Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-04-12
.The Sturp Teller.
A HAPPY COINCIDENCE.

A HAPPY COINCIDENCE.
"Poor old soul. how white she is !-and
how weak she looks, and how sad ~ said
Clara Story, the tears of beautiful, Womanly
compassion gathering thick in the blue eyes
and slowly coursing down the blooming
cheek.
She stood in the doorway of the farm sit
tine-room, and the sunshine from the broad
summer fields outside rushed about her, and
made living gold of her beautiful hair, and
she stood in its light, with heavenly pity
on her pure face, as though she nag ul. out
newly alighted upon earth from some talrer
region. -,
She was looking at the figure of an old
woman, crouched on low armchair, at the
opposite wall. mi
were dragged down at the heel, thick with
the mud Of many highways, and in some
places burst open; the dress-an old silk
one-was very ragged, but not as from wear !;
there were great rents, as if the poor soul
had forced her way through thorn and bram-
ble-thickets.
Her head was uncovered, and the gray
hair fell disheveled and unkempt. Her face
was pinched, very white and hollow-cheek-
ed. She had all the look of a vagrant, wan
dering from place to place, ready. to take re-
venge on society for real or fancied wrongs
received from it.
So thought Aunt Deborah, as she came
into the room, at the moment, with plate,
holding golden pyramid of blocks OF but
ter.
"Gracious sakes, child" cried Aunt De-
in the name of goodness? Why did you let
her in at all ?"
"Well, Aunt Deb" said Clara, quietly, "!
can hardly say that 1 let her in but found
her on the road, just at our gate, almost
fainting, and brought her in, aunt, as am
sure YOU would do yourself"
Gall very well, child but this creature is
tramp, and one Of the seediest11and hate
tramps, and you know L 40. ana I'm not
brother Thomas, which is all the same
filed with nasty creatures, all over mud;
and heaven knows what they have picked
up in the woods, and swamps, and bitches.
So, nv old woman, just let me see you
tramp out of my house this minute!'
The old woman turned a lack-lustre eye
ON the speaker, and stared at her as if hard
ly comprehending her; but Aunt Deborah,s
raised voice, the flush on her face, ana,
above all, the expressive gesture toward the
door, We're too significant to be mlsunder-
stood.
The poor creature feebly rose, and with
half.boW, the grace of which formed sim
gular contrast to her dress and appearance,
tottered, rather than walked, slowly toward
the door. .
She did not reach it, for Clara, with fit
full color in her cheek, and certain steeiy
CLINT shining in her eyes, was by the ola
Woman's side, and led her back to her seat.
AS the poor old creature reached 1T, she sank
down on the edge then sliding from it to
the floor, lay there, a heap of muddy rags,
with the white face, now insenslble staring
out from it.
She has tainted, aunt. Fetch smelling
bottle and a glass of water!
Her voice was stern, and Aunt Deborah
had never seen such an expression in the
handsome young face.
"Law, child!" she said, as she came in
with the two requirements, and buised her.
self about the insensible form, 81 never
thought the poor creature could be took SO
hard. If had looked into her face little
closer 1 might have seen she warn't IN no
fit condition to tramp the roads. But" she
added, in whisper, "she be awful dirty,
and she is a trampW
81 don't think she is a tramp, as the rest
are, aunt. She has some trouble, you may
depend upon it, and it has touched her
BRAIN"
"Nonsense, Clara! You are too romantic,
altogether. Anybody who looked minute
at her would say she was tramp all her
days. But she has come TO. Are you bet
ter now, my dear! Could you take glass
of milk?"
The old woman was seriously ill-too Ill
to be removed, even if there was any place
to remove her to; so that Aunt Deborah
was obliged to digest the venom of her
spleen against the tramps and trampdOm as
best she could, and the invalid was placed
in Miss Clara's own bed, and the doctor was
sent for.
When Mr.. Dickson, Clara's uncle, came
home, he entirely approved the proceed
ings, and declared he would never have
held up his head if the lowest of Gods crea-
lures had been driven from his door to die
by the Soadside.
Nothing could surpass the devotion OF
Clara to her invalid. The latter's dress had
been removed, and some of Miss Deborah s
substituted And now that she was clean
ed and "tidied up" she presented much
more aristocratic appearance than Miss De-
borah herself
She was in a high fever, and required
careful nursing. Her rawlings were inces-
SAINT, and Clara could gather from them that
the surroundings Of her life must have been
elegant and refined, but no clue as to her
ndIle. SldId ucNOClOl llo IL
her pity and charity, but indeed she felt
the necessity of the occupation afforded her
by this good action, to fill the void left in
her heart by the great grief of her life.
Clara Story was an orphan, her parents
having died when she was at an early age.
She had spent year alternately at her pa
ternal home uncle, Mr.. Story's, old home
in Chestnut Hill, and at her maternal uncle,
Mr.. Dickson's farm in Bucks county.
At Chestnut Hill she had met Mr.. Philip
Dupont, and after short courtship, accept
ed him as her lover. No girl was happier
than Clara. She loved Philip with the
whole strength of her strong heart and she
knew that she was beloved by him.
In the midst of her joy she received let
ter from Mr. Dupont's mother, forbidding
the engagement, and charging her, if she
loved Philip unselfishly, to break it other,
wise she would destroy his prospects in life,
for his mother would disinherit him and his
friends forsake him.
Clara could bring her husband absolutely
nothing but her worth and beauty, for both
her uncles were in straitened circumstances
while Philip moved in the highest and
wealthiest circles.
GU .o,,+ +bo la+tar on1 anuauamaOt -rinu