Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-03-22

the labor might want"
1T would be money thrown away, sir, and
maybe health, too. Think of something
else." ......,,..... ...... ......
"Well, have different idea from either
of those, but have reserved the mention OF
it for the last, supposing it would shock you
quite as much as the Australian one. How
about California, with its newly.opened and
wonderful sources of wealth-the mines p
"Good Lord, sir | Would you take pick
and shovel, and descend into the bowels of the
earth ?" ... ....... .,.aa ....
"By no means. I am, unfortunately, not
fit for severe labor" said Sir John, with a
glance of regret at his delicate hands. "But
cannot you understand that person estab-
lished in the vicinity of those mines, gaining
correct information from reliable sources in
regard to them, might be enabled to invest
his property so judiciously as to increase it
enormously in the course of few years? l
can speculate, Roger, if I cannot work"
eyes, sir, you can speculate you can
be ruined, rejoined Martin doggedly. "Ain't
you tired of speculating by this timer Lose
the little you will have left out of this, and
tell me what is to become of Miss Rose and
Miss Evelyn" ... 80.
"But shall not lose it, I tell you'll I shall
be very cautious-risk nothing. may treble,
quadruple my money; increase it perhaps a
hundred-fold! 1t is for my childrens sakes,
that I am bent upon taking some decisive
step. must provide for their future"
"Do you think the poor things would be
happy, sir, taken away from their home and
get down in a strange, wild country?"
"Their home is Lyndhurst. Once banished
from its walls, what other tie binds them to
England ?" asked the baronet, in husky tone.
"You were trying to prove to me few min
utes ago, that their happiness consisted in be-
ing with me. They are too young to find
transportation as trying process as it is to
those of larger growth--as it will be to me,
for instance, notwithstanding my present ar
guments in its favor. Heavens and earth,
Roger, you don't suppose that I find the pros
pect an agreeable one, do your Am I acting
from choice, or from necessity2"
The point on which we differ, sir, is the ne
cessity for acting as you propose to do. Con-
slider the sacrifice, the immense sacrifice of
separating yourself from your own country,
your own people, giving up all old habits, old
associations, beginning life afresh, and you
no longer young. Why, sir, if my memory
serves me right, you'll be ffy-two next
Michaelmas there's more than two-thirds of
the allotted portion of mans life already
gone" .. ......
"Well, and what of that? Supposing I
only live for the remaining third, or not so
long; in twenty, fifteen, ten years, or even
less, I may amass a sufficient fortune to ena-
BILE me to return and end my days in England.
Recollect moreover, if you please, that the
Lyndhursts are long-lived race. My father
died at eighty, my grandfather at ninety-one,
both in full possession of their faculties. My
great.grandfather lived to be nearly hun.
dred. Should I follow their example, that
would give me ample time for the execution
of my plans" ..
According to your own showing, sir, ten
years has been cut off of each succeeding gen.
Grafton. However, if you stayed at home,
most likely you'd live as long as any of them.
But I don't put faith in those treacherous
foreign climates. Look at my youngest bro
ther, who went to India at tbirty-6ve, as hale
and hearty fellow as any you could meet.
In ten years he was an old man, broken down
and unfit for work. 1t was all from the cli-
mate, nothing more nor less"
"But California and India are widely diff
ferent places, my good Roger, and there is
vast difference in their climates. California
is healthy, the soil is fertile, the climate va
ried, and in many places delightful. The
natural resources of the country are positive.
ly amazing. I must give you treatise on
the subject, to read in your leisure hours"
II don't care about it, thank you, sir-Tll
take your description instead, if you like to
give it. But this I do say don't believe
there's any country in the world, old or new,
that can equal Old England, for climate,
health, fertility, natural what.do-youcall.
ems, or anything else-that's my honest opin.
ion, sir, and I'm afraid can't make myself
change it, even to suit your notions"
The conclusion of this speech might have
sounded rather rude, had it issued from less
familiar lips, but Sir John was we'll accus-
toned to his companions manner; and he
saw now by the queer contortions of the bluff
old face, and the hasty jerks which Martin
gave the bride of his horse, that the faithful
steward was anxious to bring to a close the
discussion of subject fraught with so much
pain to them both.
Laying his hand on the old mans arm, the
barouet said kindly
my hardest task will be to part from you,
Roger. Indeed, can hardly trust myself to
think of it; but, unhappily, that is misfor-
tune which is now inevitable, whether 60
abroad or remain at home."
"Humph |" grunted Roger, and clearing bis
throat, he presently exclaimed, in would-be
Indifferent tone
II think, Sir John, if you'll excuse me,
we'd better be riding faster; twilight's falling,
and the young ladies will be expecting you
and YOUR cold ia still troublesome, you
know"
They put their horses into canter, and
few minutes more brought them to the Park
gates.