Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-06-03
gu 0rigiual Sturg.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
THE SEVEN SISTERS OF YORK.
CHAPTER I.

found in South Carolina than the house at
Briefly Farm, in the district of York. twas
the property of an English gentleman of the
name of Vaughan, who had removed there
soon after his arrival in America, and settled
down into quiet, unostentatious, yet hospi-
table mode of life, winning the friendship and
esteem of those around him, among whom he
soon became general favorite. He had not
been many months in this part of the world,
when he fell in love with the daughter of an
aged clergyman residing in the neighborhood.
She reciprocated, and after a brief engage
ment they were married. Mary Ellis was a
pretty, modest, unaffected young woman, in
rather delicate health, who was accustomed to
all the indulgence which the most devoted
affection could lavish upon her. Nor was this
indulgence lessened when she became the
wife of Mr.. Vaughan, who idolized her, and
strove to render her home as much of an
earthly paradise as it was practicable to
make it.
The result of this union was large family
of fdaughters-seven in number-but, to their
great disappointment, no son. When the
first little girl made her appearance, she was
hailed with delight by both parents, who
christened her Edmonia, in honor of the Rev.
Edmund Ellis, her maternal grandfather.
Four years elapsed before the advent of the
next, who was as warmly welcomed, and on
whom was bestowed the appellation of Doro-
thea. The third, year later, was received
with equal tenderness, yet, it must be confess.
ed, not without tinge of disappointment at
her sex. Mrs. Vaughan, who possessed fan
ciful mind, chose to name this one Virglia-
to which the father objected, because, as he
said, it was in no way capable of a pet dimin-
utive, unless they should call her GillyAower.
Then when pair of twins came, Mrs. Vaughan
nearly wept-for alas they were also girls.
BY way of contrast to the fne-sounding ap-
pelations of their sisters, their father insisted
on having them christened Mary and Martha,
names which speedily became curtailed into
May and Matte as they grew older. The
sixth child came-a girl again, but so beau
tiful and winning that none but hard hearts
could have closed themselves against her; the
dark-eyed, laughing, frolicsome Jeanette.
Last of all, delicate blossom was born to
them, seemingly too frail to endure even the
tempered winds that breathed around her
cradle but in spite of this feebleness of early
infancy, she grew and throve, and the little
Claribel became the pet and darling and cher
ished plaything of the household.
Claribel Vaughan! Lovely, gentle Clari.
bel! How vividly do I recall her fair, pure
face, with its deep blue eyes and dimplug
smiles, and angelic serenity of brow; her
slight form, as graceful as the willow bending
over the brook her low-toned voice, breath
ing music as soft as the whispers of an 40
liam harp, responding to the wooing of the
summer wind. Gray-haired bachelor though
I am, my pulses still quicken at the memory
of the touch of her slender hand, and the
smiles that beamed on me from her innocent
eyes; and as her image rises before me, for
get the. lapse of time, and crossing, by an in
visibly agency, the bridge that spans the gulf
of by-gone years, stand once more in her
presence, in the old church-porch, or in the
shadow of the waving trees, or walk beside
her through fower.scented lanes, lost in a
golden elysium of happiness and love. Tones
long silent, echo musically in my ears; glances
long quenched, shed their sparkling sunlight
on my heart; joyous hopes, fond desires, eager
aspirations, crowd upon me, as of yore-and
then the aeeting picture fades away, and
sigh as the cold gray curtain of reality drops
before it, and chide myself for the folly of
my dream.
However, it's not romance of my own
youth of which I am writing. I only wor
shipped my divinity in secret, and never could
discover whether she took any special note Of
the incense offered at her shrine. She was
alike gentle and gracious to all, shedding
around her the odor of loving kindness, as
naturally as blossom scatters perfume on
the air, or the skies drop dew upon the thirsty
earth.
When Claribel was eight years old, her
mother died; and Edmonia, then just twenty
assumed the control of the household, minis,
tering to her fathers comfort, and exercising
general supervision over her sisters, direct
ing the education of the younger ones, and
taking especially into her charge the little
Claribel, whom she loved with passionate
fondness, and who from the difference in their
ages, seemed thenceforth to occupy the posi-,
ton Of her daughter, rather than that Of q
sister, Not long after his wife's death, Mr.
Vaughan fell into feeble health, thus adding
fresh care to the burden of responsibility
which rested on Edmonas shoulders. 1t was
fortunate that her methodcal habits, unhag
ging energy, and quick, selfcontained dispo
stion, fitted her admirably for the position
she was called upon to ill, and divested it Of
many of the difficulties she would otherwise
have had to encounter. Dorothea, mild
good-tempered, indolent girl, would have sue
cumbed hopelessly under similar task; and
Virgilia, who was Of literary turn and al
ways buried in her books, possessed neither
the inclination nor the capacity for such 6
calling.
The Vaughan house, as it was popularly
called, was large, roomy edi6ce, painted
white, and tastefully set in the centre of 8
group of magnificent oaks, which waved theil
protecting arms above it as if to shelter it from
wind and storm. There was no fence near it.
but the open space around was dotted with
,artarres of bripht flowers which it was the