Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-07-29

face was livid, even to her lips, and cold
dew stood upon her brow.
"Great HeavenI' she murmured, "have
pity on me. Help me to 60 through this or,
deal. The hardest part of it is yet to come.
But I have done my duty-yes, and will
do it yet, even to the end. have fulfilled
my trust, oh my mother. Clarie's happiness
is safe"
A light footstep crossed the piazza outside
a face glanced in for an instant at the open
window, and vanished.
Edna's heart went up in fervent unselfsh
prayer; and strengthened and sustained,
though hardly comforted, she presently rose
and sought her own room. There she bathed
her face, on which some bitter, irrepressible
tears had left their traces; smoothed with her
usual precision her glossy dark hair, and ar
ranged her dress ; and went down stairs to tea
with serene countenance. When Claribel
came in, she came alone; Hugh felt that for
that evening it would be best that be should
stay away. -,,.-
When Edna retired to her chamber at bed
time, Dolly followed her to say that Henry
Curtis had been pressing her to fix on a day
for their wedding, and didn't she think that
the 2Sth of October would be very good
time?
"a very good time, DEAR" rejoined Edna.
II dare say we can have everything arranged
by then"
"You see, Edna, I would have preferred
waiting until next February, and I told him
so from the first; but Lucy, you know, is 60.
ing down to Charleston early in January, and
December isn't good time for having COM
pany of any sort, what with Christmas and so
on-though suppose we would not have
much company, would we?"
GAIL that must be just as you like, Dolly,
of course"
"Well, mean that I don't think much
fuss on these occasions is pleasant; and l
know Henry doesn't wish it. And about my
trousseau-don't you think Patty Brown can
get through the work in time? You know
everythingis finished already that is of much
Importance"
Except the one important thing of ALL"
"Oh! my wedding-dress, said Dolly, with
very becoming blush. "Of course; but she
has nothing to do with that, you know. BY
the way, Edna, I have decided upon the
pearls-Henry thinks they are nicer than any
thing else"
"Decidedly; and they 60 so beautifully
with the orange-blossoms."
"And they suit my complexion, rather"
"Yes; but anything suits that, you are so
fair"
"Dear Edna" said Dolly, with sudden i'm
pulsiveness, taking her in her arms, show l
wish your wedding and mine were going to
take place at the same time"
"My wedding~ repeated Edna, shrinking
back. A sharp spasm of pain seemed for a
moment to contract her heart; but she con-
trolled herself, and answered calmly
"It would be more fitting for Clarie to be
married at the same time; could you not
propose it to her?'
"Clarie" echoed Dorothea with a look of
wonderment.
eyes; did you not know she was engaged
to Hugh?"
EDNA !-surely ly-you cannot mean"
"But do mean it-have you not seen that
he was in love with her, all this timer"
Gall this time !" Dorothea looked at her
sister with a wistful, perplexed air; she did
not know what to say or think. But Edna
met the look steadfastly, and even with a
smile.
"Courtships don't always 60 on as openly as
yours and Henry's, my DEAR" she said "and
I suppose you were, naturally, more taken up
with your own than with any ones else. 1t
was only settled between Hugh and Clarie
this evening"
Dorothea gave sort of gasp-paused ir-
resolutely, as if debating with herself whether
to pursue the subject farther-and finally
bade her sister goodnight, and left the room,
thinking far less earnestly of her orange.Aow-
ers and pearls than she had done when she
came in. And Edna, when she had locked
her door, flung herself, as she was, upon her
couch, and wrestled through the lonely night
with her sorrow, until the cherries dawn
looked in
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