Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-05-23

ages proving no barrier to this fact, but II
their case rather strengthening the bond be
tween them. 1t caused Mary to look up witt
entire confidence, and that feeling Of depend
ence which it is so pleasant to man II
awaken in the breast Of woman he loves
to the one upon whom she had so long beel
accustomed to rely. She put implicit faith
in his judgment, and was ready to yield, II
the slightest particular, to his will. On the
other hand, the Colonel regarded her almost
with the sort of protecting tenderness that hi
would have accorded to a child. He treated
her with unbounded indulgence and consd
Grafton, and would have considered no sacrl
flee too difficult to make for the sake Of add
ing to her happiness. .
One evening, as they were sitting in the Ii
brary, after tea, the recollection of wha
Maurice Cleveland had said to her about the
Colonel's first love, suddenly flashed over hel
mind.
"By the way, Brentwood" she said (not
withstanding the disparity of years between
them, she had fallen quite naturally into the
habit of calling him by his Christian name)
"by the way, Brentwood, you have never
given me the history Of that charming pic
ture over the cabinet. I know that it is 6
portrait, and that it has history; but that il
all that do know about it..
"And who told you that it had history !?
asked the Colonel, smiling.
Somebody whom you don't particularly
like me to mention"
"Ah! l understand. That somebody nc
doubt had special motive in giving you this
piece of information. Well, it has history
my dear, of certain sort, inasmuch as it is
the likeness of one for whom I had tender
feeling once upon time, in the days of my
youth-before you, little one, had even open
ed your blue eyes upon this sinful world
Shall I tell you about her ?"
"Of course you SHALL" said Mary. at
does seem odd to think of your having been
in love with anybody before was born !"
doesn't it? But you forget what an old
fellow l am. Nellie Harding and I were
playmates from our babyhood, and sweet
hearts as far back as can remember. She
was wilful, merry-hearted little thing, and
l was always a slave to her wishes and com
mands We grew up in close intimacy, and
our friendship never slackened with advanc
ing years. l think in my heart had always
cherished the idea of making her my wife
but still as time went on, and childhood
merged into youth, and youth was passing by
I said nothing to her of love, but waited
still, and let matters take their course. By
and by came somebody else upon the scene
her cousin, Blanche Harding, whose father
and mother had lately died, leaving her to
the care of Nellies parents. She was Older
than Nellie, and-and different looking; diff
ferent disposition too. That's her picture up
there, as, of course, you know"
The Colonel paused moment here, and
Mary gazcd refectively up at Blanche's p"r'
trait, which returned the gaze with coldly-
smiling paleblue eyes.
"Matters come about oddly enough some
times" pursued Colonel Dacre. 81 am sure,
when poor Blanche first arrived, no thought
of her ever superscdiug Nellie in my regard
entered my brain-in fact such thing would
have seemed impossible. Not that had any
cause to do otherwise than like her, for to me
she always appeared in an amiabe light But
Nellie and I, you know, were such old friends.
Well, don't know how it was, that after
Blanche came, Nellie got cooler and more
distant in her manner to me- used to fan
cy that perhaps, her cousin teased her about
me, and that made her more guarded. At
any rate she seemed to avoid ever being left
alone in my company; and whenever | ask
ed her to walk, or to ride, or to 60 boating,
Blanche was always of the party too. And
so it happened, after while, that she and l
grew almost as intimate as Nellie aud had
been particularly when Nellie fell sick, as
she did one autumn, and was laid aside fer
some weeks, during which Blanche and l
were thrown more together than ever. Then
when Nellie got well, she seemed more re.
served even than before, and | left off trying
to win her back to her old ways. l fancied
she did not like me, and was too proud, or
too stupid, or something, to ask her for any
explanation. That very winter-the winter
after Nellie's sickness, mean-Blanche and
I got engaged and We we're married early in
the spring"
Here the Colonel paused again, and clear
ed his throat.
eco on" said Mary.
"Well, we we're married and that's about
the end of my story, believe" said the Col.
onel
"Nonsense. That isn't the end" said
Mary, decidedly. "What became Of Mel
lieY"
"Oh she married too, pretty soon after
Her husband was an Englishman-a young
fellow, whom she met quite accidentally at
some watering. place; very nice fellow too
| believe. She went to England with him,
and then he got some Colonial Office and was
sent out to India, and there she died"
"And how did you come to have her like
ness ?" asked Mary.
"Tbat was copied from small picture she
had given Blanche had the two portraits
my wife's and hers, painted at the same time
That was just a whim of mine, you know,
explained the Colonel.
eyes, sir, no doubt-a very nice little
whm, to have the portrait of pretty girl
you were in love with hung up in your Ii
brary," said Mary.
"Opposite my wife's, please to remember.
"That's all very WE'LL" said Mary. "Real