Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-11-25

Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
SLEEPY HOLLOW.
CHAPTER XIV.

ensued, but for circumstance which tempo
rarily diverted my thoug hts from my real or
fancied wrongs, and enlisted all my affection
and sympathy in my husbands behalf L
found, on the following morning, that he was
suffering from faintness and headache, and
these premonitory symptoms were followed by
a somewhat severe indisposition, which lasted
for period of several days. During this
time devoted myselfto him with extreme So
licitude, and though I was but an inexpe-
rienced nurse, my ministrations seemed more
welcome to him than those fany one else, and
could not but feel grati6ed to discover how
essential I had become to his happiness and
comfort. If absented myselffarsver so short
s;.ao- -s-~~s-tlro ruoru, i.o-n,fsscd my pres
ence, and was not content until had return
ed. I began to have sense ofrespcnsibility
which had hitherto been foreign to my feel
ings, and was gradually becoming less child
ish and careless in my ways. There was, in
fact, certain earnestness and stability in my
nature which had never yet been developed,
and which it only needed time and occasion
to bring into play.
During DR.. Wardlaw's sickness, Barbara
went out regularly every day, going and re-
turning always at fixed hour This sur
prised me little, as she usually preferred re-
naming in the house, and wondered at her
choosing to adopt new habit just at the time
when her presence at home seemed most de-
sirable; but I did not then attach much i'm
portance to the matter, being too fully occu-
pied by other thoughts
NV husband was convalescent, and had for
the first time gone down stairs one day to din
ner, when we received intelligence that Ell
lens wedding had been hastened, and that
the couple were to arrive to take possession of
their new property sooner than had been an
ticipated. My aunt, in her letter, assigned no
especial reason for the change of plan; but re-
quested me, as a favor, to give an eye to the
arrangements of their house, and see that
everything was in proper order for their re-
ception.
'They will be here on Thursday" said [, in
discussing the news with Arthur. "On Tues
day, if nothing happens, 1 can ride over to
the place. You will 20 with me, won't you
That is, of course, provided you are strong
enough"
II will certainly 60 with you, if am we'll"
he replied, land if not, one of the men can 60
instead. You may need assistance in some of
your arrangements.
. Tuesday was an inclement day, so I post
poned the excursion to Wednesday. The
weather that morning, though little raw and
unpleasant, did not threaten rain and Ar.
thur declaring himself quite we'll enough to
accompany me, we set out in the buggy at
ten o'clock, followed by servant on horse
back, in case we should require his help.
We found the farm looking pretty and or
derly. The house was open, and the old wo-
man in charge of it told US that she had aired
it thoroughly every day. and kept everything
clean. The carpets were all down but lot
of furniture had arrived few days before,
which she had locked up in one of the cham
bers not knowing how to have it arranged.
"Well, we can see about that now" said |.
"Mr. and Mrs. Holcombe are expected to-
morrow, and want to get everything in or
der for them at once. Just come with me,
please, and show me where the things are"
The furniture in question was for the par
lor, dining-room and two chambers. There
were also a number of curtains to be put up !;
and when all this had been arranged, and the
house began to assume a habitable look, DIR.
Wardlaw advised me not to delay any longer,
as the clouds had grown very heavy, and he
thought we would soon have rain. l there
fore resumed my bonnet and shawl, and tell
ing the woman in charge to be sure and have
good fires lit the next day, and everything
comfortable, took leave with the satisfactory
consciousness of having we'll accomplished the
duty intrusted to me.
II wish we had come in the carriage, or put
the top on the buggy" said DR.. Wardlaw,
80 49, o1vx fhar, ,
the reins as he took his seat at my side. 81
fear we shall hardly escape storm
"Perhaps it will be only snow," suggested.
"That will not be so bad.'
Zone comfort is" he rejoined, "that we have
not very far to co.
Prince, having had long rest, was quite
willing to 60 as fast as his master desired, and
a touch of the whip was sufficient to urge
him into his briskest trot We had scarcely
accomplished a mile and half, however,
when large, heavy drops of rain began to fall,
which the keen north wind blew directly into
our faces. We had large rug with US, but
no umbrella and all we could do was to
cover ourselves as we'll as we could, and trust
to reaching home before the shower increased
sufficiently to give US much of a wetting.
The hope was fallacious one. Faster and
thicker fell the drops, and there was but
small likelihood of our escaping with dry
skins, to say nothing of our clothing, which
was rapidly becoming drenched.
was now seriously uneasy in regard to DR..
Wardlaw, fearing that this catastrophe might
bring on recurrence of his illness, as he had
not yet fully regained his strength.
"What road is this?" / asked, as we di.
verged from the main road, and branched of
into a narrower track through the woods
ave did not come this way, did we?"
"No; but this is rather shorter cut, and
besides, we shall find more shelter under these
trees"
Il don't think we SHALL" I rejoined, "for
the branches are already so soaked that the
water drips from them in streams-just see
There is actually little pool in my lap al
ready"
$50 there is-it is very unfortunate; but
what is to be done? do not like to lose
time in turning back, and this road will soon
open more"
"Oh! let US 60 on" said I, eve will be
drenched either way. | hope, Arthur that
you will not get sick"
"Never mind me, my dear, he replied; "rain
does not hurt me"
We had not driven much farther, when we
came in sight of house. 1t was lonely
looking place, standing in the midst of pine
trees, with no fence around it, and no out
buildings in sight. But it was, evidently, In
habited, for there was smoke coming from one
of the chimneys, and it seemed to me that
under the circumstances, any shelter was de-