Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-05-28

all the time, and it's my honest belief ne
just worships the ground my young lady
walks on. He is very handsome, too, and
folks tell me he's worth money"
right. He was fine-looking fellow, and
well-to-do in this worlds goods; but-who
was there, after all, worthy of my tall, gold
en-haired princess with dewy blue eyes and
lips like scarlet coral newly plucked out
of the of sea? Why couldn't Carlisle 20 off
and marry one of the wise Miss Simpkinses,
whose mother was on the lookout for hus-
bands as an ogress watches for eatable young
travellers? began to hate Carlisle.
"Pooh! !" said 1, ,upsetting my waste bask-
ct of papers over the floor with an unWary
fling of NV feet. II don't think she cares
for Carlisle"
"Just you watch her, then, and see for
yourself" said old Hannah, wisely wagging
her cap border. 81 never did set up for a
prophet, Mr.. Pelham, but them as isn't
blind can't help seeing, and our eyes is
given to us to use."
So old Hannah went her way, leaving me
about as uncomfortable as man has any
business to be. Ny Maggie to be marrie led |!
+ My pretty blossom to be plucked just as
soon as it began to shed fragrance round
my door-stone. I felt as a monarch may
whose domains are invaded by an audacious
him to 90 about his business, or should L
simply convey to him by my manners the
hint that his presence was no longer spe-
cially desirable, or-but old Hannah's words
recurred uncomfortably to my mind-should
I at first find out whether Maggie really did
care for the young upstart?
My head dropped on my hands my heart
sunk somewhere below zero at the idea! L
wondered if all fathers felt so when gay
young cavaliers came wooing at their gates
And, after all, Maggie wasn't my real child,
dearly, dearly as loved and tenderly as |
cherished her. 1 think 1 hardly slept all
low, counting the chimes on the old clock,
as one by one it told the hours, thinking
about Maggie and Carlisle, and wondering
if tardy day ybreak would never redden over
the hill-tOps.
BY that time my mind was made up. 1
would repress all these selfish ideas and on
ly think of my girls ultimate happiness.
If she liked Carlisle, why Carlisle should
have her.
I rose, dressed and went down to my
study. The first thing saw was q note
lying on my library table. Probably, it
had arrived late last night. I broke the
seal; it was from George Carlisle, asking
permission to address Miss Magdalen Pei
ham.
Well-it was nothing more than expect
ed-in fact, it rather expedited matters,
which ought not to run too slowly. 1 re-
folded the epistle and looked severely at
myself in the opposite glass.
"You middle-aged old fogy," quoth l,
staring at myself with the severest express
sion of countenance I could call up at so
short notice. 81 see through you. You
have dared to suppose bright-eyed Magda-
len could prefer you to these gay young fel-
lows nearer her own age-you have even
her yourself. It will do you good to have
some of the nonsense taken out of you.
At your time of life too! Did you ever see
chestnut tree blossoming in November or
a grapevine loaded with blue fruit at mid
winter?"
So off I trudged into the garden where
Magdalen always walked in the early
morning, to tell her of young Carlisle's pro-
posal.
She listened, looking very pretty and
preoccupied, until had finished.
"Well?" said she.
"Well?" 1 quoth, "what do you say?"
"What do 1 say? No, of course!"
"You mean yes, my DEAR" said I, eff
you'll only take time to think"
81 mean no" she flashed out "Oh, Mr..
Pelham, how can you think so basely of
me?"
"Basely, my dear. I don't comprehend
YOU"
She was beginning to cry now-big, spark
ling drops like the first glittering diamonds
of July shower.
81 don't love him. 1 never can love
him."
"But why not, my dear?"
because love somebody else," she Sob
hol nj nlyor nd
"Who, is it Maggie? You'll tell me,
won't you?" Why, child,"-- she shrank
blushingly back-"I am old enough to be
your fatherw
"You are not" she exclaimed, indignant
Iy, "and you are the last person in the
world would tell!'
"My darling, why not?"
"The enigmas these women are! instead
of answering me, she began to cry again as
if her dear little heart would break.
And suddenly a great light flashed upon
my mind!
''Magdalen! Darling! It's me that you
love 2"
And in another moment she was laugh
ing and crying on my breast!
The old chestnut tree was garlanded with
blossoms, even though it's prime was past
the vine of life was mantling in blue clus-
ters in the late, late harvest!
So had to send as civil a note as possible
to young Carlisle-and its surprising how
my feelings moderated towards him as l
wrote it!
And that is the way WOE this peerless rose
among women to be my wife-and l don't
think she has ever regretted marrying the
old man yet. Though 1 shouldn't dare to
call myself old in her presence, to speak
the truth. People say it's romantic story,
but 1 say it's only an illustration Of the
fact that there is more romance in real life
than there is in books, if we only knew it.
HOW SAYAGES COUNT.