Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-12-23
The Sturp Teller.
THE MISSING WIFE.
A CLERGYMAN's STORY.

Helen Hunter was the prettiest and sweetest
girl, to my thinking, thatI had ever seen, and
she returned my love with an equal tender
ness. I had not known her many months
when I put my engagement ring upon her
finger, and she promised to marry me as soon
as I was settled. More fortunate than most
young clergymen, had not long to wait and
the day became pastor at NJ, urged her
to set the day for our nuptials, and we were
married within month.
Never shall forget the day upon which
brought her home, the delight she expressed
at the sight of our picturesque garden, with
its great trees, and the old disused we'll, pic
turesque sun dial, and the great ivy which
over ran the sides of the house, and the low
brick wall which surrounded the enclosure.
Nothing should be disturbed, she said. A
few bright flowers should glow in the beds, but
otherwise the old garden should remain in
tact.
We had been married week when we went
out into the garden about twilight to plant
the seeds she had brought from her home.
She knelt down beside the box-edged borders
and turned up the dark mould with dainty
little trowel had given her for the purpose.
I remember her dress. 1t was rich, dark
silk, with gloam of garnet through its pre-
vailing shadow, and at her throat and in her
ears she wore a set of rubies that were an
heirloom in her family. The costume &C.
corded we'll with her dark beauty, her velvet
eyes aud crimson cheeks. No one could have
looked more charming. We crouched close
together on the gravel. felt that we must
look like pair of silly children to the grim
al uhn. m yuIfh n
nouncement that "Donald Black was very
bad indeed, and wanted me"
am afraid obeyed the summons less hap
PLY than ought.
Il shall wait tea for you, if you are ever so
late, Edward" she said, as left her to 60 in
to the house.
Having secured my hat and cane return
ed to the garden where Helen was gathering
some flowers from one of the borders
II will not be gone long," said; 81 will be
back to tea," and then with kiss left her.
Donald kept me we'll employed for three
hours. However, the old man was by no
means dangerously ill. AS hurried home, l
recalled with pleasure the sight of his wife
bending over him, and thought how love lived
on through care and change, and how this
aged woman had once been a girlish bride
and Donald gay bridegroom, and how it
was plain to see that he could never be to her
the uninteresting old creature he was to others,
And then it came to me, so happily, so sweet
ly, that ifsuch hearts were so true, that of one
like my Helen could be truer still and that
all life's ills would fall harmlessl y upon me
if were to be loved as she loved me now
throughout my life. I had dreaded old age
little, but if we were spared to each other,
what was there for me to fear? She would
always be beautiful to me; / always to her.
The golden glasses of love would throw glo
ry over everything, and hattow ttfe FOR US:
With these thoughts l passed my threshold
and looked into the paror. The tea-table
was spread there. Her chair and mine faced
each other as usual, but both were empty.
There was no one in the room. waited a
moment, standing before the fire, which, in
this spring weather. was acceptable, and then,
surprised that my wife did not come to meet
me, went up stairs in search of her. She was
not in her room, nor in any other. Perhaps
she was still in the garden.
hurried down stairs again, and passed out
at the back door.
"Helen!' l csIled; "t1elen !!
No voice replied. Was foolish enough to
be alarmed? 1t seemed so. 1 laughed at
myself, and called still louder, "Helen Helen {!
Heleu!" but still no answer.
II know where you are, Helen" I cried.
"Come out of your corner-come, Helen"
Still there was no answer.
"She is in the Kitchen" said to myself.
"I'll find her there" -
I hurried up the path. My foot struck
something. stopped. Itwas little saucer
that had held the Seeds Farther on was the
trowel she had been using when left her. 1t
was contrary to Helen's habits to leave any
thing lying untidily about, and vague alarm
possessed me as I entered the kitchen.
"Your mistress ?" began.
Ann, the old woman, and her daughter
Jane, looked up at me in a startled way.
"She went up with you, didn't she, sir"
asked Ann.
"With me? Mop said.
"That's curious" said Jane.
ave thought she must" said Ann.
Then saw the girls eyes distended with
look of terror.
"And God have mercy on US all |" said the
old woman.
"Why do you say that now? What do you
fear2 My wife must be about the place.
Nothing can have happened. Nothing ="
Then 1 faltered, paused and staggered
against the wall. Old Jane brought me
glass of water.
1t revived me. But no longer affected
any calmness. Iknew some accident had be-
fallen my wife, and all that could hope was
that it was not fatal one.
Followed by my servants, [ went through
house and garden. We looked in every room
and every closet, under every bush and tree,
where the ivy shadow fell, where the tall
shrubs grew We went to the old we'll, but
the great stone lay across its brink.
"1f she could have fallen in, she could not
have put the stone back" said Jane.
And saw the absurdity of the dread that
had crossed my mind. Once thought saw
her form, lying across the path, and ran for
ward with a cry to raise it. 1t was only
black shadow thrown from great oeander
by the rising moon, which my fancy had trans
figured. In word, our search was frutless
at home, in the neighborhood, in the village,
and in the surrounding country. Many came
to my aid All was done that could be done.
She was gone, vanished, as it seemed, from
the face of the earth. The only clue we had
was the assertion of the younger servant that
she heard cry from the garden that had
frightened her. She had told her mother, but
the old woman's hearing was dull, and she
had heard nothing.
1t was cruel, as knew, to suspect these
women of having injured Helen, or knowing
anything of her disappearance, but they were
suspected by others-not by me-examined