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

! pOpul0us place, Wnere Laey WOulu naVe hao
some society, and where he would have had a
better chance Of succeeding in his profession. y
"Bless you, little madam, he didn't buy
this place Men-no, not for a long time after.
ward. He couldn't have afforded it in those
days."
Why, I thought Edith died here?''
$50 she did; but the place didn't belong to
them. A friend of theirs owned it, who had
taken great fancy to Edith, and would have
them come up here and stay with her. They
we're living in Columbis. at the time. Edith's
health wasn't strong, and it was thought a
change would do her good. They hadn't been
here above six weeks when she died."
"What did she die Of, Barbara?'
"Fever," said Barbara, briefly.
"What kind of fever p
"Eh I don't rightly remember. Doctors
have such power of names for diseases, 'spe'
cally in this country, it seems to me. Any
way, it took the puir thing off,"
"Perhaps it was chill and fever" I sug'
gested.
"she had no chill, as you call it, that know
of. Ague, we call it at home. Do ye have
much of that disease where you come from,
now?
"Not that know Of" said I, unwilling to
wander from the subject in hand. "Edith
was very pretty, wasn't she, BarbaraF"
"You ken the picture the doctor has of her
she was just like that-a bonny, well-favored
lassie, aye, laughing and playing off pranks-
a pairfect bairn in all her ways."
"And suppose he grieved dreadfully when
she died."
"Eh! Would you not have him grieve for
his ain wife7 He never was one to talk much
about his feelings, one way or another"
1T must have been so lonely for him.
They never had a child, had they?'
"Gude pressirve US" cried Barbara with
violent start, suddenly relapsing into her
broadest Scotch accent, which was seldom ap-
parent in her speech. "See what an awfu'
prick 1 hae given myself with the needle
Sac much for pratin' and chatterin' in sic a
needless fashion-eh, sakes the bluid is be-
ginnin' to flow. Little madam, could ye no
get me scrap O plaster to staunch it? I'm
unco f,leish at the sight o bluid."
1 hastened to apply the court.plaister,
which l found, at Barbara's direction, in the
drawer of her workable, my sympathies be-
ing quite excited by the frantic manner in
which she was wringing her injured finger
and lamenting over it, In my innocence l
thought that such severe pain could result
only from dangerous wound, and vague
apprehension of spasrns even foated across
my mind. 1 was greatly relieved, therefore,
when she presently resumed her usual COM
posure of manner, and left me in order to 60
and see after some household duty which she
said must be attended to at once.
did not, at first, notice what afterwards
had occasion to remark, that Barbara thence
forth became shy of any allusion to DR..
WardIaw's former married life, and always
contrived to veer off splendidly from the
subject whenever introduced it.
The idea at length began 70 dawn upon me
that she must have some especial reason for
this. Possibly there might be circumstances
of painful nature, Of which l was ignorant,
and which delicacy forbade her to revert to,
connected with that period or, perhaps, hay
ing been attached to Edith, she had not yet
become quite reconciled to seeing me occupy
her place; though her evident fondness for
me, and the desire she constantly manifested
to please me, seemed to contradict the latter
suggestion. Whatever the reason might be,
the topic had evidently become an unwel-
come one; and ceased to ask her questions
which she so plainly desired to evade.
Our life was regular one. We breakfasted
at eight, and then DR.. Wardlaw repaired to
his study, where he usually spent from two to
three hours engaged in reading, or writing
letters. Here was at liberty to follow him
when chose, for this little room, which was
his own especial sanctum, was always open to
me. usually employed myself at this time,
however, in arranging with Barbara about
housekeeping matters, and in attending to my
flowers, and to the comfort of my various pets.
About eleven o'clock my husband would 60
out, and remain absent until near two. While
he was gone, I sewed, practiced, read, or
chatted with Barbara, as fancy dictated.
When DR.. War1law returned, he would take
me, in fine weather, for a walk or ride, and
we would come home in time for our four
o'clock dinner, for he could not enjoy that
meal at an earlier hour, though he never took
lunch. After dinner, there would be a pleas
ant period of idling over the fire, and then, in
any weather, no matter how cold or inclement,
he would invariably 60 out again, and not re-
turn until seven o'clock.
undertook, on one occasion, to demonstrate
with him for this practice, which, represented
to him, left me alone at the time when | most
needed company-the shady hours of the
cleaning, when it was too late to employ my
self, and too early to light the lamps; and l
had nothing but my own solitary thoughts to
amuse me.
Il love so to talk by the freight" said.
Zone can express ones thoughts and ideas
more freely then than at any other time; but
you never give me chance. Why cant you
do all your outdoor business in the morning ?
l am sure that your health cannot require
such an immense amount of exercise" ...l
II am sorry you dislike my going out at
that time, DEAR" he replied; "but, you see, old
habits are so difficult to break up. And we
have the long evening together afterward,