Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-11-30
The Sturv Teller.

Uhe Story Ueller.
A SLIGHT ATTACK.
"She'sa well-mannered girl, anyhow, George,
you can't deny that"
ssMy dear auntie, have no wish to deny
any statement you may make regarding the
Young lady. I would not for the world de-
tract one iota from the respect you entertain
for her. III fact your enthusiasm is conta-
gious, and as l sit here imagination pictures
for me a vine-clad cottage among the hills,
whose presiding genius. The genius of the
cottage, you know, not the hills)."
George Burton, when l was young, what
came out of mans mouth was considered
good evidence of what was in his head, )" en-
phatically interrupted the old lady, unmindful
that her ''specs' had fallen into the dough
which she had been so vigorously kneading.
IAN exploded theory, my dear aunt" re-
turned the young man, gingerly extracting the
glasses from the mass of dough. "A very ex-
ploded theory. In fact this is an age of explo-
ded theories, notwithstanding one wise max
i'm stands unrefuted, namely, ''What's sauce
for the gander is sauce for the goose" and
vice versa. Now if your proposition was a
correct one regarding the young men OF the
present day, it would also be correct regarding
the young women, and if it were, what evil
dence we have of the inexhaustible wealth OF
intellect bestowed upon the feminine portion
of the community here in EtOnvlle," and
with light laugh George Burton escaped
from the kitchen, leaving Aunt Jane to her
bread and wonderment as to "What has got
into George lately. | used to think the boy
had uncommon good sense for his years, but II
now after he's turned thirty, he's going to
take up the shilly-shally way of thinking and
talking, that so many young folks oW-a-days
have, shall be disappointed in him. Yes, l
shall be disappointed in him.. reiterated the
old lady as she carefully folded a spotless tow
ell over her bread and placed it behind the
oven where it would ''raiSe quick"
81 had thought that he and Lucy Evans,
but pshaw, woman that didn't know enough
to say ,es to the right man when she was
young, shouldn't turn matchmaker in her old
age,,' and the spinster of fifty tied the strings
of her bonnet with an energy indicative OF a
strong desire to mortify the flesh of that girl
of twenty, who did not say yes, and had re-
gretted it for thirty years.
Under the wide spreading oak this sultry
August morning, George Burton is doing what
many a man has done before, mentally dis
cussing the pros and cons regarding the ellgl-
bilty of two young ladies for the position OF
wife.
For ten years he had been the not altogether
unconscious object of much matrimonial ang-
ling, and had been at times quite amused at
the visible dismay with which the fair angler
has seen him politely accept the bait while ne
ingeniouSly avoided the hook, but to-day he
is in a state of mild perturbation, for he GRIM
" surmises that at last he has swallowed the
hook while intending only to nfbble at the bait.
Worse still, there is fOreboding suspicion in
the mind of the rising young barrlSter that ne
is not even to be landed. only to be left tloun-
dering as best he can. while worst OF all he
cannot determine whether or not the line was
thrown with malice aforethought as regards
himself
In fact George Burton is in rather an unen-
viable frame of mind 1t has always been his
intention ''some day" to re6t and refurnish
his beautiful residence in E., and install
therein beautiful wfe-and the figure of May
Percival has always been associated with the
other beautiful objects with which fancy was
wont to adorn his future home. But Aunt
James reign is SO thoroughly comfortable that,
with the procrastination common to his pro-
fession, he had put off the day Of better things
in his present content, and now in aroused
conscience tells him that Miss Percival has a
moral right to the attentions which he feels a
SCfOnS mcmahon 10 OeSCOW upon lue ny HO
means equally gifted Lucy Evans.
No marriage engagement had ever existed
between George Burton and Mary Percival,
only they had both come tacitly to acquesce
in Society's evident conclusion that the wealthy
young lawyer and Judge Percival's accom-
plished daughter were destined to be happily
mated-and such would have continued to be
his conviction had not fate brought Lucy Ev-
ans from her western home that summer. to
visit the friends of her early childhood. They
had been firm friends in those old days, but
she was only eight years of age when her pa
rents determined to seek their fortunes in the
far west, and it is probable that neither had
thought of the other for years, When uneN
pectedly, they met ut the home of mutual
friend. He made his bow and very neat and
tlattering little speech for the benefit of thi:
western girl, while she greeted him with evi
dent pleasure. The night Shade of disappoint
ment visible in her eyes deepened, however
during the evening, and at length, trite net
tied he turned to her suddenly and said
''What is it of which you so disapprove
Miss Evans -
He had expected to see her blush and falte
in her reply but she only looked at him Sc
renely as she said
81 rather think l disapprove of you gener
ally"
''I am extremely, unfortunate" he sarcas
tically returned ''but perhaps if you woul'
specify-''
''Oh, don't be angry" she interrupted
''only you were such dependable boy"
''And am / not dependable man Thanks.
':Please don't be offended, but" with spirit
II don't think you are nearly so nice as yo
were ten years ago"
''Ah, then dependable means nice?"
mo it does not-not in the least, only
''Only what ? Will you define dependable TO
me?"
''No, was never good at definitions.
'!YOu mean that | am hot to be trusted,
reproachfully.
Not quite so bad as that, though I don
think should trust you in-ln some things,
hesitatingly.
Would it be too much to ask you to men
ton one or two of those things"
''Yes, Mr.. Burton, it would, and don't lie
us annoy each other anymore, please, but
good friends Tell your amt | am comm
to stay all the afternoon with her tomorrow.
II am sure she will be pleased. Does de
pendable apply to Aunt Jalre, Miss Evlns !?
Yes, emphatically. Good night. Papa
coing,'' and Lucy Evans left George Burto
more thoroughly interested i'll her than he ha
ever before dreamed of being in any woman
That was the beginning. The end came tha
August morning under the old oak tree.
We will not accuse Lucy Evans OF coquetr!
nor George Burton of infideity to an engage
ment which had never really existed but q