Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-04-11

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her. Maurice had met many fashionable
girls in society, and, like a butterfly, had roved
from one gay blossom to another, enjoying the
sweetness of each in turn. Private love-affairs
he had had too in any number, but from bis
easy transition from each one to the next, it
might be readily inferred that none of them
had very deeply involved his heart. In fact
it had been a matter of speculation to him
whether be did actually have heart. He had
often besn assured of the contrary, by the in
dignant ones whom he had deserted for some
temporary rival; but he was now inclined
to believe that his idea was an erroneous one.
Certainly he had never felt exactly toward
any other girl, as he did towards Mary and it
occurred to him that the engagement between
her and his cousin was, in all respects, most
unsuitable one, and that their relation of
guardian and ward was infinitely more rea.
sonable and proper, in consideration of their
respective ages. What on earth had pos
sessed Colonel Dacre to think of marrying
again From all that was known of his first
essay in the matrimonial line, one might sup
pose that he would not care to venture upon
a second. And, above all, that he should
choose girl young enough to be his daugh.
ter, instead of some one near his own age
Mrs. Blanding, for instance; who would make
him such good, useful wife. 1t was really
preposterous. Maurice, looking at the subject
in this light, felt himself quite aggrieved by
the whole affair.
When tho Colonel had ridden away, and
Maurice found himself at the head of the
house, bis first feeling was one of selfcongrat-
ulation that now he had the field of action all
to himself What sort of action it was to be,
he had not precisely settled in bis own mind.
Probably be had no definite idea, except that
it would be very pleasant to have the chief of
Mary's attention directed toward himself, in.
stead of its being engrossed by some one else,
and that he meant to make full use of the
opportunity. For the first few days, how.
ever, he had less of her company than he had
expected, and was rather dismayed to find
that Mrs. Blanding appeared to have INSTALL
ed herself as bis nurse. That worthy lady
would bring her knitting into the library, and
settling herself in comfortable chair near
him, would chatter amiably on dozen SUBJ
jects-none of which possessed an atom of in
terest for him-all the while thinking that
she was enlivening his solitude in the most
acceptable manner.
"Is Miss Eustace unwell2" he asked her
one day, when he had been driven almost to
desperation, by her long unbroken stream of
talk.
"Unwell2 No, not that know of--why
do you ask ?" was her natural rejoinder.
because she so seldom comes down stairs.
1 rarely see her except at meal-times," be dis
contentedly replied.
"Oh bless you, she isn't upstairs all day.
She's around and about, in the garden and
elsewhere only fancy she likes being alone.
She misses the Colonel sadly, poor dear. She
often sits in the little shrubbery out there,
with book or bit Of work, all by herself,
thinking of him, I suppose, and wishing him
at home again"
"She can't miss him 10 very much, as far as
that goes," said Maurice, "because he was
generally out good deal during the day."
"Well, but she knew he was near by ; and
now it's 80 sad for her to reflect that it may
be months and months before she will see him
again. My opinion is, Mr.. Cleveland, that
it's very imprudent and very wrong for people
to get engaged during war time. Nobody
ever can tell what may happen. There was
my husbands brother, who went to the Mexi-
can war he got engaged to lovely young
lady just before he left home, notwithstand-
ing the arguments of her family, who were
not willing to have her bind herself by an en-
gagement in times of such uncertainty and
danger. What was the consequence? He
was dreadfully wounded, lost his right leg
and his left arm, and had piece of his skull
fractured, and the engagement was broken
off,"
"Why?" asked Maurice.
because, sir, her family wouldn't have
her marry such wreck. Neither did he ex-
pect it himself. His health was entirely ru-
ined in every respect by the hardships he had
gone through. He fingered for two years
after his return home, then died, leaving her
almost heart-broken. Now, if there bad been
no engagement, she would not have felt it
near so deeply. Luckily, she married very
we'll afterwards-very well, indeed i; which
was great consolation to her family"
1T must have been," said Maurice. "Her
heart was not broken, at any rate"
"No; but she was deeply melancholy for
a long time," said Mrs. Blanding, unconscious
of his irony. II often think, if anything
should happen to Colonel Dacre, how dread
full it would be for poor, dear Mary"
"Perhaps," said Maurice, satirically, "she
would follow the example Of your brother.in
laws fancse."
II can't tell, I'm sure," said the widow,
sighing. "It doesn't seem reasonable to ex.
pect young girl to mourn all her life be-
cause she's had loss like that-dees it now,
Mr.. Cleveland I"
"Of course not"
"Aad there's such a disparity of years be-
tween the Colonel and Mary, isn't there? l
was really quite surprised when I found out
the state of affairs"
"June and December" said Maurice.
"Yes, exactly; and yet the Colonel isn't
old either-not by any means, when yor come
to think of it. Why, man Of forty-tbree
or four is only in the prime of life but l
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