Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-02-26

characteristic of every changing emotion of
her mind while her large, lustrous eyes, of
deep hazel color, and shadowed by black lash
es of unusual length, were in themselves suf-
ficient to impart beauty to countenance al
ready abounding in other attractions, not
the least of which was the arch little dimple
that played at hide and seek continually near
the corner of her rosy mouth. 1t was the sort
of face especially calculated to soften mas
culine sternness and disarm masculine re-
sentiment, if such adverse forces existed !;
and as it might be taken as fair indication
of the character of its owner, there was little
to be wondered at in the fact of Reuben
Carey shrinking from the task of coercion,
which he would fain have imposed upon
his weaker half.
Something in the half anxious, half in
quiring glance that her mother lifted to
greet her on her entrance, made the young
girl ask, as she bent to kiss her =
"Is anything the matter, mother? is any
thing troubling you?'
"Why no. Lisbeth, dear-not that know
Of" replied Prudence, with readily assum-
ed cheerfulness. "What should make thee
suspect that there was ?"
"Oh, I don't know-I just fancied you
looked at me in a sort of unusual way. L
thought maybe father had been giving one
of his lectures" said Elizabeth laughing,
as she straightened her collar before the neat
little mirror that hung over the chimney.
"Lisbeth-thee shouldn't speak so, said
the mother reprovingly. "Father doesn't
lecture; he only gives good and wise coun-
sci, which both thee and would always
do we'll to heed"
"Why, yes, mummy dear, and we do heed
it, don't we? But l wanted to ask you if
l might go with Helen to the concert this
evening-she has tickets and she does want
me so much to 60. Please, please, mother,
darling, coax father to let me. 1t would
make me perfectly happy"
ga concert, my daughter, what concert 2"
''The Philharmonic concert-there is to
be such lovely singing -chOruses from the
Messiah, and other music of course, but all
so fine, by the best performers. Don't you
think may gow
"Thee knows father objects to such world
ly amusements, my DEAR" said the mother,
in a troubled tone. "He thinks church mu-
sic the only sort fit to listen to, and even that
of the simplest kind"
only it's grand-and with all those voices.
Oh! mother, you know how lou inging-
not those dreary old Psalms, though some
of those are good, too; but where can be the
harm of other music? Do yo,: see the
harm ~
II don't rely much on my own Judgment"
replied Prudence, evading the question:
"Thee must submit to fathers wishes in all
such matters, Lisbeth-but I'll help thee, if
] can," she added, the offer being drawn
from her, as it were, against her will, by
her daughters pleading gaze.
80, thank you, dearest, dariingest mother! !!
Pm willing to coax father, if you'll only
help me. think together we may succeed,
oh npf,1H
go, too! That would just crown my de-
is, supposing am allowed. l
wish it was settled at once-Where'S father
now?"
"Stay moment, Lisbeth," said her moth
er, checking her as she was about to rush off.
81 want to say word or two, dear, before
thee talks to father-he was speaking to me
Just before thee came in -"
81 kneac he was, mother. Didn't say
so?"
.Well, but thee doesn't know what it was
about" continued her mother, not without
a certain degree of trepidation. "He is
greatly panied, fear, and disappointed,
too, by this affair with Friend Simpson"
"What! mother, you don't mean to say
that he expected me to act differently
How could he -"
"Daughter, Friend Simpson is "a good, up
right man, worthy of loving Wife,"
"And I hope he'll geta loving wife, moth
er-but it won't be me. Now please don't
say another word on this subject. hoped
it was settled and put aside forever. How
did father come to know"
II have no secrets from father, as thee
knows, Elizabeth"
Lisbeth stood by the window looking out,
her bright face had clouded suddenly over.
II wish," she said presently, "that father
wasn't so strict. 1t seems to spoil every
thing so. And it makes him want me to do
horrid things-such as marrying people L
don't like. Mother, 1 shall never marry
one of our own sect. had q great deal
rather live and die an old maid"
must be true, as father says, that this inter
course with worldly acquaintance has spoil
ed thee, and given thee wrong notions"
"What worldly acquaintances, mother:
Do you mean Helen? am sure she has
most lovely disposition ~ exclaimed Eliza
beth, vehemently. "She is my best, truest
friend, and nothing shall force me to break
off my intimacy with her"
"Lisbeth, never heard thee talk so be-
FORE" said Prudence, distressed at her
daughters unusal excitement of manner.
"What has come to thee, child:'
"Nothing-it is only the feeling ! often
have, of being shut up in a box and kept
there all the time, stiff, and straight, and
cramped-just allowed to move my hand,
or my foot, so far and no further-never
talking as other people talk, or doing
as other people dot is all so tiresome
and so dull! 1t depresses me horribly
Mother, should think you'd
sympathize with me-1 believe you 40,
in Your heart. 1t isn't in you to be SO
strict; you have just been drilled into it,
until you don't know your real nature from
your acquired habits-habit is second ma
ture you know. It's all father-this about
music being sinful and Sc on. | have no
idea, now, that there's any chance of my
going to the concert-if he's veXed about
that other thing. l don't believe I'll ask
him, even."
81 will ask him, DEAR" said Prudence
tenderly. There was 4 good deal of truth in
aversion to those things which seemed sim
full to her father; but she was humble
enough to feel herself wrong in being leni-
ent to the failings Of the worldly ones, and
to believe that she was shOrtcomer, not
fit to guide the steps of the young and gay.
CHAPTER II.
1t was not without fear and trembling
that good Prudence Carey undertook to
present to her husbands consideration the
Question of the concert; for Reuben, al
though in general most indulgent husband,
and, as we have seen, a father who was not
given to exercise his parental authority in
difficult cases, had certain stubborn opinions
and prejudices, which were not easily gain
said. Among these was his violent Objec-
ton to almost anything in the shape of
nj, I1f}n