Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-05-08
her, and I tell you she needs taking in hand"
"What's the matter with her ?"

her, and I tell you she needs taking in hand"
"What's the matter with her ?"
"she is sad, solitary, forlorn being, and
she has some secret trouble-and a heavy
one, am sure weighing her. down. She
needs sympathy, and still more. she needs
stirring up You must stir her up; seek
her out, and be her friend"
~ can seek her out" said Kate" but how
do know she will let me be her friend, or
consent to be stirred up, as you term it p
"Try, at all events" replied her brother.
IF she will open her heart to anybody, it
ought to be you You have certain way
that people don't generally resist. This Miss
Ray, I can see, is both sensitive and proud.
but she has the most tender little wistful face
I ever saw, and am sure needs some one
to lean upon. She is mere girl, too; |
shouldn't say she was over eighteen, if as
much. Promise me you'll befriend her,
Kitty"
"Harry," said his sister, in solemn tone,
fixing her eyes earnestly upon his face, "you
seem particularly anxious in this matter.
Remember what you promised me when we
came to this place"
"Harry Wade burst out laughing. "There
you go off at tangent, Kitty" he exclaimed.
"Just like all women-t thinking can't feel
an interest in pretty, sorrowful looking sew
ing girl without losing my heart to her."
"Ohl is she sewing girl?" said Kate, re-
lieved. "Then, as know your aristocratic
proclivities, shall be easy on the subject"
"she takes in sewing, anyhow" said the
minister" but can tell you she's a lady,
every inch of her. 1 haven't seen any one
in Drowsieville who can compare with her"
Miss Kate's countenance fell again. She
thought that was very bad "Dear me!'
she said, in dubious tone, not having any
other rejoinder ready. And when her brother,
whistliug "Old Hundred" in rather lively
style, went to cut up some wood in the yard,
she set herself to pondering with considerable
uneasiness on what he had been saying to
her. For this good, devoted sister had one
Weakness pardonable one under existing
circumstances-she was always dreading the
possibility of Harry's falling in love. If
there was one selfish feeling in her heart, it
was the desire, strong as her affection, to be
first in his regard, the one upon whom he
should always lean and depend. There exist
ed but one individual in whose favor she
felt that she could resign this position-a
certain bosom friend Of her own, with whom
she had grown up in close intimacy from
childhood. AS to these Drowsieville people,
it was abhorrent to her to contemplate the
chance Of his being ensnared by any of
them. Even Lucy Melton-well, Lucy was
sweet, pretty girl, she admitted, amiable
and refined but-she did't want her for a SIS
ter. As to this Rachel Ray, she would take
care to find out all about her as soon as pos
sible.
She was impelled, by this anxiety, to seek
her ont the very naxt day nd it happened
that Rachel, feeling softened and grateful in
consequence of the minister's kindly demon.
strations on the previous afternoon, was ready
to wear her gentlest aspect for his sister, and
succeeded in impressing her quite as favorably
as she had him. Kate Wade had really the
most sympathizing heart in the world, and
she was touched no less by certain enduring
6rmness and patient resolve, that spoke in
Rachel's air and manner, than by her evident
poverty and unspoken trouble of mind. Be
fore she left, she won from her promise to
return her visit soon, and went away with a
mental determination to cooperate with, Har'
ry, to the best of her ability, in cheering and
Frightening the solitary lot Of this apparently
kindredlsss girl.
After that, there were perpetual little kind.
nesses being lavished upon Rachel from the
parsonage. Books to read, flowers, fruits,
sometimes home. made dainty, such as Kate's
skilIful fingers excelled in compounding, with
numberless other marks Of consideration and
thoughtfulness, were constantly bestowed upon
her, in way SO delicate and natural that she
found it impossible to reject them. She, won
dered what had made these people, upon
whom she had no greater claim than any one
else choose her out as an object of special re-
gard. But though she wondered, she yielded,
and was insensibly soothed and cbeered by
their attention. And, by degrees, she let them
win her from her seclusion, and would occa-
sionally bring over her sewing in the morning,
or drop in for quiet cup Of tea after dark.
She learned to enjoy these visits to the tran.
quill sunshiny household, where such perfect
harmony reigned, and where she met with a
welcome so sincere. The Drowsievillians, Of
course, noticed and commented on these pro-
ceedings, and while some degree of envy, and
certain invidious comparisons, were excited in
their minds thereby, they, nevertheless, had
the effect of elevating Rachel in the social
SCALE and investing her with an Importance
which she had not before enjoyed.
"It amazes me-" said Mrs. Towzleham, who
. had two manageable daughters, ''that the
minister and Miss Kate should see so much in
that pale.faced down-hearted-looking young
woman to attract them. Any one would
suppose she was the liveliest and prettiest girl
around, from the fuss they make over her."
"Maybe she wouldn't 60 to the Parsonage
quite as often as she does, if the minister hap
pened to be married man." said another
rather spiteful mamma. "Anyhow, it's queer
to see how she has let them bring her out,
when nobody else ever succeeded in doing it