Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-03-14
Au 0rigiual Storg.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
NARIPOSA;
THE HEART OF A BALLET GIRL.
CHAPTER XVIII.

Posy sat in deep chair by the wlnoow OF
her little chamber, looking dreamily out in
to the busy street. Margaret Tanning was
near her, busying herself about some domes-
tic work. Some months had passed since
the receipt of that cruel letter which had
broken Posy's fondest hopes in life, and,
alas very nearly broken her heart as we'll.
Poor child She had never betrayed any
violent grief but had kept her pain locked
up in her gentle breast, suffering all the more
deeply because there was no one in whom
she felt that she could con6de. Margaret was
good and kind, but she shrank from reveal
ing to her wound which she had no skill to
cure. "If my mother was here could tell
her." Posy would som etimes think !; meaning,
not the unknown, real mother, who was;llke
dream to her, but the adopted mother to
whom her memory still fondly clung But
there was no mother or sister upon whose
sympathisug breast she could have leaned
and poured out her sorrow in wholesome
tears. All alone she must bear it, and silent
ly she brooded it over day by day. and night
after night, until the inward fever that was
consuming her heart began to make its mark
upon her face and form, sharpening the soft
outline of her cheek and dimuing the lustre
of her eye, and robbing her limbs of their
elasticity and her footstep of its lightness
and grace. She struggled long against the
encroacbing weakness, resolutely exerting
herself to 60 through her usual duties, until
her attendant, seeing how the effort told up
on her, became alarmed and insisted upon her
allowing herself some rest.
Posy would not see physician. She said
she was "only tired" and would soon be quite
strong again. She got leave of absence from
the theatre for fortnight, but when the fort
night was up she was still tired" and unable
to return. The manager was indulgent, and
being unwilling to lose her, offered to extend
her leave. But as time went on and she did
not improve, she was forced, thoug very re-
luctanty, to give up her place, with the un.
derstanding that if, in the future, she should
feel we'll enough to resume it, it would be
open to her.
That time did not come. She could not
tell what it was that allied her. But she
drooped more aud more, like tender flower
that ruthless tread has crushed. Margaret
prevailed on her at last to consult doctor,
who gave her tonic aud some other simple
remedies, which seemed to benefit her little
at first, but soon lost their effect Change of
-was-preseribed,- -and-s she went to Santa
Barbara, but after short VISIT finding that
she did not improve, she begged to be taken
back home.
"The truth is, Margaret" she said, 81
don't think it is any use to be trying any more
remedies. Nothing makes me better, and
am much more comfortable in my own room
than in strange place. Please don't let
them send me away again
1t was not long after their return from this
trip, and she was sitting by her window as
have described, when there came knock at
her door, Margaret opened it, and found
their landlady standing in the passage.
"Mrs. Tanning, there's gentleman down
stairs" said the latter, "who wants to see you
particular. He asked for Miss Mariposa," !"
she added, lowering her tone, "but told him
she was sick, and he wanted to know if there
was anybody with her he could speak to, so
told him I'd call you"
Margaret went down stairs only looking in
Posys room first, to tell her that she would
soon he back. The gentleman proved to be
n,,h"ooI ,rho Hn1ipr offor
liminary questions that she was Posy's par.
ticular attendant, and appeared to be a wo-
man of sense and understanding, entered into
conversation with her in regard to the object
with which he had sought them out. He did
not, Of course give her all the particulars of
the matter, but told her enough to convince
ner of the Importance Of it, and Of the neces.
sity of his obtaining an interview with the
young girl.
"Shes very weak" Margaret said, warn
ingly. "You'll have to be careful, sir, and
not take her too much by surprise"
Then, my good woman, do you 60 first,
and prepare her as you may think best" said
the old gentleman II will wait down here,
and you can call me whenever she is ready to
see me"
Margaret went, and returned in about a
quarter of an hour, to say that Posy would
be glad if he would walk up. She had re-
ceived Margaret's information, that gentle
man, claiming to be one of her relations, had
come to pay her visit, very calmly, and
when Mr.. Eastwood entered she looked up at
him enquringly, but without any signs of ex.
citement or trepidation.
Mr.. Dashwood had, two or three times, Wis.,
tied his sster-in law, Mrs. Forester, during
her last illness. As he approached the inva'
lid girl now, he was so forcibly struck by her
resemblance to the beautiful, fragile being he
remembered, that an involuntary exclamation
escaped his lips. Recalling, however, the
warning he had received, he checked all ap-
pearance of surprise or agitation, and taking
her hand, he calmly and kindly accosted her,
asking her if she knew who he was.
margaret says you are my relation, sir, I"
she simply replied. 81 have never met any
of my relations before"
81 am your uncle. my dear child-your
half uncle, at least. Your fathers step.bro-
ther; only bearing different name Do you
know your fathers name, Ada ?"
She looked startled at the unfamiliar ap-
pellation. and gave him wondering glance.
81 forgot-you don't even know who you