Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-08-29

There were but few boarders at the inn
consequently the host was more than usually
courteous as the stranger came forward and
requested accommodations.
When he made his appearance at the sup
per table everybody became silent He wore
a heavy beard, was dressed in suit of Scotch
tweed, and looked altogether man of impor-
tance.
Presently the conversation turned upon
general matters The landlords son came in
with his new wife, fussy little woman with
huge red bow at her throat.
"Shall you 90 to the sale tomorrow 2" que
ried the young Benedict Of his opposite neigh
Dor.
"What sale2" the clerk at the feed.store
asked. with his mouth full of cold beef.
didn't you hear? l thought everybody
knowed Widow Willets was to be sold out"
"Jack," said the bride, taking her big blue
eyes for the FIRST time off the strangers face,
II want the crockery. They say things are
going for nothing"
"Very likely. Get all the crockery you
want, and I'll foot the bills" said the young
man, with look that languished between
biscuit and bliss. "There's nothing | want
but the old mans gun but they say the wild
der values that as the apple of her eye. Silly
of her, for he was bad lot, that old man OF
hers"
"What was the matter with him 7" asked
the stranger, composedly.
"Oh! he drank like the dickens, and went
to the dogs. Old Pinchbeck down here got
hold of the mortgage some way; he's spry
chap, that; moneys money to him. He
wouldn't a foreclosed, l guess, if the widder's
daughter d married him. She's a pretty
little girl, sixteen years old"
"Oh Jack, you don't call her pretty?"
said the young wife. with unnecessary en-.
phasis "that pale thing|
Sixteen" muttered the stranger to him.
self-'sixteen years old; woman grown.
How long has her father been dead = he
asked, aloud.
Cant tell you," said the young man,
clearing his plate, and heaping it again: 81
only know that he went off one day, and was
found smashed by train of cars. That was
the last of him."
II remember him." epoke up the bride.
anxious to thrust her pretty face and new i'm
portance into notice; "he was an awful man.
Lucy was Just as afraid of him as could be-.
Lucy and 1 went to school together, but
somehow she wasn't favorite. They used
to call him Nosey Willetts, his nose was 80
red. Why, the boys used to stone him all
the way from the tavern, and he'd do any
mean thing for drink. If man will make
beast of himself, why, he deserves all he
gifts; and you can call that temperance lec'
ture if you will"
"a very good one," said the traveller,
rising. ,
"Will you have catalogue, sir" asked
the young man, whose name was Jim. The
stranger took the paper quietly, and went
out
A new moon silvered the peaceful hills and
valleys and pleasant garden.spots in the pic
turesque little town, as the stranger left the
inn and sauntered slowly down the street.
He paused for a moment to look at the inte
rior of barn where sturdy boy was min
istering to the comfort of two or three fine
horses. .
Beams, rough as if hewn out of granite;
draperies of dusty cobwebs; the broken un.
even floor; the saddles hanging on the wall
with other gear the sleek quarters of the
coach horses the ruddy face of the boy dis.
tiuctly pictured in the light of the huge lam
tern hung near the door, appeared to attract
him, for he moved away with apparent re-
luctance.
How peaceful the place seemed at that
hour! There was no sound save the laughter
of children, the tinkling of COW bells, or the
careless song of the busy workers within
doors.
On strobe the man, busy with thought, till
he came to cottage on which the rays of
the young moon seemed to rest with pecu-
liar silveriness.
Like painted leaves upon delicate ground,
the rich.hued ivy clung to the splendid pill
lars that upheld the pretty porch. The man
paused here, and moved forward almost
stealthily. He walked cautiously about the
building, surveying it on every side.
A detective would, in police Vernacuar,
have spotted" him, for be even prowled up
to the window and tried to look in. Once, as
he stood there, hand lifted the lace curtain,
and young face looked out upon the night
face superbly beautiful. But he did not
see it, for at the first movement within he
stepped hastily aside.
Then he leaned against the paling of the
garden, stopped and pulled sprig of sweet
smelling mint, and very slowly, glancing Of
ten behind him, he moved away.