Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-02-02

not her girlish love, finding more solid Dasl
than the pretty romantic fancy which ha'
| first, SO naturally from the force of circum
stances) enslaved it, have been drawn to re
spond to his? And the younger lover-th
: ardent, inexperienced boy-might, in neV
scenes, have lost the remembrance, or at leas
; the pain, of his disappointment, and formed
other ties as satisfying and as dear, and so al
would have been we'll. But these were mer'
idle dreams, fancies as unsubstantial as th'
texture of a summer cloud. He almost smiled
within himself at his folly when they crossed
his mind.
''She looks upon ME us a sort Of world-drie(
sage, immeasurably beyond her in years. II
experience. She would as soon think, proba
bly,, of bestowing her love upon Harry's un
cle," he would sometimes say. "Well, thu
knowledge of my senseless passion shall never
trouble her. Never by a breath VII disturb
the tranquility of her friendly regard, the con
fidence she so innocently reposes in me.
will be to her all she wisies, and what she il
to me none but God and myself shall know
For my own peace, it would have been vel
if the friendly waves had swallowed me up az
they threatened to do; but since may dc
GOOD to her and those she loves, it is better
that should live and her happiness shall be
my chief object through my life; to that and
that alone I will devote myself"
And this became his immovable, fixed pur
pose. the aim to which all his thoughts and
actions tended. To shield this well-beloved
one from trouble-to place himself as barrier
between her and the storms of adversity-tc
watch over her interests, to surround her with
a protecting care that should defend her, as
far as human care might, from rough contact
with the world all this he strove to do, and
vet so quietly, so naturally, 50 unobtrusively,
that he awakened no painful sense of Obliga.
tion in her heart
And she needed his care, poor child, more
and more. Her mother dropped and dropped,
becoming by degrees the merest shadow OF
her former self. Nothing seemed to sus'
tain her but her daughters love. To add
to this trial, came long, inexplicable pause
in all tidings of Harry. His correspondence
ceased. Nothing. could be heard of his ship,
which by last accounts had been cruising some
where in the neighborhood of the Orkney Is.
lands. She had been expected to return home
in the Fall of the year following his depart
ure. 1t was now June-just twelvemonth
from the time he and Sophy had plighted their
faith to one another, looking forward so con-
fdently to happy future. Only twelve
month But to the waiting, sorrowlng girl
it seemed many years. She knew not what
might be in store for her; even if her lover
should return at the appointed time, and their
marriage take place, their other plans must be
abandoned. She could not leave home, since
her mother demanded her companionshlp, her
care never would her affection to say nothing
of filial duty, permit her to relinquish that
sacred charge and yet it would be fresh mis-
cry to her, as Harry's wife, to suffer him to
20 to sea again, without her. Parted from
him she could know little peace. Even now
she was tormented by perpetual fears for his
safety-fears which were augmented by the
mysterious silence regarding him, and which
indeed seemed not without strong founda-
tion. Captain Russell, like herself, became
prey to the keenest anxiety. He made con-
slant trips to town, in order to gain the latest
shipping intelligence at an earlier date than it
could otherwise reach him but in regard to
the ''Southern Starr no news arrived. All the
old gentleman's cheerfulness was now gone.
He was restless, moody, and often irritable,
for anxiety made him lose all self-control.
Even Sophy seemed to have lost the power to
comfort him, which Notwithstanding her own
weight of trouble, she still tried to do; and
while he pretended to cherish the belief that
nothing was wrong, and would fly into rage
with any one who limited at the possibility OF
catastrophe still his own fears were apparent
in his nervous, absent manner, and the perpet-
ual restlessness which allowed him no repose.
Mr.. Erskine devoted much of his time to the
task of endeavoring to cheer and divert the
lonely old man. He did it, probably as much
for Sophy's sake as his own for she saw his
attention and was grateful for it, and it took
some of the care off of her hands.
It was long time before the transaction in
regard to the claim which Mr.. Skinner had
brought against her fathers estate, came TO
her knowledge but finally it did, quite unex-
pectedly through an inadvertent speech OF the
lawyer, Mr. Goodwin, who had been employed
| N~~S'
Nav about some papers which he wanted her
to sign. Sophy made no remark at the time
but at the very next opportunity, she taxed
Mr.. Erskine with his agency in the matter.
"IIow was it that I never heard any more
about it 2" she asked. "Mamma's health al
WAYS troubles me so that 1 forget other things,
and that is why I did not make any farther in
quiry supposed that it had all blown over
and that nothing more had to be DONE"
She paused for an answer, looking excited
and troubled he smiled, but said nothing.
''Tell me-" she insisted, Ibid you have the
money paid him ?'
eyes" he quietly answered, 81 had 1t PAID. y
s'And was there much left ? l am so lgno'
rant about everything. I don't even know
what papa left us, and mamma never talks
about money. don't believe she knows what
we have any more than do, and she isn't tit
to think about business. But you must
know"
eyes. know. investigated your fathers
affairs I got them thoroughly Strengthened
out. You need not worry yourself at all
about them everything is going on very WELL y
''Are you sure? are you telling me the
truth ?"
"Certainly 1 am, my child" The epithet
fell quite naturally from his lips !; it suited hls
benignant, fatherly tone.
ssBut still, YOU have not answered me
Please tell me if it took all we had because
YOU see, it is only right that should know
Is there much left ?"
"It did not take all you had, assure you