Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-04-19

graces as she does in her studies ?"
The parson writhed uneasily in his chair,
and then, after the manner peculiar to his
time, replied: II would that l could say SO,
Master Hood. If l advanced as quickly in
her opinion as she does in Latin and French,
I should be the happiest man in America.
l fear she will not need tutor much Ion
ger"
"Well, then," said Hood, "she will be
needing husband. Hey?"
"And dare give it my opinion" "quot:h
the minister, looking askance out OF ms
green ewes at the old farmer, "that the need
Will be satisfied sooner than people think
sooner than it could be wished for"
The farmer took his pipe from his mouth
and wheeling himself round, looked keenly
at the young man. '"That is dark speech,
Nahum. What does it mean ?" he asks.
Nahum preserved silence.
"You don't mean to say" continued the
old man, ''that she has "a lover, that L
know not of"
Nahum was still silent.
"Now, listen, Master Nahum" resumed
jeremiah: 1--WE are both men of the world.
put implicit trust in you; l respect you, l
admire YOU; and almost look upon you as
my son. You have been connected with
my family all your life, as was your father
before you, and there should not be any
thing between us. Tell me now; has my
Marjorie lover other than you? l shan't
be angry with her, although OF course,
1 shall be bitterly disappointed; for have
for a long time regarded you as the right
man, and it would be long time before |
could reconcile myself to any other. L
don't want to thwart the wench's inclina-
ton; don't think that it is fathers duty,
so long as her lover is a true colonial and a
good man. Well, speak out, man?'
"I fear, very much fear" said Mr.. Ma
hum, ''that she cares very little Tor me IN
fact she despises and ridicules me. We
have wandered together so pleasantly
that / fiattered myself our journey together
would only end with our lives. All, Master
Hood, it makes my heart ache to think that
so good, so doting, so noble father should
be SO rewarded! But fear that she is car
rying on clandestine acquaintance with
the very man of all others whom you would
least care about her knowing. have seen
them together, have seen them exchange
embraces, p
"Who is he?" cried the old man sternly.
"Now, I charge you Nahum, by all our old
friendship, to tell me-"
"Lieutenant Harraden, of the Kings
Regiment" replied the minister.
The old man started as if struck A; his dark
face grew absolutely black, and his brow
contracted so that his eyebrows formed a
bristling black hedge across his face. He
slapped his hand on his sword hilt, and said
in a voice of thunder: "She-my daughter
dare to give ear to the love speeches OF a
kings officer! to hold converse with one OF
the Instruments of our oppression, the tramp
lers of our crops, the violaters of our hearths,
the enemies of our liberty! Rather than
she should so far demean herself, L would
shoot her!"
"Nay, Master Hood,' said Nahum insin-
uatingly. "Remember she is but a young
and thoughtless girl and who ever knew a
girl who did not prefer a red coat to black
one, and empty compliments to words OF
monition? Do not be too hard on her."
"What sort Of young fellow is this Harra-
den?" know the name, somehow. Ihe
Harradens used to be neighbors of our fam
lily in Kent"
'''He is just as the rest of the kings Off
GERS are" replied Nahum.
"That means to say, l suppose, that ne
looks upon any wench as fair game; that he
drinks his two bottles of wine at a sitting;
that he CANDLES, blasphemes and fights; IS
a fop, bully, a roisterer? And such q
man thinks himself a fit husband for the
daughter of jeremiah Hood, whose grand
father fought in the cause Of Naseby, and
three of whose sons are fighting in the glo-
rious cause of liberty in America"
Nahum had shot his arrow; so he put on
his cloak, and wishing the old farmer sor-
rowful good night, went out.
The old man strobe up and down the room
in angry cogitation for some moments.
Then he called the negro Cicero. "Let Miss
Marjorie speak with me-" he said.
The servant, alarmed at the fierce express
sion upon his masters face, left the room
with a1acrity; and presently the door open
ed, and Marjorie appeared--a fresh colored,
brown eyed, brown haired lass, dressed in
the sober style prevalent amongstthed daugh-
ters of independent families, but with a
dash more coquetry in the shape of rib
bon or two and skirts above the ankles,
than was generally sanctioned amongst
these stern, God fearing colonists-a pretty
piquant, graceful girl, such as we love to
see in old red brick houses, standing In
ma,y tinted gardens, with smooth shaVen
lawns leading down to quiet rivers.
'Did you want me, father?' asked Mar
iorie, not without a tremor in her voice, as
She saw the frown upon jeremiah Hoods
brow, and noted that his hands were tight
ly clenched behind him, as was his habit
when disturbed in spirit.
eyes, 1 did," replied her father, without
moving his head toward her. 81 want a
few words with you. Shut the door.
hear that you are carrying on clandest!ne
acquaintance with one of our enemies, with
Lieutenant Harraden of the Kings Regi-
ment." No answer. "That you, the daugh-
ter of jeremiah Hood, as well known as
any man in Virginia as a champion tor the
right of the great American people, have
so far demeaned yourself as to receive the
addresses of a roistering young, top,, who
will pretend to love you and then desert
YOU; and, above ALL who wears the livery
of the tyrant." Marjorie WINGED little,
but said nothing. "He is an enemy" con-
tinued her father; "and all who have deal
ingS with the enemy are traitors to their
country and to the holy universal cause OF
liberty"
"Who told you this, father" asked Mar
jorie.
"Never mind who told me-" replied the
farmer. 81 have it upon the very best au-
thority-from one whose word have never
yet had occasion to doubt.
Iknow-that sneak Nahum Bond" mur-
INJURED the girl.
"What's that? What's that?" asked the
father, stopping in his walk.
81 said Nahum Bond was sneak, and SO
he is" repeated Marjorie, who inherited
the family spirit, although, as a rule, she
was the most demure and peaceful OF
girls.
"Never-never let me hear you talk OF
your respected tutor in that way again,
said the angry old man. ''Sneak indeed
That's a new tangled English word, and
sounds very genteelly on the lips of colo,
nial lady forsooth! have the best respect
for Mr.. Nahum; l respect him for his hon
esty, for the love he bears me, tor his hu'
mifity, his steadiness, and his thrift: He is
the man I had fixed upon as fitting hus