Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-03-15
CHAPTER II.
EVIL SEED AND IT'S FRUIT.

In lonely but luxurious home, the child
hood of noble and beautiful boy, Leonard
Manvers by name, had been spent, amid in
fluences more fatal to his moral growth, more
encouraging to the advance Of every evil ten
dency in his nature, than happily, often fall
to the lot of one so young.
Early bereft by death of his mothers care
it became the Office of hirelings to minister to
all his needs, to spoil or neglect him as ca
price dictated, and to offer him the unwhole'
some tuition furnished by ignorant minds
but this evil, though lamentable one, might
have been mitigated, if not wholly counter
acted by a fathers affection for him and in
terest in his welfare. Unfortunately for the
poor boy, both affection and interest on the
part of his remaining parent were entirely
wanting.
Mr.. Manvers. though man of excellent
birth and social standing, was cold, selfish and
worldly. He had broken the heart of his
wife, timid, clinging, girlish creature, who
repulsed in all her efforts to win his love-
would have hailed death, but for her baby
boy, as welcome release, since life offered
her so much bitterness and so little joy. Dur
ing the infancy of his son, he rarely saw him
never asking for him or visiting his nursery,
80 that if by chance they met, the child shrank
from him as from stranger, and felt nothing
of the tie between them-a tie, one of Natures
closest, yet virtually rendered null in thiE
case by conduct so far opposed to Natures
dictates.
When Leonard was four years old, a cir
cumstance occurred which changed the aspect
of affairs. Some friends of Mr.. Manvers
coming up unexpectedly to the front entrance
of his elegant country mansion, there discov
ed the little boy playing on the lawn under
the supervision of his nurse, a high'aown
French dame, who lounged on the steps with
novel, while her charge amused himself al
will. Struck by his exceeding beauty, they
called him to them and engaged him in con
versation, the boy fearlessly meeting theil
andvances, and looking boldly into theil
faces with his great dark eyes as he answered
their questions.
"Whose son was he? He was Mr.. Man
vers' son, the man that lived in this house
Why didn't he ever come into the parlor with
papa? Oh! papa never wanted him; hi
didn't like babies, Clemence said. But he was
not baby nosu; he would soon be man
and then should come into the parlor wher
he pleased. This house and everything in il
would belong to him one Of these days; ano
if ever he should have little boy, he'd lei
him come in to dessert every day; yes, ht
would. Stevens, the butler, said that people
always did, except papa. Did he have any
boys and girls to play with? Only Stevens
| nephew, who hoed in the garden-he was {
big boy, but be made windmill for hin
once. He could ride on pony, though, anc
wasn't bit afraid; and Stevens said he wa
most old enough to handle gun. When hf
was six years old he meant to run away, be
cause he didn't like living in this house. 1
was nasty old big house, and he wanted {
pretty little cottage like the gardeners; bu
he didn't mean ever to let papa come there
because he didn't like him he liked Stevens
better"
Here Madame Clemepce, who had come
forward to hear what he was saying, lifted
her hands and eyes deprecatingly to Heaven
with an ejaculation of dismay. mon Disu
what are you prating of, mauuais enfant
Do not heed him, gentlemen, he talks fool
ishness. He adores his papa, the handsome
fine gentleman that he is. and Monsieur, his
papa, adores him equally in return. How sa!
you, Leonard, nsstce:pas que tn aimcs ton che
papa'"
mo, don't! Get out, Cemence, you OLE
thing g!-get away!" shouted master Leonard
making dart at his bonnie, who, luckily TO
him, was fond of him in her way, and sorr.
for him, and seldom resented any indignit.
he chose to offer.
"Naughty bsbs =" she exclaimed, catching
in both hands his upraised fists, adding, apol
ogetically, to the interested and amused Wis
itors, HE has so much spirits and is so fon'