Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-11-15
r with great pang that she no longer wore

=
his ring.
"Things have gone too far: he thought
desparinly. "An explanation would be i'm
possible, now," and turning away he walk
ed rapidly down the still, moonlit road
The next morning he sent the delayed tele'
gram to Fielding Brothers, but it was toe
late, another man had been engaged tC
take command of the ship.
Three days passed away. Joe had dis
posed of his farm, and was now waiting
with his trunk packed to hear from another
firm to which he had applied fora situation
At last a favorable answer came, and as he
was to leave home next day, he went over
to Beacham's Point one morning to say
goodbye to his aunt, Mrs. Trimble, whose
husband was a relative of Phebe's. She
blessed with large family of children, and
was continually being visited by "his and
her own folks" "his folks" who lived "out
West" and hers who lived 'down East, y
until she was, as she frequently declared,
"Jest about tuckered out"
"Well, there, Joe, I am pleased to see
you," said she, ''for once, 1 hain't got no
body but jest my own family ter see to; but
last week ] had sich a raid o. company that
l had to send fur Phebe ter come m help
me fur day or two, for what's one hired
girl with minister cousin that's jest got
merried m his Wife's sister-in-laW ter wait
upon. A ministereXpectse extry perliteness,
and minister jest merriedis beyond every
thing; m his BRIDE mercy on us I hain't
got my mouth out Of it's pucker yit, tryin'
ter talk genteel to her. Phebe didn't mind
her, though she wuz jest the same as COM
mon, m spoke m laughed jest ez easy as
she would to you or me-"
oil I 1nr,)
see but what you look pretty smart and rosy
in spite of your trials,' said he.
"Oh lor, yes! eff 1 was dyin' I should
look jest so rugged m healthy [ s'pose, m
that's what sends all his folks m my folks a
delicate, they say they don't wanter put up
at the house, though I never saw the day I
could do the gaddin' that Lovisy kin, m
Jane is so pestered with the asthmy, tibet
they let her alone, entirely. But don't be-
gin ter be ser strong ez she is should be a
corpse if I should undertake to do the work
she gifts through with, jestas easy as moth
in at all. don't want ter be inhospitable,
m I do like to hev my folks to come ter
see me, but ter hev almost strangers come
Jest fur convenience, ter be waited on by
inches, it's more m ken stand with any
kinder patience. But how is it with you,
Joe 1 heard fust that you warn't goin' ter
sea agin' but he'd bought farm, m was a
goin' to settle down ter home, m then agin,
only Yesterday, heard that you was goin'
ter sail as Cap'n of some strange brig, right
away. They did say, m hope twas true,
tried to make her tell me about it when she
was over here 'tother day, but she's as
as ever her father was. They
say she's a goin' with the schoolmaster."
"Twon't do to believe rumOrs, Aunt Hit
ty. There's nothing between Phebe and
me-" said he, trying to speak coolly. 81 did
buy the Snow place. 1t was for sale az a
bargain, and L thought might like to farm
it sometime. had the money Uncle Dan
iel left me, you know, and it had to be in
vested, of course"
"Phebe is a good girl as ever stepped, m
he'll be a lucky man that gets her, there's
no mistake" remarked Aunt Hitty, with
uncalled for severity of tone, 81 feel real
kinder disappointed bout you m her. But
there, 'taint no use to talk. This is world
of sorrer ~
Joe felt like echoing her profound sigh,
but he smiled instead, and made an effort to
turn the conversation into another channel.
Aunt Hitty's tongue was extremely voluble
on almost any sub bject, and once turned in
stop. He tried her on Deacon Lewis eX-
travagance in building his new house, and
was highly successful. She knew every lit
tie detail of the affair, and dwelt upon it
long and eXcitedly. And then Joe thought
he would 60 out into the tielda and find Uncle
Silas, and in this way he escaped return
to the subject of ''Phebe" until after dinner
time. AS soon as possible after dinner,
having done his duty toward his nearest
living relatives, he proposed taking a quiet
leave.
Returning to the house with his uncle, at
the lusty invitation of the dinner horn, he
found Il scene of agitation being enacted in
the kitchen. Tom, an unlucky urchin OF
ten, had broken the cream pitcher, greatly
to his mothers distress and indignation.
She scolded and lamented by turns.
cts the last milk-pitcher Ive got in the
house exceptin' my best chany one, that l
keep for company" she lamented. "Ev-
erything goes crash, smash in this house till
there ain't much of anything left, m it's all
clear, sheer carelessness."
"But / forgot about knockin' against the
table, MOTHER" piped trembling master
Tom, in lively remonstrance against an OBJ
jectional use of the birch which had been
repeatedly threatened. His remonstrance
was in vain, however, and before the fami-
ly gathered around the festive board, a lit
tie interview Of a more private and thrill
ing character took place in the woodShed
between the unhappy youth and his mater
nal parent, from which she emerged with a
little more heated countenance, and he with
various marks Of past woes upon his small
person.
"Now this chany pitcher'll be broke be-
fore night, see if it hain't," remarked the
anxious matron, placing a sacred, gilt band
affair filled with cream upon the table.
"Now, don't take on so bout milk
pitcher, Hitty. You couldn't take it no
harder if fsomebody's head had got smashed.
I'll get you new one when 60 down to It
the Corner, ter night. Jones hez got a new
lot O. crockery in" said Uncle Silas, sooth-
ing5y: I,. ,,. viii +,o ,,o,,. o,,o ,,,+ %, =,
quired the lady despondingly. But she
soon recovered her ordinary Vivacity and
good nature, and the meal progressed to the
tune of family and village gossip.
Joe was the first to use the "chany" pitch
er, and as he poured the rich cream which
metallic substance clinked against the side,
and came tumbling into his saucer.
"Lor, what is that in the cream:" ex-
claimed his aunt who sat by his side. "It's
something thet's got in sence we set down
to the table, for l SKINNED the milk myself,
m jest poured it into the pitcher.
Joe proceeded to investigate. Something
which glittered like gold shone through the
cream in his spoon.
ooh, 1 know, I Know" exclaimed the
lady, eXcitedly, "it's Phebe's ring. She
must have lost it off when she wiped the
pitcher. / remember l washed the dishes
that day and she wiped 'em for me. Lucy
Ann was ironing. How glad she will be
ter find it again. Ideclare never saw any.
body take on 50 about anything ez she did