, harsh and rasping, was heard
above the rattle of the wheels and the tramp
of the horses, as she scornfully commented on
the dullness and unsightliness Of country vii
lages in general, and her distaste for Bristol in
particular.
"Ah! am sure we will find it charming
place, when we come to know it better~ an
swered the younger woman "Irving chose
it, and if it had been an unpleasant place, he
would hardly have selected it as home for
me-"
Her companion sneered and said interrog-
atively-
"He Wouldn't"
"No, that he wouldn't for my happiness is
his first and dearest thought" answered the
other, enthusiastically; then her eye being
attracted tc the dash of color at the window
above her, she looked up and cried out
20, look, mother-in-law, look! Do you see
that beautiful Titan tinted head above US"
--.-~ he. creature in the window" Mrs.
Mcdonald replied, with grimace, as she fol-
lowed, with quick glance, the enraptured
gaze of the impulsive Mrs. Mcdonald, junior,
who sat beside her.
EYES, mother-in.law, she! Look at her!
Is she not beautiful"
II am looking at her with all my eyes!'
ri must have her!"
"Have her?
"Yes, if any reasonable sum will secure her
servicesw
The elder lady laughed.
"You will have house full of guests, and
you travel every where you desire; wherefore
should you wish to have her?'
20, but she is so lovely I want her for my
companion. I want her-just to see her !"
"Better leave her where she is"
"Why?"
There was something in the sneer of the
other that reused the inquiry.
"Do you think my son Irving will love you
any better when you dim your own beauty by
the superior loveliness of another? In my
youthful days was more than glad to have
all other fair women out of my way. Society
is different nowadays and more's the pity, l
sayw
"Your sons wife fears no other woman
living"
"But Irving is no fool-nor is he blind"
81 should be sorry if he were. But he is
rich as prince, and he grudges me nothing.
will, therefore, have this girl as my compan-
ion. Next month Irving will be here with
our Boston friends, and must create a .furore
over her beauty. Irving tells me always to
humor every caprice of mine, for he has the
money to crafty me, and if money can buy
that girl I'll have her."
30, yes," said Mrs. Mcdonald, "Irving is
rich to-day, but such lavish expenditure of
money does not promise what he will be to-
morrow" And here she shook her head dole
fully and sighed heavily.
"Poor" repeated the other, in amazement.
"Poor! Irving become poor! Irving Nc
Donald, who has a palatial home in New
York-another in Boston-who entertans
like king, all who seek his hospitality.
Mother-in.law that is a heavy JEST"
"a jest? 1t is not my wont to jest on any
subject much less one that concerns my pre-
cious son, Irving" said the mother senten'
tiously.
"Mother-in-law," returned the younger lady
after moments reflection, "you are such
queer parsonage! I have been married
year now, and have not yet succeeded in un'
yelling the mystery that surrounds you"
"Mystery Humph!" And Mrs. Nc
Donald's usually forid face became shade
paler as she spoke. "There is a skeleton in
every household, and if our closet holds its
own we are not different from the rest of the
world"
"a skeleton? Does Irving know it? Why
has he not enlightened me? 1t is detestable
for married people to have secrets from each
other-even family secrets"
AS if to put an end to the conversation
Mrs. Mcdonald leaned back amid the yield
ing cushions and closed her eyes with an af
fectation of wearness.
Gertrude regarded her intently for few
seconds, then cried out, clasping her daintily
goved hands together and laughing lightly
and musically-