Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-03-04
gu Original Sturg.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
THE THREAD OF FATE.
BY VICTOR VERNON.
CHAPTER XIV.

and rather drearily, since Jennie had left
Edward, having overcome the first restles;
longing to escape, to turn his back forever on
scenes which had become invested for him
with indescribably painful ideas and associa'
tions, had settled down with sort of en-
forced patience into the sober groove of duty,
attended with answering regularity and Il
delty to the business of the farm, which,
Young as he was, depended now almost entire
ly on his management Indeed, the shock
which had come upon him, by the knowledge
of his true condition, had added years, appa-
rently, to his age. He was more like sober,
middle:aged man, than youth of scarcely
nineteen. Still, Mrs. Thorndale never guessed
that he knew the secret which had been 80
carefully guarded from him, and Charity, per.
haps, was disappointed that no greater result
had followed her betrayal of it. True, his
feelings were embittered, his fresh hopefulness
and Youthful ambition crushed, if not utterly
DESTROYED, and the future darkened to his an
ticipation. But his manlness and self control, !,
his perfect dominion over passions which
might have easily mastered a weaker nature,
and aided to wreck his life. triumphed over
his adversarys malice, and filled her with an
ger and disappointment. For her, he had
never look or word If they CHANGED to
meet, which was but seldom, he ignored her
presence as utterly as though he were blind
and deaf He could not yet fathom the depth
of her hatred for him, or its cause. But he
knew her to be serpent in his path, and,
therefore, avoided all farther contact with so
venomous foe.
He longed, sometimes, with an intense
yearning, for the light and sweetness of Jen-
MES presence What it had been to him, he
had not fully realized until he was deprived
of it. Dear little Jennie! She bad only
been pet and plaything in the household,
picture to look at, blossom fair and fragrant
to touch delicately and shield from harm
She had been too passive and too indolent to
take useful part in their daily routine, anc
for this cause, perhaps, her absence was not
so keenly felt by Mrs Thorndale, whose chief
tenderness and pride were centeredin her boy,
as it would have been had she relied upon
her more. Not that she did not miss her.
1t was impossible for her not to do that. But
the deep, unutterable regret-the intense,
aching, longing-the sense of desolation, of a
blank left never to he supplied by another
all these were felt by Edward. and by him
alone Boy, though he was, all mans force
and feeling were developed in him. He loved
his former companion and playmate with a
mans deep love, and loved her the more be-
cause he believed her to be lost to him forever.
Her letter-the letter she wrote Mrs. Thorn
dale, at Eugene's desire-came one pleasant
summer evening, not quite year after she
had gone away from the farm. She wrote
regularly, and it was, therefore, without sur
prise-though not without the futtering tre-
lnor of his heart, which he always felt at the
sight of her beloved handwriting-that he re
ceived it from the hands of the old postman,
who brought the mails, and carried it to Mrs.
Thorndale, to read.
"From Jennie Open it, my dear, won't
you, and read it to me? | don't think she
ever has any secrets, and my eyes are 50 dim
this afternoon, don't believe | could make it
out"
After molnentary hesitation, Edward
broke the seal. The first page contained moth
ing unusual-a description Of her life at the
chateau, of which she had written once al
ready. Suddenly, as he turned to the next,
and read the name of Eustace, his heart gave
a leap, the color rushed all over his face, and
then retreated, leaving it deathly pale
"Pshaw it must be only coincidence, he
said to himself; and before Mrs Thorndae
had observed his momentary agitation, he
mastered it, and read on. But again he
stopped-something suffocated his voice, and
prevented his reading farther, for there, before
his ewes was his mothers name! The letters
seemed to swim before him, and he put his
hand up to his dizzy brow.
"What is the matter? p cried Mrs Thorn
dale, in sudden alarm. "Is anything wrong?"
Read" he answered, thrusting the paper,
which shook and rustled in his trembling
grasp, into her hand. The old lady, hastily
adjusting her spectacles, proceeded to obey
him. But she, too, had barely read line
when her agitation became so great that she
could scarcely control herself sufficiently to
60 on.
"Merciful heavens" she exclaimed, in trem.
ulous tones "can it be that we have been de-:
ceived all these years, and that the good God
is bringing the truth to light ?"
Edward, conquering the weakness, which
for the moment, had made him incapable OF
rational thought, now came to her side, and
leaning over her shoulder, read, with her, the
words, so unconsciousy y penned, which were
to him a revelation of happiness, and of hope
for the future, which he had thought extin,
guished forever for him, in this world. With
feverish, intense eagerness, he scanned them ;
with absorbing anxiety he scrutinized each
syllable, to assure himself that what they re-
vealed to him was no chimera, no mere fanci-
full invention, but sober and solid statement
of facts, which could be easily proved. And
when the conviction impressed itself upon
them both, that it was absolutely so, he hid
his face upon his arm and burst into tears,
like a little child.
"My boy! my boyw said old Mrs. Thorn
dale, as she stroked, with loving, tremulous
hands the bowed head that was so dear to
her. "My poor Helen's own dear child
Bless God for this day, and for the means
whereby He has seen fit to make things work
together to bring this matter so wondrously
about"
"Mrs. Thorndale-no, aunt, my dear aunt,
said Edward, looking up presently, when he
could speak, 81 must set off for France at
once-I must get ready without moments
delay. 1 must see myths gentleman, and
get confirmation, from his own lips, concern
ing what Jennie has written. You will spare
me, for such purpose, won't you"
"Assuredly, my child. Would put any
stumbling block in your way, in matter like
this 1t was undoubtedly the hand of Prov
idence which led Mr.. Stanley here, to be an
instrument in bringing this discovery about
by carrying our dear Jennie away to foreign
country, where she was to meet this gentle
man, and thus learn this wonderful news
Surelv H;s yavs re nost fndinp ont ~