Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-03-12
which were all too short. they parted. Harry

Monteith, senior, had the gout, and was
rather cross, so that his nephew cid not find
his society particularly cheerful substitute
for that of his sunny-tempered fdncee, on
whose lovely face he had never yet seen
cloud.
"I'm glad you've made up your mind to
come home at last" remarked the old gen
tleman, simultaneously breaking a some
what prolonged silence and his third egg:
work altogether"
ooh! no, sir" rejoined Harry, brightly,
81 was only recreating little, after college
work."
''Humph! if all accounts are true, you
college fellows don't usually suffer from hard
study. However, you got through credita-
bly,, l believe" said his uncle.
"Well, got through all right" replied
Harry. 81 did not exactly distinguish my
self, but came out fairly enough"
"You'll find clerking rather dry at first
Ichabod, what twinge!-but 1 dare say
you'll get used to it after while. You are
quick at figures, I think?"
"Pretty quick, SIR" said Harry, rather
ruefully.
"After breakfast we'll drive to the bank,
and I'll show YOU around. You need not
start in until next Monday. I may as we'll
mention here, however, that l am willing
to let your salary begin from the first of the
present month-you won't find me nlggard-
ly at all. !" -,
"Thank you, uncle, you are very kind"
"Of course it is understood that you are
to be guided in general way by my wish
pect you to shape your general conduct and
mode Of life according to my standards
"Oh, yes"
81 abhor fast young men. l hope you
have not contracted any bad habits-such as
smoking cigarettes, for instance"
II detest cigarettes" replied Harry. II
do occasionally indulge in a weed-I mean
a good cigar"
"Well, 1 can tolerate that. suppose
you have learned to drink and play cards?"
"In moderation, yes"
''See that you don't overstep the bounds
of moderation in either. A glass of good
wine and game of whist are both admis-
sible, at the proper time and place. Anoth-
er thing I am particular about is keeping
early hours. l don't want you breaking
into my house like burglar-Ichabod, my
toe at all hours of the night"
II do not usually sit up after ten; but /
presume you won't object to my spending
an evening out now and then?"
"No, I shan't object to that. Oh you'll
find me very reasonable! And, by the way,
Harry, it would be good idea for you to
marry; all my other clerks are married
men,"
II don't know but it would be a good
idea," quoth Harry ref1ectively.
His uncle regarded him approvingly,
"You have more common sense than gave
you credit for" he remarked. "NOW may
as we'll tell you, without beating about the
bush, that / have an excellent wife in pros
pect for you-a good, steady, young woman,
whose birth and connections are all that
could be desired-and doubt if she be any
older than you. 1t would, in every respect
be satisfactory match"
"Well, sir" replied Harry, after q mo-
mentary pause, during which amusement
and resentment struggled in his mind TOR
the mastery, 81 think l should be alloWeda
little time to reflect on so momentous sub
ject. l am unprepared to enter into matri-
mony on quite such short notice."
"Oh certainly, you can take time-there
is no great hurry; but l like to eXpound my
views clearly at the beginning, sothat there
need be no misunderstanding between us.
And tell you, if you marry to suit me
glory Of Ichabod you will find that am
not backward in giving you substantial
token of my approval"
TO this speech Harry made no answer;
and having by this time finished his break
to mount in the buggy which stood waiting
at the door. This being accomplished, not
without difficulty, and sundry repetitions of
the old gentlemen's favorite CALCULATIONS,
they drove off to inspect the scene of Har-
RVS future labors The bank was a venera
bic building, resembling Jail; and our
young friend, as he passed through the
vault-like apartments was conscious of
sitting sensation that augured ill for his
future comfort within its walls. He sup
posed, however, that he would get used to
the atmosphere in time; and the thought
of Elizabeth, and of how much depended
on his securing high place in his uncle's
favor, inspired him with courage to face
ANYTHING disagreeable that he might en-
counter.
On returning home he penned a long
epistle to his beloved; and this being her
first love-letter, I need not say with what
soft tremors and tender delight she perused
its closely written pages, filled with the
most ardent expressions OF devotion, and
descriptive Of his desoation at being de-
prived of her society.
Harry hoped that the question of his mar
riage was Indefinitely laid at rest; for al
though he quite agreed with his uncle's
view that matrimOny was good thing, 1T
was under very different conditions, it is
needless to say, from those which Mr.. Mon
teith desired to impose upon him. He
wished to gain Il firm footing in his uncle's
esteem before hazarding confession of his
engagement, which he shrewdly suspected
would not meet with the old gentleman's
approval. And knowing how heavily the
decision of the latter would count for or
against his future prosperity, he was anX-
iOus for EliZabeth's sake and his own to
take no rash or premature step, and equally
anxious to avoid giving Mr.. MOnteith any
offence 10 his dismay, however, he soon
discovered that his relatives mind was res
olutely bent on carrying out the plan he
had proposed-none the less res0lutely, that
he was willing to allow him breathing time
before taking the initiatory steps. Before
Harry had been week under his roof, he
effected an introduction between him and
the young lady of whom he had spoken.
Miss Julia EvertOn was Il rather fine look
ing girl, but decidedly Harry's seniOr-she
had, in fact, entered her twenty-fifth year.
She was an heiress in her own right; lived
with a maiden aunt, whose establishment
she ruled at her will and very discreet
rule it was that she exercised, if report could
be believed. She was thoroughly amiable
and endowed with strong good sense; ac-
tive in charitable work, while at the same
time she made no pretenSiOn to eXtraordi-
nary piety, but rather stunned anything
like a display of religious sentiment; al
though none could doubt from what source
her true goodness of feeling and habitual
kindliness of manner and action sprung.
Such was the lady whom Mr.. MOnteith
had fixed upon as his nephew's prospective
helpmeet; but whom the latter with a per-
versity natural under the circumstances,