Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-11-21

in, Carrie, meekly following, was nearly over
whelmed by her mothers draperies.
."I had better set in the middle it will best
preserve the equilibrium of the vehicle" said
Mrs. G., wedsing herself between Sydney and
Carrie, with smile of great complaceDcy.
She Immediately began discoursing on the
habits and properties Of ferns, with unpaus-
ing volubility. Suddenly she checked her.
self, as her eye caught cluster of green wa.
wing vegetation on the crest-ike point of q
rock overhanging the road. ........-
"Sydney Sydney!' she cried; "stop a
minute. Can't you reach that asplenlum
ebenum ?"
SIS it this, ma'am ?" said Mr.. Wilmer,
making dive at the tall stalk of something
growing by the road. ii ..... ..' .... -
"No, no, not that-the little green thing
with black STEM" .a...
"This, ma'am p. hazarded Sydney, clutch.
ing at q fat.leaved cluster of weedy growth:
20, dear, no how stupid you are" sighed
Mrs. Grimford. "Tll jump out and get it
myself." Hg!5 2nr@"iiot "''i "..ta ..
"Mammap demonstrated Carrie. ...
20, III help her," nodded Sydney, spring
ing nimbly on the cliff, and pulling Mrs
Grimford, by main force, up the steep side of
the rock. .n ~..-ds ....
=. .'"Ah r. cried the lady, "it is very steep. l
really think women should devote more at
tention to gymnastics. o, here is the asPle-
nium-very choice specimens, too. Why,
Sydney, where are you goingS' she suddenly
cried, seeing Mr.. Wilmer had sprung back
into the ph@ton. -......
"Only for little turn, madam, while you
are collecting your botanical treasures"
Eyes, but" Mrs. Grimfords's words of re-
monstrance were drowned in the rattle of the
wheels as Mr. Wilmer drove briskly away,
Carrie nesting up to his side. One long,
lingering glance she gave the departing pair,
and then returned to her tin can and umbrel-
la. They'll be back presently" she said.
But the afternoon wore on, "tbe shades of
evening" were rapidly closing in. Mrs.
Grimford grew tired, cross and rheumatic,
and still "they came not,' like the character
in romance. .
"Something has happened !" cried the pro.
phetic soul of Mrs. Grimford. 20, if l
should have to stay here all night" She
looked nervously around. 1t was tall steep
cliff whereon, she stood, cut of from the woods
beyond by wide and by no means shallow
stream on one side, while on the other three
it was almost perpendicular. rising some
twenty feet up from the road. As she sur.
veyed her situation, Mrs. Grimford began to
feel somewhat like St. Simon Stylites on his
pillar in the wilderness. But suddenly a
welcome rumbling Of wheels broke the still
ness of the seldom. travelled mountain-road,
and Mr.. Winners spirited gray dashed round
the curve of the hill.
"Well - she cried, "I never was more
thankful for anything in my lifel I'm tired
to death waiting" 2. ..
Are youY" says Sydey Wilmer, as he
checked his horse in the middle of the road.
"Yes why don't you drive closer" she
demanded, sharply. .
20, did you want to drive home with us?"
"Of course l did. I'd have gone home
long ago, if could have got off this place"
"Wel, madam" said Sydney, in accents
of coolest deliberation, while Carrie clung
frightened, and yet smiling, to his side. Il
shall be happy to hand you off that rock on
one condition"
"Condition What do you mean, sir?" ex.
claimed the indignant matron.
"simply this, Mrs. Grimford I want to
marry your daughter. But Carrie, like a
a too:dutiful child, will not become my wife
without your consent" ...
(Which she will never have" replied the
lady, emphatically.
"Very we'll, madam ?" and he shook the
reins.
You're not going to leave me here :"
shrieked Mrs. Grmford, in panic of terror.
Unless you comply with my condition, l
most certainly shall"
"And that condition is" ..E ..
"Your consent to my marriage with your
daughter" ...
"Caroline," cried Mrs. Grimford, will you
be witness to this-this atrocious conduct,
and not interfere ?"
"Syduey won't let me have voice in the
matter, mamma, at all, said Carrie, demure-
ly. He says he doesn't believe in women's
rights" -a" =
Mrs. Grimford gave hollow groan. Mr..
Wilmer touched his horse slightly with the
whip.
"stop!" cried Mrs. Grimford. "Iconsent-
but it is under protest"
"You can protest all you like" said Mr..
Wilmer, assisting his mother-in.law elect into
the carriage.
Silently Mrs. Grimford entered the phae-
ton silently she drove home, and in silence
crossed the threshold of her house, as became
a conquered party. ,..n.....
"To think" she said, in a hollow voice, as
she sat at dinner, that after all my precepts
and example, Caroline should end her career
by getting married."
Mamma" said Carrie, timidly, II don't
think it so terrible a fate, after all"
"To think" continued Mrs. Grimford, pay
ing no attention to her daughters reply, "tbat
you should meet the fate of an ordinary wo.
man!'
"But, mamma, dear, l never had any am.
bition to be an extraordinary woman"
And so was brought to an abrupt termi-
nation all the plots and plans for model
existence which had been formed for Mrs.
Grimford's daughter.
A VERY CLOSE SHAVE.
The month of May, 1872, found me at Los
Angeles, Cal, with the intention of proceed
ing to Sante Fe, New Mexico.
While waiting there for the arrival of the
sem-weekly stage from San Francisco, hap
pened to fall in with an old friend and army
surgeon, also desirous of going East. In con-
versation one day, he jocularly proposed that
we should purchase an outfit, and start across
the county by the 35th parallel route, instead
Of taking the stage via Fort Yuma and Tue.
son. -..
The love of adventure was so strong that
at once accepted the doctors proposition, and
in less than week we had set out on our
;,,,rnov nrov;ded with horses. q guide named