Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-05-17
Poor Evelyn! For many successive days

couraging reply to her inquiry
"No answer for you yet, ma'am."
At last she began to encourage herself in
the belief that this delay was favorable to
her hopes. Surely her petition must have
been read ere this, and no humane man could
80 tamper with her distress as to keep her in
suspense for such length of time, unless he
contemplated giving merciful answer to her
prayer. a
At last, one day note was placed in her
hands, with the information that
"The Governor went away this morning,
and left this to be given you, when you
Called"
Evelyn received it and quietly left the door.
Once out of sight, she sank down on the first
stone that offered resting. place, so sick and
trembling with the rush of mingled doubt,
hope and dread, that she was unable to walk
step farther.
She dared not open the note. ..,
She hid it in her dress; then bowing her
face in her hands, prayed for strength to bear
the contents of it, whatever they might be-,
with Christian resignation to the will of God.
Then she drew it out again, and after q
little more hesitation, slowly broke the seal.
A page of the paper was covered with
writing, in clear, large hand, easy enoug b to
decipher. But mist seemed, at first, to OBJ
scure her sight, and she could see nothing but
confused and wavering medley of undistin-
guishable marks. .- 81. .agn.- a...s.a..t
At last the mist cleared away, her senses
grew steadier, and she could read. .'a"
She had tried to prepare herself for the
worst, but the blow she had nerved herself in
anticipation to endure, was not hundredth
part as keen as that which now, in all its
dread reality, struck to her heart.
The communication was not unkindly
worded. In fact it appeared that the writer Of
it had tried, in wording it, to soften, as far as
possible, to the recipient, the shock of its con-
| tents. .-. .H
1t stated that the Governor had made him.
self thoroughly acquainted with all the cir
cumstances of the case of the prisoner, Julian
Morville, and deemed it his duty not to inter-
fere with the administration of justice in re-
gard to it. He regretted deeply the necessity
he labored under of refusing the petition ad.
dressed to him, and offered bis respectful
sympathy to Mrs. Morville, for the distressing
situation in which she was placed. ...
What mattered it to the stricken wife, that
the refusal was couched in carefully chosen
terms-that the writer's sympathy, or the
sympathy of the whole world, was with her
for it?
She got up at last, and like blind person,
or one dizzy and stunned from a great fall,
groped her way slowly back to the inn.
There was nothing farther for her to do
here now. She must return to Julian without
delay.
She went to work mechanically to put up
the few articles she carried about with her in
her satchel then called the landlady, and
discharged her bill. ----.--.---.---
"But you amt going off now, madam" said
the latter, inquiringly, as she noticed Evelyn's
preparations for departure. "You can't leave
to-day, you know"
"Why not2" asked Evelyn.
because the coach has gone past already.
1t leaves at ten o'clock, you recollect."
II had forgotten" She sank down YEARLY
on a seat, her hands falling passively in her
lap Mrs. Stokes, the landlady, sympathet.
ic person, would fain have offered some con-
soling suggestion, had she known how but
she was discriminating enough to perceive
that in her lodger's breast there ranked a
wound too deep for any touch Of hers to soothe
She idgeted about the room for minute or
two, casting furtive glances at Evelyn, who,
utterly regardless of her movements, sat
crushed and silent, with that far-away, hope
less look on her face; then went out on tip
toe, noiseessly closing the door after her, and
murmuring, "poor young thing " below her
breath, as she did so.
The girl was utterly Frustrated, mind and
body. For time everything was blank to
her, as it had been when first the result of
Julian's trial had become certainty, and the
blow had overwhelmed and paralyzed her
with its force. When night came, from sheer
weariness, she was compelled to lie down on
her bed, but she did not undress or prepare
herself for sleep. \. 3D.
At last, however, oblivion stepped her senses.
In the beginning it was sort of stupor, rath.
er than of natural sleep, but by and by rest
less fancies began to stir through her brain.
Shapeless forms, misty vagaries Aoated about
her pillow, gradually assuming more definite
outlines, more distinct signi6cation. At length
they revolved themselves into clearly de-
fined vision, moving her with strange and
thrilling power, thus
She dreamed that she was walking at mid
night, on lonely plain, far away from any
human habtation, or the trace of human feet
Blank darkness encompassed her; but she
went on, seeing nothing, yet led by some in
visible influence, that seemed to guide her on
her way. A weight of woe lay upon her, the
like of which had never before oppressed her
soul. A voiceless cry for help surged up con-
tinually from her heart, but no help, no relief
came. Still she struggled on. overborne by
that profound mysterious despair. Suddenly,
a ray of light penetrated the gloom. She
raised her eyes, and perceived that the dense
clouds which obscured the sky were slightly
parting, and that the moon was emerging from
their shadow. Brighter and fuller it grew,
until the whole landscape lay flooded ia light.
Then an unknown form stood before her. and
softly touching her lips with his hand, said in