Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-03-16

bounded with renewed and increased delight
and a sense of overpowering thankfulness for
the blessings which had been lavished upon
her.
She was greatly shaken, however, by re-
cital of the various startling occurrences con-
nected with the career of her dreaded, but now
powerless foe, whose true name and station
were for the first time made known to her,
though giving her as yet no insight to the re,
lation they bore to the welfare and interests of
her orphan charge. Raymond used every ef-
fort, by turning her attention to all the de-
tails oftheir domestic life, to divert her mind
from annoying and distressing thoughts, and
as time passed on, and they gradually return
ed to the quiet daily routine Of existence, she
ceased to dwell upon the past, and the sooth-
ing influence of her surroundings restored the
peace and tranquility of her feelings, wh'et
had been so rudely broken, and so long marred
By continuance of misfortune and anxiety.
Itseemed as though they had gone through
sufficient excitement and agitation for life
time, and unbroken calm in the future was
the most desirable thing on earth; but the list
of their startling experiences was destined to
be still added to, in manner less disastrous,
vet as wonderful and unexpected as before.
Some weeks had elapsed, during which
General K-had been absent in Spain, on the
visit which he had spoken of in anticipation
to Raymond. Events had been brought to
light off deeply important nature, affecting
alike the interests and future of persons hith-
erto kept widely apart, but soon to be drawn
togetherb by common tie.
1t was bright day in early winter when
the General, accompanied by his friend Senior
Gonzales, now restored to the enjoyment Of
liberty, and to the full confidence and esteem
ofhis fellow.countrymen, made his appearance
at the Raymonds house, and received, it is
needless to say, warm welcome, which was
also extended, for his sake, to bis companion.
After some preliminary conversation on gen.
eral subjects, the General, in an earnest man.
ner, announced that he was the bearer of a
mnunication of Importance, relating to his
friend now present, and also to member of
the household whom he did not see among
them at that moment-the> orphan Picciola.
"Picciola !" was echoed in surprise from the
lips of both Raymond and his wife.
eyes, Picciola," replied the General. "You
will be doubtless surprised to learn that her
true parentage has been at last discovered,
and is of a very different nature from that
which it has been hitherto supposed to be-"
"Did not l say so ?" exclaimed Esther. 81
always knew she must be superior to the class
she was taken from! But tell US quickly,
General-who is she, and where is she from ?"
"She is scion of one of the first and oldest
families in Spain" was the reply. "1ndubi-
table proof has been received, through careful
investigation Of the reality Of this fact, and of
identity with the child sent away, fourteen
Years sgG;,ffom The pfls06 where she waS born,
to be placed in an orphan asylum, after her
mothers death, her father being confined for
an indefinite term of years for supposed
crime. For all these long years, that father,
unjustly deprived of his liberty, has lapguish-
ed in those prison walls that witnessed the
death of his wife and his parting from his
child-the little girl herself being also report
ed dead but in reality hidden away in an OBJ
scure retreat, far from her home, in charge Of
some pretended relatives, with whom she grew
up ignorant of her name and birth. You will
have no difficulty, my friends, in crediting the
truth of my statement, when l tell you that
her father is here to answer for it himself"
The eyes of Paul and Esther were simulta-
neously turned upon Manuel, who, pale with
emotion, had risen from his seat, and was
standing before them.
1T is all true" he said, rapidly, in Spanish,
turning first to one and then the other, and
speaking in eager, excited tones. "The child
you have so generously befriendea is my own
my only and long-lost daughter, whom1 have
mourned as dead, these many years. May l
not see her-will you not bring her to me,
now"
Astonishment, mingled at first with what
was almost incredulity at this unexpected
news, seemed to hold his listeners spel-bound.
But the General, quickly bringing to their
notice q few conclusive facts, which settled
the matter, beyond dispute, in their minds,
put an end to the uncertainty and hesitancy
in Esther's movements, and with heart beat
ing with strangely conflicting emotions, she
went in quest of Picciola, who was taking
charge of little Paul, in the garden, at the
rear of the house.
"Go in the parlor-you are wanted" was
all she could find voice to utter. And Piccio-
Ia, reading unusual excitement and agitation
in her manner, hurried in, not without appre.
hension, to discover the meaning Of the sun-
mons. Manuel started forward, with uncon-
trollable eagerness, as she entered. He would
have clasped her in his arms, but the Gener-
al, gently restraining him, took Picciolas
hand, and briefly told her the whole story.
The young girl listened as if petri6ed. At
first she could not comprehend the reality of
what she heard, and her dark eyes turned ap-
pealingly, from one to the other of the faces
around her, resting at last, with wistful gaze
on that of the new-found father, from whom
she had been so many years parted that her
childish memories Of him had long since fa'
ded into indistinctness, and his image had be-
come but shadow to her mind. But when
AZ IL olnno 70 him