Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-01-10

this statement, had she not been warned that
any such measure on her part would bring
down upon her the serious displeasure of the
manager; and as it was highly important for
her to keep in the good graces of that august
person age she soon acquired the wisdom to
submit, without questioning, to any of his
arrangements and regulations which she did
not quite understand.
There we're certain of her new friends and
companions who we're generous enough to ad-
mire and appreciate her talent, without any
feeling of envy or petty spite; and among
these she speedily became favorite and pet.
One lively, goodnatured girl in particular,
took her under her protection, aud won her
grateful affection for the many little kindness
es she lavished upon her. Adrienne Clervaux
was of French birth and parentage. Her
father was tradesman, her mother dress
maker, and they were very poor, but lived,
nevertheless, in a sort of homely comfort,
which charmed Posy when introduced to their
small abode. Old Clervaux had wooden
leg, but was the jolliest joke-loving fellow
imaginable. When he came home of an even
ing, he would unscrew the artificial member,
settle himself comfortably on wooden settee
with his pipe, and relate the most humorous
anecdotes in his broken English, while his
stout wife hustled around preparing supper,
and Adrienne and Posy sat on low stools near
him, the former generally employed in some
domestic task. This was, Of course, on those
evenings when there was no ballet, on which
occasions Posy often made one of their cir
Gle. They urged her mother to join them,
too, but Mrs. Manuel invariably declined.
She liked to have the child cheered up a bit,
she said, by their company, but she herself
never went out visiting Clervsux and his
wife admired Posy immensely. The former
pronounced her "jolie CONNIE un ange," and
would sit her on his knee and stroke her long,
beautiful curls with bis rough brown hands,
while he told her stories, and taught her
scraps of French, probably as correct in style
as her own imperfect English. Posy thought
him lawful good and jolly" She liked him
better than madame, who was brusquer and
less communicative, though good'tempered
also in her way. Adrienne, who was an only
child, was evidently the pride and delight Of
both parents. She was good and dutiful
daughter, cheerfully yielding up all her earn
ings for the household good, and devoting
most of her leisure time to assisting in the
household work.
But this happy condition of affairs was
not destined to last. There came day
when the French girls cheerful spirit was
shadowed by cloud. Her step lost its wonted
lightness, her eyes their lustre, and the echo
of her merry laugh was no longer heard.
"What ails Adrienne ?" was asked by all
her compaions but she evaded their ques-
tions, or returned only unsatisfactory replies
She no longer threw her heart into her occu-
patton. Her dancing master complained of
her, and on more than one occasion she met
with severe reproof for negligence and mat
tention to the part assigned her in the ballet.
At last the manager threatened to dismiss her
from the corps. He scolded and clustered at
her, much to the indignation and grief of Po-
sy, who was present. Although naturally
high hspirited, Adrienne bore his reproaches
quietly, even submissivey. She answered not
a word and when he had gone away, sat cry
ing where he had left her. Posy kissed her,
coaxed her, tried to win her confidence, but
in vain; the only answer she could get to her
questions was shake ofthe head, or respon-
sive embrace After that, hoYeyer, the de.
linquent seemed to grow more cAreful, and
pay more attention to her dats-> only she
avoided all companionship, and was in other
respects greatly changed.
One evening Posy was returning from an
errand on which her mother had sent her.
1t was Sunday and the theatre was not open.
It was rather late, and she hurried on in order
to reach home before dark. As she quickly
turned a corner, she came upon two figures
standing beneath an arched gateway, some
what screened from view. One she recognized
as Adrienne the other was a tall and we'll
dressed young man, with the air and appear
ance of a gentleman. He was holding Adri-
enne's hand, and they we're engaged in such
earnest conversation that neither of them per-
ceived Posy as she approached. The girls
head was bent down, and her attitude demo-
ted great detection. She seemed to listen with
a resigned air, while he spoke to her eager
ly in low tone. Posy involuntarily stop
ped. Her first impulse was to address her
friend but upon second thought she deemed
it best to pass on without attracting her no.
tice, and pursued her way home with vague
feeling of wonder, and an indefinite sort Of
suspicion that this strange gentleman was in
some way accountable for Adrienne's melan-
cboly and changed behavior.
The next evening, at the theatre, Adrienne
was missing. A messenger was sent to her
house to inquire for her, and returned with
the answer that she had left home for the
theatre an hour before. The ballet had to 60
on without her. At its close, Posy found old
Clervaux waiting outside, with pale, fright.
ened look on his face. The manager came
up, and some hurried words passed between
them. Posy tried to overhear them ; but just
then her mother approached and led her
quickly away.
"What's the matter, mammy?" asked Posy.
"Has Adrienne gone away?'
II don't know, honey" was Mrs. Manuel's
reply. "Don't you be asking any questions