Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-04-08
CHAPTER VII.

CHAPTER VII.
A STRANGE AND SUDDEN TURN OF FORTUNE
Alice mourned for her uncle as for a father,
for ever since her adoption into his family he
had treated her with truly paternal kindness
and affection and perhaps not one other OF
the domestic circle, though bound to him by
closer ties, missed more painfully the daily
evidences Of quiet thoughtfulness and consld'
Grafton, the little homely acts of heartfelt
kindness and care, than the young orphan
who had been indebted to him for six years
for the shelter of his home.
Mrs. Fielding was anxious now for Maurice
to settle down to the management OF the farm
and take his place as the head of the family
but such plan i'll accorded with his wishes,
or with the system of education which had
fitted him for different sphere. He had
lately commenced cursory reading of law,
and had conceived desire to study that pro-
fession, which offered many attractions to his
thoughtful and inquiring mind. And when
she represented to him that he could not at:
ford it, he assured her that he had saved
enough from his salary to assist in paying the
first necessary expenses, and that by living
frugally, and obtaining some occupation tor
his leisure hours, such as giving private les,
sons, or copying for some law'hrm, he felt no
doubt of being able TO carry out his plans. =,
"Butit's your duty to think ofus, Maurice
said Mrs. Fielding, complainingly. 1--WE al!
have to look to you, now your father is gone. "
"N1y dearest mother, do think of you
my most earnest wish is to be of substantial
use to you all, and I see no better way of &C.
complshing this than by entering profession
which in time, will prove far more lucrative
than years of labor on the farm. The insur-
ance on my fathers life, though not very
large, will support you all comfortably in the
mean time; and then you forget Joe-why
not let him manage all the farm affairs! Tie
has, as you know, turn for country life, and
would prove far more efficient in the business
than 1 would He has often expressed his
determination to remain here and assist my
father
"Joe!" exclaimed Mrs. Fielding. "Why,
he's mere boy"
"Joe is very nearly twenty, and is not any
more of boy, in his ways, than | am. lie
has great agricultural turn, and an excel
lent head for business, and l feel sure that
under his management, this place would lose
nothing in value, and prove quite as profita-
BILE as it has ever done before"
"Your father never made a great deal off
of it," said Mrs. Fielding, wiping her eyes.
81 have often heard him say that he thought
one of US would be able to do fully as we'll
with it as he did,"
"But the idea of your going away to live!
sobbed his mother So different to all my
expectations 1t seems as if you wanted to
desert us all"
Maurice combated the idea with many af.
fectionate arguments, and succeeded, finally,
in convincing his mother that partial sepa,
ration from them could not be regarded in
the light Of desertion, especially if it was dc.
signed for their ultimate good. She was still
strongly averse to the idea, however, and
seemed so cast down by the prospect of losing
him, that Maurice, although feeling that it
would be mere weakness to throw away his
chances of success, and take up an irksome
and uncongenial occupation, which could so
much better devolve upon another, was halt
inclined to give up his ambitious views and
yield to her wishes and persuasions.
Uncle Brainerd, however, at length became
aware of the conflict that was going on, and
Immediately threw all his weight, in favor OF
Maurice, into the scale "What keep the lad
here to slave Oh the farm" he exclaimed,
"when he is capable of going into the world
and distinguishing himself? l never heard
such folly in my life! Let Joe take the farm.
Of course; what's to hinder? | knew all
about the business when l was a couple OF
years younger than he is, and managed it well
too. Let Maurice go, and III see that he
don't starve His father would have been
glad enough to have him lawyer, I'll be
bound. 1t would be sheer nonsense to keep
him back"
So the the matter was finally settled, and
Mrs. Fielding, though feeling restless and
miserable, derived some consolation from her
uncles hints in regard to providing for Mau
rices temporal necessities. 1t was arranged
that he should 60, in November, to Columbia,
and there commence his studies under the
guidance of a gentleman who had been a
friend of Mr.. Fielding's, and, at the same
time, endeavor to obtain, if he chose, some re-
munerative occupation, for his leisure time
though uncle Branerd rather psh'd and
pshaw'd at the latter project, declaring that
the boy would have work enough without that
But Maurice had an independent spirit, and
did not wish to be unnecessarily y indebted tc
his grcat-unce's kindness, though had he
found himself actually in want, he would, un
hesitatingly, have applied to him for assist
ance.
Alice had listened to these debates with al
anxious heart, and when the decision was Fl
nally made, though she grieved secretly al
the prospect of her Cousins departure, she
felt a thrill of pride at the thought of his en-
tering the lists with so many distinguished
minds, and doubted not that his success would
ultimately equal theirs. She pictured to her
self Maurice as one of the shining lights" Of
the bar, pouring forth eloquent arguments
which should be chronicled as brilliant and
mastery efforts winning difficult cases, and
obtaining glowing tributes of admiration and
praise from his contemporaries, who would
willingly yield the palm to his superior genius
Poor Alice her day.dreams were as brilliant
rs ever, and her faith in them unshaken. She
built airy castles, and fondly dreamed that
their unsubstantal fabric would stand the
shock Of time.
One day, thinking Maurice was out, she
! went to his room to carry letter which had
just been brought from the post, intending tt
place it on his table. 1t was foreign letter
and she could not hel p wondering, as she
looked at the superscription, who it could be
from. The handwriting was delicate and
! looked like lady's, yet she scarcely thought
it likely that he could have any lady CORES
pondent on the other side of the ocean.
Maurice was not out, as she had expected
but was sitting by the window reading. Ht