Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-04-16

exist happy are those who have the strength to
shun them, and who prefer the tender restraints
of the domestic circle to the glittering snares
spread for them abroad. Most unhappy those
who possessing the priceless gifts of home-hap-
piness and womans fond affection, nevertheless
slight these possessions, and exchange the blest
of vice. so freely offered to their grasp
"a friend must always shrink with grief and
pain from the cruel task Of undeceiving con-
fiding heart, and exposing the perfidy of one be-
loved. Yet what friend ought to shun this task,
painful though it be?
"It is with feelings of finexpressible sorrow and
reluctance that now proceed to fulfil what am
convinced is my duty, in saying to you these
words, You are deceived
Deceived by one most dear to you, who by his
actions has unhappiy proved himself unworthy
of your love.
'iDo you need proof of what say? Remem-
ber the locked doors; and ask your husband what
lady was admitted into the room that opens on
the cross-entry on Wednesday night last, at
twelve o'clock.
"Have you pressed him to reveal to you the
nature of his nightly occupation T-I know you
have.
ssHas he given you satisfactory answer to
your questions ?-1 know that he has not.
Gam not right in again saying to you, You
are deceived
"Forgive me for thus disturbing your peace !;
but only awaken you from fatal sleep, know
ing that it is for your own good that your eyes
should thus be opened to the truth; and permit
u.
~ "a TRUE FRIEND
"a true friend !" cried Elizabeth, as she
rose, and trembling with excitement, stood
her hand. "a true friend! A bitter ene-
nv rather-a concealed viper, striking at
me in the dark. 1 would die sooner than
credit such fabrication as this--false, false
and vile from beginning to end"
She tore the note in two, and with pas
sionate gesture cast it on the floor and
ground it beneath her foot.
II should like to treat the person so who
wrote it," she exclaimed vehemently.
Her eyes glittered, her cheeks were all
aflame; wrath, modification, scorn and re-
sentiment, made tumult in her breast that
surged and half suffocated her she made a
few hurried turns up and down the room,
then suddenly stopping, threw herself on
the sofa and burst into passion of tears.
"Oh Harry oh Harry THAT you should
have exposed me to such shame!" she cried.
For all the womanliness of her nature
rebelled at the outrage levelled against her !;
and it seemed bitter thing that he whose
place it was to shield her from every injury
should, by his conduct, have been the very
means of bringing this upon her.
She did not for an instant, however, give
credence to the accusations against him, or
attribute the writing of the note to any
other source than base desire to cause her
pain, or, at the best, to an impertinent love
of meddling. Either ignorance or malice
had been the writer's motive. But who was
there in the whole world who could have
been prompted, by either the one or the
other, to deal her this wound?
She picked up the torn and crumpled
pieces of the note, intending to burn them {;
but as she was about to hold them to the
flame of the gaslight, an indeinable i'm
pulse made her withdraw her hand. She
looked at them for an instant reluctantly,
shudderingly, as one might look at loath-
some reptile; then folded them together
and thrust them into secret drawer of her
desk.
There was no sleep for her eyelids that
night. So engrossed was she by the tumul-
tuous thoughts that crowded into her brain,
that she was unconscious of the flight of
time, and it was only the sound of Harry
letting himself in through the back door,
that made her aware at last of the lateness
of the hour.
She sat still, mechanically listening to his
movements in the dressing room.
Suddenly she became aware that he was
not alone some one had entered with him.
There was low murmur of voices for few
minutes then she heard retreating foot
steps, the fastening of the outside door, and
Harry returning to his room after seeing
tered the parlor, uttering an exclamation
of surprise at finding her up and the light
burning.
"Why, love, didn't / ask you not to sit
up?" he said with some reproach in his
tone.
"Yes, but was not sleepy, and thought
you would not mind"
II don't mind, except-why, my dear
child, what is the matter with you?"
:'Nothing is the matter with me-" an
swered Elizabeth with wan smile.
"But there is; can't see that you have
been crying? your forehead burns
you torment yourself in this way ?"
II can't help it, Harry" she answered
very sadly. II do try not to care, but / do,
all the same. But never mind me-just go
on your own way; l dare say it is the
best"
"Why will you talk so, Elizabeth? You
know that l will not 60 on in my own way,
or in any other way, that makes you miser-
able! l have tried an experiment, and in
one respect at least have proved it fail
urea Wretched failure, since it has destroy
ed our peace; It has given us food and
shelter, and I did feel thankful that any
honest employment should be thrown in
my way; but l will give up my place at
the end of this week, or tomorrow if you
prefer it, and We'll take the risks together.
AS you say, if the worst comes we can
beg"
"Oh Harry! when did say that"
"Did you not suggest to me this evening
that we should solicit aid from your pa
rents""
"No. 1 only said that they would help
you-us--out of these difficulties if we should
ask them"
"Well, it's pretty much the same thing
Consider how pleasant it would be for me to
have to acknowledge, at the end of few
weeks, to my wife's father and mother, that
I had discovered myself unable to support
her and meekly request them to come to
my aid! Oh, l see now what a fool have
been-a blind fool to think that our love
could support US through everything. l
have done you great wrong, Elizabeth; !;
an irreparable wrong"
Don't talk so wildly, Harry-my darl-
ing Harry-you have done me no wrong in
that way and my love is strong enoug for
anything-can you doubt that it is? DO
you think it is less strong than yours"
She threw her arms around him looking be-
seechingly into his eyes; he pressed his lips
to her brow.
at is not strong enough to give you
faith-faith jp my honor, my good inten-
tions, my true motives" he said sorrow