The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-11-16
NARROWLY ESCAPED.


ding her head as she did so. Her hostess
looked at her in SURPRISE and her
hostess's daughter, Amy Featherstone,
lost from her face ali semblance Of atten-
ton to the conversation of young Mr..
Carton.
"You think 80, Mis-. Carton?" inter
rogatively, from Mrs. Featheistone.
IL certainly do. Laura Gordon is a
beauty, and very captivating; DIR. Fer
rors is rising man The match would
please her family Then there is the
power of propinquity, you know" affirm
ed Mrs. Carton, as she rose. Come,
Bruce, if you are done saying pretty
things We will 60"
Bruce Cartons complimentary remarks
were certainly at end, it WAS 40 evident
that the girl was lost in her own thoughts.
lie rose, casting half reproachful last
glance at the fair downcast countenance,
and in a moment Mrs. Fcathcrslonc's
callers, mother and son, had taken their
departure.
In spite of herself, Amy looked pitt
fully ut her mother.
81 do not believe it, dear" said Mrs.
Feathcrstone.
mother, !. in;y;'s hear: sc. ached as though.
~ oMVld baI DCCii iii uSI tOuc
stood at the window moment, bnt ahc
turned away at last, and went up to her
own room.
She flung herself face downwards across
the bed, and lay shiyering and thinking
bitterly enough in the chamber.
Though her mother had the utmost con-
lidcnce Of the pure, young girls heart,
she wanted to be alone awhile with her
mcditationg.
All the long, pleasant Autumn, Charles
Ferrors had frequented Mossmere, as the
picturesque old house was called and
for weeks Amy had enjoyed the sunshine
of his society, sweet and unconscious AZ n
flower
But one day her father had said with
half.laugh
Child, do you imagine yonr handsome
doctor comes TO ses me or your mother?
No; he comes to see you"
Amy's blue eyes grew wide with sur
prise.
Mother = she said, appealingly, the
rosy color mounting to her temples.
Certainly, my dear you are sixteen
years old, good and pretty. Why not2"
responded Mrs. Feathcrstone, quietly.
The color faded slowly from the soft
cheeks. Amy grew thoughtful; from
that moment she was no longer child.
And all that winter the visits of Dr.
Ferrors at Mossmere continued. 1t was
delightful home, and Amy, 10 widely
different from the girls of the period
whom he was constantly in the habit of
meeting, had a decided charm for him.
She was his secret ideal of what q girl
ought to he; and yet there was Laura
Gordon and the influence Of Elmcroft,
the most magnificent estate in the coun.
ty.
II WAS often frequcnted-yes, thronged
by the wealthiest, the gayest, the most
fashionable people. He saw them con-
stnntly, daily lived in this artifcia!ly at
mosphere. He felt sometimes that only
the grave responsibility of his calling
and the influence of the sweet girl at
Mossmere kept him from becoming as
light butterfly as the rest
And part Of the luxury of Elmcroft
was Laura Gordon. No pictured crea-
tion wns ever so bewilderingly fair-a
hour, with nothing to employ her idle
white fingers but the counting of the
rose.tnted pearls that formed her favor.
ite necklace.
And for DIR. Ferrors all her smiles were
honestly sweet. His voice, manners, and
beautiful physique pleased her fancy, and
oiIo hhch thaI uo WdS COuSfueTeQ talent-
ed
AS Mra. Carton had said, "The match
would be agreeable to The family" And
vaguely he felt it.
Mrs. Featherstone saw, with concern.
that Amy loved, was drecpiug, aud i'm.
pulsively comha!!ed Tie ideE .hat A.y.
Ferrors loved another. She had studied
the young man-beleved that he appre.
ciated her daughter; and if this were
true, how could he marry Laura Gordon,
with her selfishness, beautiful rs she
Way
"Propinquity p" she murmured. "That
is an argument against it. He must,
thrown so much in her society," learn her
selfishness, her insincerity, her heartless-
ness."
But for Amy there was no such hope.
full consolation. She had great selfre.
spect, but little selcesteem, and with
deep appreciation Of beauty, caused by
an artistic temperament, her cause, SC
modest III it's claims, seemed quiet lost.
"Of course he will forget me for her I"
she mused.
Mrs. Carton was own aunt to DR.. Fer
rors. Her house was fine one, on the
outskirts of Highbridge, and just at this
tine shs gsvs large, seslsrel party, IN.
s.s'hb eAN No'oouSi ucE uepueW, Lno
Featherstones, aud many Others.
Il do not care to 60, mother" said
Amy dejectedly.
Poor child Tho world seemed go
very hollow, and she was so young, aud her |
powers Of endurance undeveloped. But
she yielded to her mothers wishes. and
when the pale brown silken hair, with its
tinge of gold, was looped in great braiLs,
and fastened from tho white temples aud
roseate cheeks by sprays of face.like |
green, that TAILED from the graceful Golf. |
feur to the hem of the rustlipg, moonlit.
silken robe, no fairy was ever statelier
Q. ,ove!ier. Amy saw her beauty with a |
start Of surprise.
"Mother, am really so pretty ?" she !
asked, looking with innocent eyes of |
frank delight into her mothers pleased |
and tender face.
"My darling you are beautiful and good
as you are fair"
And so. with her secret grief half con.
soled' by these words Of love, Amy vent
to the party.
There were many strangers present, |
and among them a little, wrinkled, old
lady, with plain cap and black alapaca
dress, looking strangely out of place in
her corner, though evidently much en-.
tertained by the novel sight of the gay
company. Her dress was extremely neat.
and suited 70 her years, If not to the oc.
casi0n.
And Amy and her mother, after sin.
u y