Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-06-15

lobe Of his left ear, and leading him to the
head of the staircase, advised him, as friend,
to descend it as speedily as possible, before
his gravitation was assisted by the application
of an extraneous power. This accomplished,
he retured to the boudoir, and locking the
door, sat down beside his wife. The latter
playfully tapped bis cheek with her boquet,
but the broker took no notice of the coquettish
action, and gloomily contemplating his CATERS,
as if afraid to trust bis eyes with the siren
glances of bis partner, commenced:
"Mra. B., I want to have some serious talk
with you"
"You never have any other kind of small
talk" retorted the lady. "You have rare
gift of sermonizing."
Mr.. Brandon passed over the sneer, and
continued:
"You alluded just now to Julia it is other
I wish to speak. Let me remind you of her
future prospects, and ask you whether it be
not time to change your system Of educating
her, and prepare her for change of life. You
will remember, then, that, two years ago, with
the consent of all parties, she was engaged to
Author Merton, a very promising young dry
goods merchant of Boston"
."Only retail merchant" said Mrs. Bran
don
"A promising young merchant, the son of
my old friend Jasper Merton. It was agreed
between US that should bestow ten thousand
dollars on my daughter, and Merton an equal
sum on his SIN. In case Of the failure OF
either party to fulfill the engagement, the faith
er of the party was to forfeit to the aggrieved
person the sum of len thousand dollars. This
very week, expect my old friend and his son
to ratify the contract. You know with what
difficulty, owing to the enormous expenses Of
our mode of life, have laid aside the stipu.
lated sum for in your hands, the hands of
the mother Of my child, l haye lodged this
sacred deposit"
Every true," said the lady, "and it is now
in my secretary, under lock and key. But
what an odious arrangement! How the con-
tract and the forfeit smell of the shopp
"Don't despise the smell of the shop, Ma
ria" said the broker, smiling gravely, "it is
the smell of the shop, that perfumes the bou-
doir."
"And then Arthur Merton is such a'shock-
ing person." continued the lady; "really, no
manners"
ITO my mind, Maria," said the broker,
"his manners, plain, open, aud frank, are in
fnitely superior to those Of the French butter
fly who is always futtering at your elbow"
"And if he is always futtering at my el-
bow" retorted the lady, lit is because you are
always away"
"That is because always have business"
said the broker. eff we lived in less style,
should have more leisure. All! Maria, Ma
rie fear that we are driving on too reck-
lessly the day of reckoning will come-we
seem to be sailing prosperously now, but a
shipwreck may terminate the voyage"
"Not while have the helm," said the lady.
'sListen to me, Brandon. You know little Of
the philosophy of life. To command success,
we must seem to have obtained it. To be
rich, we must seem so. You have done well
to follow my advice in one particular. You
have taken very prominent part in the pres.
ent Presidential canvass. There cannot fail
to be cliknge of administration, and while
you have been making yourself conspicuous
in public have been electioneering for you
in private. have been feasting and petting
the men who hold the winning cards in their
hands. 1t is not for mere ostentation that |
have invited to my soirees the Hon. Mr.. A.,
Judge B., and Counsellor c."
81 don't see what you're driving at," said
the broker.
O, of course not But when you find your
self millionaire, and all by the scheming of
your wife, perhaps, B., you'd think there was
some wisdom in what you are pleased to call
my fashionable follies. But to make the
matter plain-a change of administration oc-
curs-you are the confidential friend of the
secretary of the treasury-your talents as a
6nancier are duly recognized-you have the
management of the most important loans
and contracts-you have four years, perhaps
eight, to flourish in, and your fortune is
made.
"Ah p said the broker, doubtfully.
"If such success attends you, and there can
be no doubt of it, how painful would be your
reflections, if you thought you had sacrificed
your daughters future in an alliance with
petty trader. l have arranged brighter
destiny for her-a marriage with foreign
nobleman."
"Id rather see her the wife Of Yankee
peddler"
"Out upon your' cried the lady. II tell
you, your opposition will have little weight,
Mr.. B. Come to my soiree this evening, and
I will present you to Count Alfred de Rose
vile, an exile from France for political Of
fences-only think, B., he was the intimate
friend of Henry v"
"And who vouches for this paragon"
"Our friend, Auguste.'
"Your friend, Auguste, you mean."
~ mean M Charmant, the friend Of the
family"
"And what does Julia think Of this Phoe-
nix?"
"She adores him."
"Alas how her gentleness of nature must
have been perverted Well, we'll, Maria, in
spite of myself, cannot resolve to humble
your pride, or thwart your schemes. | believe
you love me and your daughter. Yet you are
playing desperate game remember, our all
is staked upon the ISSUE"
"And I'll await the hazard of the die," re-
piled Mrs. B., as she kissed her husband fond
ly, and dismissed him with wave of the
hand.
When Brandon came down into the hall,
he was thunder.struck at meeting there three
persons, whose appearance, after what had
JUST passed up stalrs III tne uouuolr, mlgnt
we'll be considered inopportune. The first
was uncle Richard Watkins, relative of
Mr.. Brandon's who resided in the country,
and had become immensely rich by land spec.
ulations, and the others were Mr.. Merton and
bis son. A pile of baggage announced that
they were not mere callers.
"Give US your hand, Luke" said uncle
Richard extending his enormous brown
palm "you ain't glad to see me, nor nothin',
be your Brought my trunk, valise, carpet
bag, and hat box, and calc'late to spend six