Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-06-03

man or scarcely twenty-five, as uo WAC 'nen
sacrificing his whole time to attend to an In
valid, and one suffering from such frightfu
disorder!"
ut was very generous" said Claribel.
"Generous! don't know another person
who would have done as he did. The physi
clans recommended change of climate, ant
they went to Europe; and little more thai
a year afterward, his uncle died, leaving th'
whole burden on his shoulders. You cal
Judge what burden it must have been."
eyes, indeed"
"And now, after all these years of patien
selfsacri6ce, he is at last free-free to come
back to his own home"
Free to seek you again" said Clarlbel
passing her arm afectionately around her SIS
ter's waist. "Dear, dearest Edna! l am sc
glad, for your sake"
"Hush, Clarie-why should you think that
Remember how many years have passed y
"Only ten."
"Twelve-it is ten since his uncle died
Twelve years of separation! was young
girl, then"
"And pray, what are you now?"
"a staid, settled housekeeper-the moni'
tress of half dozen young folks, who all
look upon sister Edna as an old maid"
Every likely" said Claribel, laughing
"What does your looking.glass show you
Bright eyes, thick, brown hair, without sill
yer thread"
II should hope not, at thirty, interposed
Edna.
"a lovely complexion-particularly when
it looks as it does nova graceful figure, and
regular features-whY, Edna, you are prettier
than any of US, I think"
"Flattery-all Aattery, my little Clarie,'
said Edmonia, shaking her head; but her sis
ter's praise delighted her, for all that. Was
it not sweet to her to think that if she was
fair in the eyes Of another, she might still be
fair in his"
81 dare say he has long ceased to think Of
me-in that way"
II don't believe it," said Claribel. 81 have
better opinion of him than to suppose so. u
"Why, it would not be unnatural; you
know we were never engaged-only had
mutual liking for each other. l would be
foolish to dream of anything farther than thai
now. Still, of course 1 am pleased at the
prospect of seeing him again"
"Of course you are; how can you help it
Oh wish he would make haste and come
I want so much to see my dear Edna's low
"Hush, Clarie, hush! Indeed, you must moi
call him that. If you go on in such way
you will make me sorry that I told you any
thing about him."
"Well, I will not, then, Edna; I'll cal
him your old friend, only that and nothing
more But know what will happen. Jen
ME was right when she said"
Here Claribel checked herself, thinking
that it might not be wise just to repeat thos
remarks of Jeannette's about the white dresse
and the pearl-colored silk.
wv nat dld JENNIE say
"Never mind; I shall not tell you now, a
all events"
"Well!" exclaimed Edna, as she put tn
precious letter away in drawer Ito be refer
red to again, in the course of the next twenty
four hours, oftener than she would have caret
to have any one suspect,) II must not idl'
my time any longer. I don't know why
have told you all this, Clarie, except just t.
relieve myself by talking-I suppose an
very silly to think about it at all"
"You know you are not silly; and [ am 81
glad you did tell me, Edna. Must keep j
secret?"
II do not care to have too much talk mad
about it," was Edna's rather indefinite reply
She did, in fact, feel that it would be pleasan
to have her sisters cognizant of the facts sh
had revealed to Claribel, while, at the SAM
time, she wished to avoid the appearance o
attaching too much Importance to them her
SELF Poor Edna she had kept her secret 81
long-had so nearly succeeded in convincing
herself that all her little romance was only al
idle dream, a memory of something forever
put away out of sight, that it was no wonder
she was completely thrown off her balance by
this sudden revival of those buried hopes, thi
unexpected light that broke upon her future
A strange tumult was excited in her heart, {
tumult of doubt and longing, of tender mem
cries and anxious fears, of self-chiding for hel
own folly, as she chose to call it, and ye
mixed with it all, sweet conviction, which
would not be repressed, that the happiness sh'
hardly dared to dream of was actually in store
for her. 1t was this conviction that had made
her con6de her story to Claribel. She fell
such longing for some one to share and sym
pathize in this great JOY. Yet, when her sister
was gone, she almost thought she had beer
premature, and unwise in doing so. What if
after all, Hugh Thornton should return moi
as lover, but simply as friend? She took
out his letter again and read it over, though
every word of it was impressed already on
her mind. He spoke of the renewal Of theil
former intercourse, and she we'll remembered
what that intercourse had been. He had beer
truly her lover in those days, though adverse
circumstances had combined to prevent tht
creation of any bond between them, save Ar
unspoken one, felt and understood by both
And was not the very fact of his writing tc
announce to her his expected return, and hi
expression of his feelings and wishes, sufi
cient to assure her that be was unchanged
In his noble unsel6shness, he had, during hil
absence, forborne seeking any communication
with her, doubtless desiring that she should