Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-01-07

producing "The House that Jack Built" in
the very largest of type and extreme brlllan-
cy of illustration, she proceeded gravely to
point out and explain the pictures, resting a
chubby forefnger on each one in turn, as in
childish accents she lisped out the accompa-
nying rhymes which she knew by heart.
While they were in the midst of this enter
tainment, the sound Of approaching wheels in
terrupted them; and Carrie suddenly looking
up, and crying "Papa papa!" slipped out Of
her uncle's arms, and dropping doll and book
on the floor, raced as fast as her short legs
could carry her to the head of the steps, where
she stood balancing herself on her toes in an
ecstasy of telig ght at her fathers return. Mr..
Blandford alghted from the carriage, only
stopping to lift Estele to the ground before
he picked up his eager little daughter and al
most devoured her with caresses.
"Well, my pigeon! my little SNOWFALL my
fairy queen have you been good girl all
this long time since papa was away? he ex-
claimed fondly, as he kissed her glad face, her
downy shoulders and soft, clinging arms.
Then gently sitting her down again he drew
toward her the small, frightencd-looking stran-
ger, and Joined their hands.
"This is your cousin, Carrie-your dear lit
tie cousin Estelle She's come long, long
way, across the big ocean, and is so tired, and
so lonesome; and you'll play with her, and
let her be your sister, won't you :"
Eyes" was the prompt reply, as she lifted
her face to profer kiss of welcome to Estelle,
who received it as passively as she did every:
thing else. "Comc in, poor little girl, and III
give you half my babies and my pretty books,
and half my uncle Dick, too, and then you
won't be lonesome any more"
"Hallo! Who gave you leave to dispose Of
me in that fashionY' exclaimed her uncle,
coming up behind her. "You've not had an
unsuccessful trip, this time, see," he added,
addressing his brother, and patting Estelle on
the head as he spoke. Unique little speci-
men, amt it? Not a bit like Mary"
"This is another uncle, DEAR" said Mr..
Blandford, kindly to the child, who drew back
shily from the new face "Poor little thing,
he continued, in an undertone, "she's different
from any child l ever saw; but I dare say
Carries companionship will do her good
When family council was held, and the
circumstances of the case explained, Mr..
Blandford found that he was considered to
have formed rather hasty judgment in re-
gard to the little stranger being his expected
niece; but it was agreed that he could not
we'll have acted otherwise than he had done.
At all events, a few hours would set the sub.
ect of her identity at rest; and the arrival OF
the telegram that was to come in response to
Mr. Blandford's dispatch, was looked for with
no small anxiety.
1t arrived two days later, and contained but
eight words
"Child not sent-very Ill Of scarlet fever" /"
"Well, we'll This is nice and comforta-
bic state of affairs" said Mr.. Richard Bland
ford, who seemed rather diverted at the mis-
take than otherwise. "What could you ex-
pect, my dear brother, running and picking
up the first little strange girl, without any re-
lations, that you discover on board the steamer?
What will you do with her, now you've got
her?'
"Indeed, 1 don't know" said Mr.. John,
looking, as he felt, wofully perplexed and
chagrined. "What would you advise me to
do p
Mr.. Richard shrugged his shoulders. "Send
her to an orphan asylum, suppose" he re-
joined.
"Oh dear, would not feel justified in ta-
king such step as that. I'll see what En-
lily thinks"
Emily was his wife, little, fair-faced,
small-featured woman, very soft and gentle
in her disposition, and without any very de-
cided opinion of her own. She felt compass
sionately disposed toward the unfortunate lit
little waif thus curiously thrown upon their
hands, and shrank, as did her husband, from
the idea of an asylum.
"Would you-couldn't we-don't you think,
John we might keep her, anyhow ?" she ven
tured to suggest.
"By jove, Emily I'm glad to hear you
propose thai" he burst forth, greatly relieved.
II was afraid you might object; but to tell
you the truth, it seems to me as though Prov
dence had placed her under our protection" ."
"And therefore it would be wrong to refuse
it to her. Think, John, if our Carrie were
placed in such situation, with US two gone,
and nobody to befriend her! And if all our
own little ones had lved'-here her voice
faltered-"we wouldn't have considered that
we had too many. Even if your real niece
does come on later, three in the house won't
make it too full"
"Bcss you, little woman" said her husband,
heartily. 81 think just exactly as you DO !;
and we'll keep the poor child, and, please
God, she shall never feel the want Of her own
father and mother while she has us to provide
for her. She'll be fine company for Carrie,
too, won't she? And I think, if you don't
mind, we'll call her our niece, all the same as
if she were; it will make our house more
! homelike to her."
Thus the worthy pair decided the fate of
the child, by an act ofkindness and generosity
which turned, as it were, the whole tide OF
her life, and laid before her a very different
future from that which, but few days before,
had seemed her probable destiny.
Mr.. Richard Blandford did not wholly ap-
prove Of the course they had resolved upon.
He CHOPPED, he said, that the result would prove
satisfactory but he must own that he had
doubts on the subject. 1t was undoubtedly a
risk to receive into the family, on such foot
ing, child of whose parentage and previous
surroundings they were totally ignorant. No
one could tell what hereditary taint, either
physical or moral, ight be lurking in her /;
or what danger might be in store for them in
the shape of unpleasant interference from her
relatives, were any still living. In fact, there
were dozen reasons why her connection with
them might prove undesirable, and entail
upon them consequences which at present it
was impossible to foresee.
"My dear Dick" said Mr.. John, more testi-
ly than he was in the habit of speaking, "all
that is mighty wise, mighty fine, and your ar.
guments, no doubt, are those Of prudence and
caution but they don't impress me as you
seem to think they ought. Now, 1 put it to
you; do you suppose that any person with an