Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-01-08

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let me be near you. I'll work hard and be
saving, and help you to grow rich. You'll
never have cause to repent your choice"
Confused and almost overborne by the sud
denness and unexpected nature of the appeal,
it was no wonder that at first young Thorn
dale was struck dumb with embarrassment
and surprise. 1t must be a sufficiently try
ing position for any man to find himself in,
as the object of such an appeal; but one
somewhat experienced in the ways of the
world may find means to extricate himself
from it, whereas another less sophisticated is
apt to be drawn into compliance, against his
will, simply for the lack of the presence of
mind to refuse. John Thorndale, with no
knowledge but that gained from farm.life and
association with minds as simple as his own,
found himselfutterly at disadvantage. Here
was his cousin, an undoubtedly clever and
handsome girl, confessing a weakness which to
a certain degree was fattering to his vanity,
though it did not touch!his heart. 1t seemed
impossible that he should marry her; yet how
could he wound her feelings by a fiat rejec.
ton of her overture? He blushed crimson,
hestated and stammered, then tried to turn it
off as joke; but she was far too much in ear.
nest to allow him to do that. Indeed, she
was terribly in earnest, as he found to his
cost and before the interview was over, he
had been led into saying some words which
might be construed into a semicompliance
with her wish, though certainly he did not
wish them to be so construed. He was thank
full for an interruption, which came at last in
the shape of message from some one who
wished to see him. and after that he was
careful to avoid another chance Of private
conversation with Charity, though she was
continually on the watch to find one. After
time, Mrs Thorndale, suspecting something
of the girls feelings, though ignorant Of the
extent to which they had carried her, made
pretext for sending her away on visit, and
while she was gone she managed to learn
from her son the true condition of affairs.
Naturally indignant at what she regarded as
a betrayal of her own kindness, and unwar-
rantable presumption on the girls part, she
declared that she would not again receive her
beneath her roof, and wrote to the person to
whom she had sent her, to make arrange.
ments that she should remain permanently in
her present abode. The arrangements she
desired were duly effected, and Charity, to
her great but unavailing wrath, found herself
thus cut off from all intercourse with the one
she most cared for and most eagerly desired
to see again. She wrote to her cousin John,
but received no reply; and not many months
LATER. she had the modification Of learning
that he was engaged to be married to young
girl, an old companion of his, who had, af-
ter an absence of several years, returned with
her parents to settle in his neighborhood.
The marriage took place after brief engage
ment. And ten years elapsed before Charity
ever saw John Thorndale again.
In the mean time, several changes in the
family affairs occurred. Old Mrs. Thorn
dale died, and John succeeded to the posses
sion of the farm. But he did not prosper,
and piece by piece he sold off his land until
only q small portion of it remained. Two
or three children were born to him, but all
died in infancy. And he and his wife, thus
bereaved of their own little ones, received
into their hearts, as partial substitute for
what they had lost, the only child of Rich
ard Dudley, Martha Thorndale's brother; !;
a bright, beautiful and engaging little crea'
ture, whose mother had died at her birth.
Richard Dudley was thriving man, and
helped them on in many ways. His farm ad-
Joined theirs, and he was able to furnish them
with many comforts out Of his own abun-
dance, considering himself amply repaid by
his sisters motherly care and fondness for
his little Helen, whose attachment to her
aunt, in return, was. warm and deep.
One day, as John Thorndale was riding
homeward by lonely path, an unexpected
apparition stood before him. This was none
other than the figure of his cousin Charity;
changed indeed, but not sufficiently so to es-
cape recognition. Her features were thin,
and aged beyond her years. Her once bril-
liant compsxion was sallow and unhealthy,
her robust frame had lost its roundness and
become angular and gaunt, and general hard
ness and rigidity ofaspect had taken the place
of the really good looks she had boasted ofin
her youth. Stopping him with an imperious
gesture, she exclaimed, without prelude
$50 you see we've met again Don't be
afraid, I am not going to ask you to marry
me now. I've been married myself since l
saw you last; but now my husband is dead,
and I've come to ask you to give me work"
"Work!" echoed John Thorndale, when
he recovered from his astonishment sufficient
to reply.
eyes I'm destitute, and I want to get a
servants place neutrality-suspicious. where
I won't be known. Your wife never saw me;
she'll not know that I'm any relation ofyours.
I'm as strong as man; though don't look
so now, because I've been sick. | can DO
most any work; and at my needle I can't be
beat"
"But," said John, to whom this idea was
anything but pleasant one, 81 couldn't give
you servants place in my house, you know.
1t would not seem right. can try and find
employment for you somewhere else-or-"
"Seem What does it matter how things
seem ?" she rejoined with harsh laugh. GAS
said before, nobody here knows me but