Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-02-26

night, Mrs. Stanley-Mr. St. Orme-and all. u
''Pray, sir, take my arm, it is stronger than
Miss Helen's- allow me to assist you up stairs,
said Eugene, coming to his side. AS Mr..
Eustace accepted the proffered support, ne
noticed that the old gentleman trembled, and
seemed so feeble that he could scarcely walk;
his face also denoted much agitation, though
he still insisted, on being questioned, that ne
was not feeling worse than usual.
81 fear, sir, you have tried your strength
too severely this evening, in coming down
stairs" said Eugene. .,
ssNo. no, nonsense" said Mr.. Eustace with
unusual teStineSS. Eugene, hndmg tnaC Cne
subject annoyed him, said no more, but having
conducted him to the door, OF his own room,
bade him good night, and left him to the care
of his daughters.
The following morning, just as he was pre-
pairing to ride off to the next town, to consult
the lawyer in whose hands he intended TO put
Marie's case, Helen Eustace came to the front
door.
sI am so sorry to detain you, Mr.. St. Orme, "
she said, ''but papa has Gaken fancy to have
YOU to come up and see him, and seems so
earnest about it that I didn't like to dlsap-
point him, though knew you were just going
OUT
"Certainly, will come with pleasure" said
Eugene readily, though not too well pleased az
the delay. IL hope he is feeling better This
morning?"
'He says he is very well; but he seems ner-
vous, and little different from his usual SELF.
Perhaps you can cheer him up"
II shall do my best, at all events"
When they reached Mr.. Eustace's room,
Helen, having ushered Eugene in, left him
alone with her father. "Sit down, sit down,
my dear sir" said the old gentleman, in the
same nervous, agitated manner, which ms
host had remarked on the previous evening.
II trust am not. OBTAINING you from any I'M
portant business?"
'My business can very well wait, sir; half
hour one way or the other can not make much
difference" replied Eugene.
"Well, I shant detain you more than a half
hour; probably not so long. 1t may seem su,
perauous to you, Mr.. St. Orme," continued
Mr. Eustace, twisting himself uneasiy in his
chair, ''for me to claim your attention to
matter of private interest-a-a subject IN
which you can have no concern-but am I'M
PEELED to do it. 1 feel it my duty to leave no
stone unturned-nO means untried, by which
| may yet succeed in having tardy justice
done to the innocent victim of great crime
one whose shadow hangs over me almost as
directly as if had been it's perpetrator. Your
account of the unhappy young woman, whom
you are now trying to befriend, impressed me
deeply, on account of the similarity OF her
case to this other of which l am about to tell
you-and awoke in me the dormant resolve to
make you my confdant, as have already
done one or two others, though, unhappily,
without success"
Eugene, good deal astonished by this pre-
amble, replied that if he could in any way as
sist him, in the matter to which ne alluded,
he would be most happy to do so.
'You must know, then, my dear young
FRIEND" continued his guest, in lower tone,
''that once had brother, who was the idol
of my affections, and the pride OF my heart.
He was more like my son than my brother,
being several years my junior, and having been
contided to my care by my mother, on her
death-bed. He was handsome, clever lad,
winning and lovable-but, alas !! he had detects
of character which was blinded to, and which
l discovered only too late. ruined him, MIR.
St. Orme, by my indulgence allowed him to
spend money freely, trusting implicitly TO MS
sense of honor not to put it to wrong or fool
ish use; and seldom called upon him to give
an account of his behavior, when absent from
me. The result was, that he got in with fast,
reckless set of young men, who, at last, sue
ceeded in making him almost as diSSipated as
themselves. 1 was very much engrOssed IN my
business, which is my only excuse-and 1t is
poor One-fOr not having looked after him
more carefully. Besides, nothing happened to
make me suspect the true state OF affairs. AT
home, he was always affectionate and cheerful,
ready to oblige me in every way, and convers-
ing with a seeming frankness and unreserve,
which made me think him as open as the day.
When he was about twenty-One, | married, and
my wife, a most amiable and, lovely woman,
always treated him with sisterly affection, and
united with me in making my home pleasant
for him. But not very long after our mar
riage, began, for the first time, to detect
change in his conduct and manner. lie be-
came a little constrained, and was less with us
than formerly though, when questioned him
thinking he might have got into some little
trouble which l could help him out of he
laughed and declared it was all imagination,
on my part, and thus threw me off my guard
again. Not very long after this, he declared
his intention of making little tour through
some of the States, (this, you understand, was
in America. We lived in Pennsylvania, at
that time). He was now, OF course, his own
master, and at liberty to 60 where he pleased.
He left us, and after writing me two or three
letters, heard no more Of him for nearly a
year. l grew very anxious, wrote to various
addresses, and even put advertisements in the
newspaper, but without success After pc
riod of most trying suspense to me, he one day
suddenly made his appearance-but oh, how
changed Evil habits had told fearfully
upon him, and he looked years older than when
we had seen him last He told me he wanted
money that he was hard up, and had come to
me to help him. s'And what but dissipation,
Harry, can have reduced you to this cOndi-
tion 20 asked him, shocked beyond measure
at his reckless, defiant manner, SO different
from his old affectionate way. He declared
that if l refused to help him he would obtain
money by some means or other, since it was
necessary for him to have it,, l replied that
would help him, and do all could for him,
provided he would stay with us and settle
down quietly to some respectable occupation.
After some hesitation, he replied that he was
forced to 60 off again, but would shortly return
and accept my conditions. In the mean time,
lie must have some money for an imperative
purpose. Finally, consented to give it to him !;
and with some apparent return OF his former
feeling, he thanked me warmly, assured me he
would never forget my kindness, and so forth.
He went off, and | saw no more OF him, nor
had any idea where he was gone. About this
time my wife fell i'll and when she was con-
vaescent the doctor ordered us away to the
sea coast fOra change Of air. We were absent
a month, and on our return the servants told
me that a young woman, apparently i'll very
miserable circumstances, had come to the
house several times during our absence, asking
to see some of the family. The last time, she
had left little note, which she begged might
be given to me. 1t was addressed, however, to
my brother. 1 opened it, and soon discovered,
from it's contents, one reason of his altered
and strange behavior. This poor, young crea-
ture, it seems, had been deluded, by him, into
secret marriage Her parents were respect
able people, living in Connecticut, and she had
left them without their sanction: After llV,
ing awhile with her, he had deserted her, and
! Shn u.aS now ahSoluf oily without the means OF