Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-07-13
Che gturp Teller.
A RARE CASE.

Mattie's story was simple enough. The Or
pban child Of former servant in wealthy
family, Matte had shared the lessons and the
play of the young daughter of the house, until
the time came when it was convenient TO turn
the humble companion adrift to work TOR her
self. 1t may have been piece of the i'll luck
his neighbor ascribed to Drew, that it should
have been to his farm the girl came as help to
his sister, or it may have been piece OF his
good nature that made him agree to take un-
der his roof this pretty lass, unframed for
service and educated far above her station.
Drew's widowed sister, Mrs. Banks, who
lived with him, and whose child it was, Matte
had come to purse, amongst other duties TOO
numerous to mention, for there was buc one
servant kept. Drew's sister exclaimed in de-
spair when the farmer brought home the young,
lady-like, delicate-looking girl:
1--WE want a strong, hard-worklng lass !!
This one does not know her right hand from
her left. She is as good as a lady-or as bad,
and has never MIXED a COW in her life What
were YOU thinking of to bring her here !''
"Ah that's just my luck well, we must do
the best we can with her. If the steward had
never mentioned her to me, now-bnt then he
did mention her to me, and here she is"
There she was, and there she stayed. Apt
to learn, willing to be taught, grateful for the
real kindness she met with, Matte was soon
the best hand at milking for miles around, and
soon became devoted to the baby. Three years
passed quietly, and then came the real romance
of Matties life.
She was twenty that summer, and Adam
Armitage, grave man, was fully ten years
her senior. A traveller, member OF world
renowned scientific society, a student and dis
coverer; he was between two scientific expedi-
tions, refreshing heart and brain by a walking
tonr through the home counties.
Adams walking tour ended at the farm
Drew had taken only a year before, and the
dwelling house it had been found more con-
yenient to inhabit than the smaller building
on the old land close to the road. Mr.. Ar
mtage found the pure air OF the Downs good
for him. He made friends with all the family
To Matte it was delightful to meet once more
some one with all the tricks Of speech and
manner of refined society amongst which her
youth had been passed. Little Harry followed
this new friend wherever he went; Harry's
mother called him a right down pleasant gen.
tleman the farmer called him good man.
They all missed him when he went away,
Matte most Of all but the following summer
saw him there again welcome old friend this
time, and no stranger.
Drew, a keen observer of all that went on
around him, was not so much taken by sur
prise as his sister was one day, toward the
end of this second visit. Adam and Matte
were both mysteriOusly missing. A strong
armed country lass made her appearance be-
fore night. She was the bearer of note from
Matte, confessing that she and MIR. Armit-
age were married, and hoping the servant sent
might supply her place so that no one would
be inconvenienced. Drew might shake his
head and look thoughtful, but Mr.. Almitage
was his own master; and it was not the first
time gentleman had married a country lass.
Besides, the deed was done and past recall.
They had gone quietly to one of the churches in
the town from whence the sound of bells
floated up to the farm, and had been married
by special license. Adam had taken lodging
for his bride, and there they passed one brief,
bright week of happiness; then one morning,
walking quietly back together, Matte blush
ing and smiling, and looking so lovely and
ladylike in a simple dress that she used to
wear before she came to the farm, that they
hardly knew her.
Adam explained that he meant to leave his
wife for two days-no more-in the care of
her old friends, at the end of that time he
would return and fetch her.
There were arrangements to be made in re-
gard to the scientific expedition about to start
Immediately. 1t would sail without him now,
but it behooved him to do his best that his
place should be as well filled as might be.
There was his mother to see, and prepare for
receiving Matte.
Matte walked a little way with her hus-
band and the farmer along the breezy uplands,
and then Adam sent her back, and hastened
his own steps in the direction of the little
station at the foot of the Downs. When he
came again, he said, laughing, that it would
be from B. station, and that he would
drive in fly through the Stonedene Gate
along the track, the only approach to car
riage road leading to the farm.
Matte went away smiling as he thought
she would do and only paused now and then
to look after the two men as long they remain
ed in sight 1t was natural that she should
feel little afraid of this unknown lady,
Adams mother, but that fear was the only
shadow on Mattie's path. 1t was an idyl, a
poem, as true love-story as the world has
seen, that had written itself here in this out
of-the-way spot on the lonely Sussex Downs.
On the third day they might look for Adam
to return, but that day passed and many an
other, until the days were weeks, and the weeks
months and he neither came nor wrote. Mat
tie remembered how when she had turned to
look back for the last time upon that home
ward walk, she had seen his figure distinct
against the sky for one instant, and in the
next lost it entirely as he passed out of sight
over the swelling line of hills. just so she
seemed TO have lOSt falCh ana trust III MN
but never ceased to watch for his coming
again.
Drew, aftera time, either goaded to the steI
by his sisters loud mouthed arguments, OF
prompted to it by his own sense of what was
due to Matte, not only took pains to ascertain
that the marriage was real enough, but the
further pains of searching for and finding the
address of Adam Armitage, in London. IT
was strange how this girl and her former mas
ter both trusted Adam in the face of his mex
plcable silence in the face of even more
ominous discovery made of Drew when il
town-the discovery that he had never men
toned Matties name to his mother, or alluded
to Matte at all. As for Adam, Mrs. Armit
age had declared he was not with her then an;
that she could not give an address that would
find him ; an assertion that confirmed Matte
in the idea that he had started on those fa
away travels he had so often spoken of to her
AS autumn passed and the evenings grew
chill with the breath of coming winter, Mat
ties health seemed to fail. The deep melan
choly that oppressed her threatened to breal
the springs of life. In order to escape from
Mrs. Banks, the girl took to lonely wandering
over the Downs-wanderings that always end
ed at Stonedene-until, with the instinct of
wounded animal that seeks to endure it's pail
alone, or from the ever present recollection o
the last words of Adam, when he said it wa
by wav of Stonedene that he would return