Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-07-26
The Stprp Teller.
MAKING LOVE IN THE DARK.

MAKING L0VEIN THE DARK,
"Won't some one mark my lines for me
please. My quilting looks very much like
Mrs. Partington's turpentine walks, and
Mary Norris raised pretty, laughing face to
the assembled company, which consisted OF
the elite of Brownville, with some of the
lower strata. The little village boasted not
of its numbers as it did of the pretty girls
and Mrs. Goodwin was resolved to have her
quilt finished by fair means or by foul, and
being desperate, had scraped Brownsville for
her quilting bee. The usual gossip was at
its height when it was interrupted by the ap'
peal Of Mary Norris to Mrs. Goodwin, whose
interest it was to have every line perfect, and
to keep the social machine in running order
So she hustled about and soon got Mary to
work again.
II wonder" said Annie Haskins, eff Mary
Frazier is coming to.day?"
"Goodness knows! She is terribly fash
ionable and aristocratic," returned one of the
lower set.
"Oh, she is coming" interrupted the host
ess: "she promised me not to fail (; she is such
a quiet, undemonstrative little thing that she
will accomplish a good deal even if she does
come late"
81. "She wouldn't be fashionable and like city
people if she came as early as the rest" put
in another of the lower strata. "For my
part, l wish she would stay away entirely.
We can live without such stuck up
The sentence remained unfinished, tor at
that moment the lovely face of Miss Frazier
looked in upon them with pleasant smile.
In her quiet manner she had glided in at a
side door, removed her hat and gloves with.
out disturbing the hostess, and then surprised
them. Mrs. Goodwin greeted her warmly,
and, as usual, with much fuss and hustle, she
was seated at the quilt, where her slight. dett
fingers, as Mrs. Goodwin had predicted, soon
began to trace line after line in her exquisite
and neat fashion and to outdo many who had
come earlier.
All the people who could be picked into
pieces were, and Brownsville had to pass
through the social feminine mange custom
ary upon such occasions, and yet, strange to
saw, survived. After tea the gathering of
the rustic swains began. Among them came
handsome DR.. Collins and his old bachelor
friend, DR.. Peters, Of course the entire un-
married portion of the other sex were setting
their caps for the handsome young physician,
and were doing all they could to increase his
vanity and spoil him generally. Upon the
present occasion he joined right merrlly into
the country games, romped with Mary Norris.
and paid more than one forfeit upon her red
pouting lips. Indeed, he seemed to revel in
sweets, for the most of the girls, though ma.
king show of resentment when he kissed
them, evidently sought or challenged such
liberties but quiet little Mary Frazier.
She stole into ut.ofthe-way corners, and
more than once slipped out of the hands of
those who sought to drag her into their plays.
1t was whispered again that she was too aris-
tocratic to mingle with the common herd,
though in truth, from having been reared in
a city, she was unprepared to permit such
liberties. Her extremely delicate nature
shrauk from becoming public property: Her
lips were reserved for him who should win
her love, and were not to he desecrated. But
that che had also cast longing eyes upon the
handsome young physician was not to be de-
MED. Yet, even the most careful observer
had not been able to detect the fact-a high
er color or sudden bounding of the heart at
the sound of his voice, when he addressed her
in tones always deferential and polite, as if
he was just little frozen or awed by her
manner.
Mirth reigned fast and furious as the even
ing waned. Chairs were overturned in the
boisterous game of bindmans bluff, while
dresses and sashes suffered sadly. The doctor,
seeing Mary Norris dash out Of the front door,
followed her, resolving (upon the spur of the
moment) to seize the time to disclose his love.
Such an event had been one of the things OF
the future, if at ALL Until now, ne had not
given much thought to it, but her saucy black
eyes, and sweet, warm kisses, had completed
his enthralment. Out under the vine covered
porch of the Goodwin cottage, where he could
distinctly trace the soft outlines of his love in
her feecy white dress, he followed, and gain
ing her side, whispered:
MARY, must leave now, 1 have a patient
to visit yet tonight, but / cannot tear myself
away without telling you how much l love
you" -.
One little hand was clinging to the trellis
as he spoke, and dirnly tracing the coveted
member, he forcibly possessed himself Of it.
while his other arm stole around her slender
waist. With All air of tmid surprise, all un,
like the usual spontaneous demonstrativeness
of Mary Norris, the young girl dropped her
head and murmured:
"I-I-did not think"
"You did not think l loved you! Is that
it, my sweet girl ? Well, | do, most sincere
ly. But, Mary, am no adept at love-making
and presume ain very brusque. Yet, will
you be my wife ?" '......-
Surely you cannot mean it. You have
never shown me the slightest preference" was
whispered back as her head dropped still
lower.
"Never shown the slightest preference! Is
it possible that under my careless and light
exterior you did not detect a more serious
meaning? But am awaiting my answer,
and he bent down to catch the timid "Yes."
The night was moonless and dark-so much
so that the doctor could not see, as he longed
to do, the bushing face of his Mary. He
kissed at random, and being determined to
leave the seal of betrothal on her lips, kissed
first her ear and then her cheek, and after
meandering all about at last settled upon hel
sweet lips, which were turned temptingly up
ward.
"God bless you" he whispered. "To-mor
row evening | may come and see you, sup
pose, and then We can adjust our happy fu
tureW
Just then the shouts of some lassies who
had been chased out of the back door and
around the graveled walks, by their rustic ad
mirers, startled the lovers. DR.. Collins kissed
his affianced again, and dashed away before
he was discovered. Of course, he "walked