Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-04-08
gu 0rigiual Sturg.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
UNCLE BRAINERD'S WILL;
OR,
The Fortunes Of Alice Lynn.
CHAPTER vi.

otherwise ana pass over q numueT VI yeaAo,
during which nothing transpired worthy of
record in these pages, and present my heroine
to your notice, not as little schoolgirl, but
fair young maiden of "sweet sixteen" on
whose soft cheek the feeting summers had
shed their freshest bloom, while each added
autumn lent its glory to the deepening tints
of her rich golden-brown hair. The pale and
delicate child had ripened into the loveliness,
not indeed of matured woman, but of bright
and winsome girlhood. The wild violets she
was so fond of gathering were not deeper or
more intense in their perfect blue than the
large liquid orbs which alternately sparkled
and slumbered beneath her long, brown lashes.
Her figure was slender and rather above the
medium height, and quick, agile and graceful
in its movements as a young deer. Her sill
very laugh was music to listen to; and on her
candid brow was marked the impress ola high
and truthful soul, nature as beautiful and
unblemished as the form which enshrined it.
Every one knows the lines
"Full many flower is born to blush unseen
And waste it's sweetness in the desert air.
This fair flower olushed, if not in desert,
at least in almost equal retirement and seclu-
sion, from the eyes of the world. The beauty
that would have won homage in scenes of gay
ety and crowded halls, was scarcely needed,
or, if observed, but slightly priced, by those
amid whom she moved. There we're times
when Alice felt bound and fettered in her
narrow sphere, and sighed, like some impris-
oned bird, to burst her bars and escape into
regions of liberty. But these aspirations were
feeting, and usually found vent in some &C.
static day-dream or burning, impassoned
stanzas of poetry, after which she would re-
turn contentedly to her daily task. as though
such thoughts had found no place in her mind.
1t was lovely summers afternoon, and
Alice, leaning from her open window, drank
in the fragrance of the soft fresh air, that
played lightly among her rippling tresses and
kissed fresher bloom into her fair cheek.
Happy thoughts chased each other through
her mind betraying themselves in the SPAR
kle of her eyes and the roguish dimples that
danced about the corners of her rosy mouth.
Yes, Alice felt very happy, for on this par.
tcuar evening something unusually delight
ful was going to happen. Maurice was COM
ing home.
And where had Maurice been
After graduating, with honor, at the Co.
lumbia College, he had accepted the offer of a
wealthy family, toaccompany them to Europe,
in the capacity of tutor to two young boys,
for the space of year, during which time
they had travelled about in England, Scot
land, Ireland, and over various portions of the
continent He had embraced, with eagerness,
this opportunity of seeing so many places Of
which he had read with interest, and had not
been disappointed in his expectations. The
family with whom he went, being refined and
considerate, treated him exactly as one of
themselves, and insisted on his partaking of
every pleasure in which they had share.
The twelvemonth allotted to their trip was
now over. The arrival of the steamer on
which they made their homeward voyage,
had been chronicled some days ago, and this
very day had been appointed for Maurice's
return to the old homestead, where he was
watched for with eager eyes, and loving, ex-
pectant hearts.
"Will he be much changed? ?" was Alice's
thought as she pictured to herself the happi-
ness of the meeting. 1t was true that but
little over year had elapsed since she had
seen him last, when he came home on brief
visit to bid them all goodbye; but then
years travel in foreign lands sometimes creates
changes that never enter the life of one who
remains quietely at home-creates, sometimes,
an inde6nable difference, sort of separation
between the one who went and those who
STAYED behind. Alice had never experienced
this, yet vague fear Of some such possibility
intruded itself on her, mingling with unwel-
come persistence in her more joyous anticipa-
tici patons.
1t was already growing late when she re-
collected that she had not yet paid her usual
afternoon visit to uncle Brainerd, and that
the old man would feel hurt if this customary
attention was omitted. Blushng at her neg
lectfulness, she Immediately ran down stairs,
only pausing first to give brief glance at
the mirror and smooth her windrufed curls.
The old curosity-shop presented much the
same appearance now as it had done on her
first introduction to it, except that it contain
ed some additional comforts and conveniences,
which had been added from time to time, as
its occupants increasing infrmities seemed to
demand them. Uncle Brainerd had grown
very feeble. He was more bent, and wrinkled,
and shrunken-looking than ever, though his
bright, black eyes twinkled with all their
former brilliancy. He was sitting by his ta-
bic, on which lay an open volume, and looked
up sharply as Alice entered.
go" he exclaimed, querulously. "Ioure
late this evening. | thought you had for
gotten all about me-"
81 am a little late" said Alice, gently; and
then, without attempting any excuse for her
tardiness, she added, "Ill finish that chapter
we were reading yesterday, if you like-shall
/, Uncle?"
"No, child, don't want any reading now.
I've been reading to myself, and I'm tired of
it. Talk to me, instead. That will do me
more good"
Alice found it somewhat difficult to divert
her thoughts from their present channel, and
fix them on subject which would prove in,
teresting to her listener. She did her best
however; and as unselfish efforts often sue
ceed, she presently found that she had been
successful in chasing away the discontented
look from the old gentleman's face and ban
ishing the clouds which had somewhat dis
turbed the sercuity Of his temper. Her pres
ence and conversation did have this effect
and uncle Branerd's most unsatisfactory
moods almost invariably yielded to the intiu
ence of her sunny disposition, and earnest en-
deavors to please. She was his constant at
tendant now, in leisure hours There was nc
one else whom he liked so we'll to have neal
him, or who could so easily satisfy his re-
quirements, and keep him cheerful and a
mused. Her cousins were rather afraid o.
him, and found it irksome, besides, to wal
on feeble and impatient invalid, such a:
he had now become. Nor did he desire their
attention, for he said they were "a parcel Of
fdgets who made him nervous every time
they came near him" Susy, now handy