Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-02-04

was soon made general pet and plaything
of the establishment, and became one of the
happiest of the many happy little inmates.
While life flowed gently on at Maysville,
pired in the circle of which Mrs. Fairfax
was the central figure.
About eighteen months after that lady's
departure for Europe, Frederick Burton
was called abroad on business, and after
spending some weeks in England, he di-
rected his course towards German water
| ing place where his cousin was Temporal
rily sojourning.
| He arrived there one evening, and was
told that the ladies whom he enquired for
had already retired totheir apartment. He
also learned to his regret that Mrs. Fairfax
was quite unwell, and seldom left her room.
He lit cigar and strolled out into the
courtyard of the hotel where brass band
was playing. 1t was a bright moonlight
night, and quite a number of people were
out of doors. He had not been there long
when a messenger came to request his
presence in one Of the parlors and obeying
the summons without delay, he found HIM
self face to face with Magdalen Frost.
| She was the same in feature and form,
but yet how changed, he thought as he
regarded her; though wherein the change
lay he could not precisely define. She came
forward with easy dignity of manner to
meet him, dignity just tempered by a suffi-
cient amount of cordiality in look and tone
as she accepted his offered hand.
| elbow glad am to see you, Mr.. Burton
| it is so agreeable to meet home face in
foreign land. Quite an unlocked for pleas
ure, too, in this case"
"How's that ?" asked Burton. "Didn't
you-didn't Mrs. Fairfax receive my let
| ter?"
II think-in fact, l am quite sure, that
Mrs. Fairfax has not received any letter
from you lately" said Magdalen as they
sat down.
II suppose there was some irregularIty
of the mails. How is my Cousins health?
is it true that she has been ill?"
Magdalen hesitated moment before re-
plying; when she did speak, it was with
manifest reluctance.
eyes," she said, and then paused again.
II am afraid" she presently continued,
"that you will hardly be prepared to learn
the nature and extent of her sickness: 1t
is more serious than you probably have
any idea Of"
"You alarm me-" said Burton. SIS she
then dangerously ill?"
"Her Illness" replied Magdalen, speak
ing in the same unwilling tone, 'is of sort
affecting the mind rather than the body,
though her bodily health suffers greatly at
times. To be plain with you, Mr.. Burton,
I fear that her reason is becoming impair
ed ?" , n.o,, o,oo,.o,
"Why was l not notified of this earlierw
1T is only lately that l knew it first
myself" said Magdalen. 81 have been, as
you may imagine, most unwilling to be-
lieve it; but the physicion who is treating
her fears that scarcely doubt of the truth
remains"
"She must leave for home at once-at
once;" exclaimed Burton, springing up and
beginning to pace the floor in an excited
manner "These foreign doctors are all
contounded humbugs; they don't know
what they are about. I'll warrant our own
doctor in Maysville, or some other skllful
American practitioner, would cure her IN
month. She's nervous, I suppose, ner-
vous and delicate, and they try to make
out that she's losing her mind! What con-
founded follyn'
His look and tone were so agitated that,
as Magdalen watched him, the idea for the
first time occurred to her. that possibly his
interest in his cousin was of warmer ma
ture than she had hitherto suspected, and
this idea was not pleasant one.
"Dr. WINNER is a physician OF great re-
pute," she remarked" and has an immense
practice. We took care to secure the best"
"The best is bad enough" rejoined Bur,
ton. He continued to walk angrily up and
down for few minutes, then stopping, ask
ell abruptly,
"Can 1 see my cousin? does she know l
am here?'
"Mrs. Fairfax has gone to bed" answered
Magdalen. s'In the morning if she feels
we'll enough, she will be very glad to see
you"
"If she feels we'll enough! !" Burton re-
peated the words in a surprised tone. "Do
YOU suppose that she will refuse to see me
even if she were ill-after my coming this
long way on purpose to visit her? You
forget our relationship-our long Intimacy"
He looked both veXed and agrieved. -,
"Well, have no doubt she will see you"
said Magdalen as if conceding point.
And Burton, irritated by her tone, brought
the interview to a close, and departed with
an abrupt "Goodnight," to his own room.
In the morning, much to his pleasure and
relief, Mrs. Fairfax proved we'll enough to
come down stairs and they had a long and
confidential tete u tete. He watched closely
for some sign of the mental disorder which
Magdalen had spoken of, but could not de-
tect any. He was concerned, however, to
find that she was looking very thin and del
icate, and after the first flush of animation
produced by their meeting had died away,
she seemed languid and melancholy, leav-
ing most of the conversation to be sustain
ed by him.
"When do you think of returning home,
| Emily?" he asked.
"Home? Oh, don't know-this is my
home for the present, / suppose. Isn't ev-
eything going on there as usual? Has my
business given you any trouble ?"
"Trouble my dear cousin, none, in the
world. 1t is pleasure to attend to any of
your affairs. But l thought it would be
good for you-for your health, | mean-to
make another change; and you have been
abroad long WHILE"
eyes; but like the life here, and so does
Magdalen. She finds the society around us
very congenial, and she has SO many op-
portunities for Improving herself"
"You surely would consult your own
wishes first, in case of this sort?"
eyes, yes, certainly; but | should be
very ungrateful if did not consider hers
also She is everything to me, Frederick
everything. But for her devotion, | really
don't think I should be alive now; you
have no idea how ill l have been, at va
rious times"
"And this doctor of yours-what's his
name? do you put faith in him:"
ooh, implicit faith! He does me Won
derful good; l have entire confidence in
him, and so has Magdalen. should not
employ him otherwise"
"And you are really quite satisfied here ~
"Oh, quite! as satisfied, at least, as |
could be anywhere. You know | don't
really expect to be happy again in this
world my heart is buried in the past"