Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-01-06
an Original Stnrp.
Written for the Yorkvile Enquirer.
THE LADY OF LINTON
By WALTER MOsGAN.
CHAPTER II.

gagement of her oldest daughter to talented
though struggling young lawyer, who had TO
some time past been paying his addresses tt
her. The mutual attachmelt of the pair hat
been no secret, and the engagement was mo-
unexpected, as all relatives concerned on botf
sides viewed the affair Tith appreciation
Still, the positive settlement of what had beer
so long pending was a mattG of excitement tt
the quiet circle, and Mrs Ibpe wrote as II hel
heart was full. OF course, ,she said, mo def
mite period had been tixet yet, or could bt
fixed, for the marriage. Georges prospects
were still too uncertain, and Leila was sc
vom,p thew could afford1to wait. She said
nothing of the pang it Wbuld cost her to give
up this dear and helpful eldest girl, who had
SO long been her compaIfon and stay but
Cyril could imagine all that she would feel.
ssIt would be good ting if / could get a
parish somewhere, with decent salary he
thought to himself. sThen 1 could make
mother and the girls comfortable, and Leila's
marriage wouldn't affct them much Be-
sides. she and George night even live with us
for while, if we had rom. One more III the
family couldn't make much difference. A
house like this, for insance-tlat would be
very cosy and nice. wouldn't be sorry to
have this parish fall inb my hands. But it's
not likely that DR.. RNford entertalns any
idea of giving it up"
He went to bed with his mind so full of
thoughts of home, thatthere was no room for
anv others to intrude, md visions of the dear
familiar faces there ho'ered through the night
around his pillow. With the morning light,
however. came anothr visiOn-that of the
white, sorrowful, sttue-like cOntenance
which had so deeply impressed him Oh the
evening before, and w,oSe impression he could
not efface from his mmory. | do not know
that he tried very hrtl to efface it. There
was sort of pleasurDle excitement III lin
gering over it in connecting allSortS OF vague
Fascinating fancies With it, such as, for in
stance, the idea of hating it constantly before
him; of being able tt feast his eyes on the
rare beauty of those Failures; to drink in the
glances of the deep yes whose language he
could not vet read tt listen to the sweet, yet
all too sad tones of the low, liquid voice,
which had seemed nch music to his ear
Surely, he thought, itwould he happiness to
have such privilege as this And he pic
tured to himself tine when the brightness
and coloring of newoy should illumine that
pale face when it slould be irradiated by
smiles whose light sould beam upon him
Foolish Cyril! He wandered off into heaven
knows what wilderness of dreams, following a
very ignis fatuus of Imagination, until he knew
not what ground he stood upon. Had he fallen
in love with Lady Hepburn? Had one even
ing of her society Suffied to turn him mad
1t seemed madness, truly, to indulge in
thoughts like these. She, a widow of ten
years standing; olderthan himself by several
years, his superior in Rnk, immeaSurably re-
moved from him by a total difference in all
their Surroundings-hC could it be possible
that she would ever, fG a single instant, ad-
NIT the idea of what he was rash enough to
dwell upon in his secret thoughts
1t has often been said, AID justly, that a
young mans early fancy is always the more
fatal when it has for it's Object a woman con-
siderably older than himself. Wherein TIN
special fatality consists, | am lot philosopher
enough to determine but maly cases mi ght
be cited to prove the truth of he statement.
A boys fancy for a girl may lie easily over
come; but boys liking, or love, for a ma
tured woman, usually takes too deep a root to
be thus destroyed. 1t may be that the boy
and girl, standing on a common platform OF
youth and inexperience, he feelsthe equality
between them, and regards, ughadmiringly,
without reverence; while the woman, who is
his superior IN ageahd in the knowledge Of the
world, is raised above his level She occHpieS
position which he has not yet attiined. lie
feels that she has wisdom and experience of
which he knows nothing, and her higher at
tainments cOmmaIl his respect, as veil as his
affection. In her he sees being of superior
order, who is not 10 be lightly or irplevantly
approached She is invested with peculiar
Importance in his eyes. Her love is a thing
not easy to be won and for this reasorhe feels
that he would stake much, very much. to win
it. Of course it is in comparatively rare in
stances that a young man really falls III love
with woman much his senior. He may care
to marry her fiOm motives of interest, even
if she be plain or otherwise unattractiVe, but
not from motives of affection. 1t is only
where she is invested with some rare perfec-
tion of person or mind, that his fancy is
taken captive, and, thus captured, finds itself
fettered by almost indiSSoluble bonds. Happy
for the shy yet eager lover when the object of
his worship isnoble, and worthy of so fresh
and pure an ofering
Cyril wondeed how soon it would be fitting
for him to accept Lady Hepburn's invitation
to call upon hr.. Had she really been in ear
nest about it, Dr had she merely rendered it to
him for pOliteleSS' sake? At all events there
could be nothing in the way of his taking ad-
vantage of it. The position he occupied at
present in thepariSh was, in itself, sufficient
to gain him tie privilege OF being admitted as
Il visitor, into my household numbering itself
among his congregation. Yes, he would GER
tainly call upon her-wOuld certainly call
soon. There could he no improperly in his
going soon--st once, if he wanted to. He
thought aboutit all that day, and finally de-
cided to go tn. next evening. 1t was so lone
ly tramping about the roads after dusk, that
he resolved tOhire horse but when on his
way to some sahles near by in order to make
an arrangement to this effect, he encountered
Col. Gainsbor, who stopped to speak to him.
Glad to met you," said the Colonel, in his
.ta NIr1S I,lcf my
way to see ye;.--N to pay visit hut
to mention something which omitted to say
to you when Du We're at our house. | wanted
to tell you tat we've got plenty OF horses
eating their lads off at home, and as long
as you're her III be glad to place one of
them at your disposal. | know ReXford has
taken his VITA him. Not that you'd have
found him of much service, for he's a poor
old beast.''
Cyril expressed his thanks for the OppOr-
tune offer, I'D before they parted, Colonel
GainSboro arrnged to send suitable animal
over within ii, next hour or two to the Rec
tory stable. You needn't trouble yourself
about the careOf him. he added ''I'll send
ii man to see I'll about that. Just ride as
much as you vint, and don't I've afraid of giv
ing him too mlah exercise; it'll do him good.
Accordingly, soon after Cyril got back tC
the Rectory, the promised steed arrived; ;
tine-looking bay well-formed and gentle, prom
iSing to be Il valuable addition to the cOnve
niences and comforts which the young clergy
man was alreadyin possession of. He had ;
strong affection pr horses, but had never beel
fortunate enough to own one. He patte(
''Conrad's' glossy arrhed neck, made friends
with him by letting him nibble some mouth
fuls of fresh gr.ss from his hand, then hat
him consigned t. the stable to await his con
venence, anticipating with pleasure the mail,
hours he expected to spend in the saddle, du
ring his stay.
When the time hehad appointed for his Wis