Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-03-11
"And that THAT of course am anxious
to have as little delay as possible in regard
to-eh-onr marriagen

to-ah-our marriage"
eyes," said Susie more family.
"Could you-would it be possible-to ar
range the time at once?" 1t would be
most kind-most gratifying-I should high
ly appreciate such consideration on your
part"
He came little nearer to her as he
spoke. His face had grown redder and
redder, and he was evidently suffering
from an agony of shyness, but it was equally
evident from his rapt, admiring gaze, over
which even his shyness had no control,
that he was very much in love with the ob-
ject of his regard. Susie would not meet
his eyes, however. She avoided this by
lowering her own to a point just below MS
cravat.
SWELL" she said, as he paused for an an
sWer-and her voice sounded husky and
dry-"Well, suppose it can be DONE"
"Thank you Z! thank you! Then will you
tell me, please, what is the earliest day that
will suit youw
Susie waited moment to gather up her
faculties.
II should prefer" she said slowly then,
"to have the marriage take place on the
day of your departure"
"Of oar departure" he eagerly supple
mented. "Of course you understand-you
intend-that we leave together?"
"Yes-if you wish it,"
eyes, yes! how could it be otherwise? L
am not going, as you know, only, for IT.
tie while: Ny absence may be quite
lengthy-the limit, so far, to my knowledge,
is not fixed. When my business is accom-
plished, and we return from our journey,
I expect, as you will doubtless rejoice to
learn, to settle in this immediate neighbor-
hood. It has occurred to me that you
would find it agreeable to be near your old
home, where you could see your father and
family every day if you liked"
"Thank YOU" said Susie, feeling this in
tention to be kind on his part.
swell, to return to the actual settlement
of the day. 1 had thought of leaving here
this day fortnight"
Susie turned trifle paler, if that were
possible.
els it too soon? am asking too
much?
"No. shall be ready" She made the
answer quite steadily, grasping the chair a
on walls had come close, close around her
now. Light and air were being gradually
stifed out.
Mr.. Barton came awkWardly forward,
and detaching one of her cold hands from
its support conveyed it to his lips.
"My gratitude is too deep for words, he
said in a tone which did not permit any
doubt of his sincerity. And Susie, 10 her
horror, found that her father was shuf1ing
out of the room, as if he felt it his duty to
leave them together without the constraint
of his presence. She made pretext to
call him back, suggesting some trivial topic
which obliged him to appeal to their visi-
tor, and, under cover of this diversion es-
capped from the room.
So it was absolutely settled. There was
no chance of withdrawal now, or even OF
delay. The following days passed in fever
element among her young brothers and
sisters, all of whom, while lamenting over
her proposed departure, felt wedding in
the family to be an occasion of great glory
and immense importance, and only Won
dered that Susie herself did not seem more
glad.
"Who'll curl my hair every .norning now,
Susie" "Who'll mend our stockings and
things ?" and "Sister, who'll make the pud-
dings for dessert 2, were questions asked at
various and inopportune times, and Susie
had to assure them that all these duties
would be fulfilled. Myra, the second girl,
was going to make herself motherly and
useful, and besides, there would be woman
to help.
eyes, I should hope so," said fourteen
year-old Myra, who, feeling her new impor-
tance, was nevertheless not unwilling to get
rid of some of the responsibility. Appli-
cants for the post of maid-of-all-Work came
in the shape of females of all ages and con-
ditions, and Susie had the worry of seeing
all these, and explaining the duties of the
position, and making her final choice among
them. Now, that she was actually going,
her father began to feel very forlorn, and to
realize the blank her absence would make
in the household.
Two weeks pass quickly under all circum-
stances, and the wedding-day arrived all too
soon, even for the little ones who had ca
gerly looked forward to it as a gala occa-
sion. White frocks and Sunday jackets
were donned with a mixture of feelings,
and when Susie, who was to married in her
drawing on her light gloves, little Jack,
who was the baby, and had been her charge
ever since their mother died, threw his
arms around her, and hugging her tight,
declared that he wanted to put on his blue
apron again and have her stay at home.
She kissed the child and put him from her,
steeling herself against any weakness which
she knew would utterly incapacitate her for
going through her ordeal, and went out into
the hall looking like stone, so white and set
was her face, to take her betrothed hus-
bands arm.
They went to the little church where she
had worshipped every Sunday since her
babyhood, and there her fetters were rivet-
ed by few spoken words. A carriage
waited to convey them to the nearest rail.
way station. Good-byes had been said,
last kisses exchanged, her husband helped
her into the carriage and they drove off,
with Jacks sobbing cry in her ears. 'Susie
mustn't go! Susie must stay and take care
of me J"
Poor little fellow, he found Myra's awk-
ward though well-meant ministratiOns a
poor substitute for the elder sisters loving,
motherly care, and it was long before he
became reconciled to the change. 1t could
not be otherwise she was the only mother
he had ever known. Her departure, in
deed, left void not easily filled. Mr..
Dean, after tho first flush of joy and self
congratulation in the new and delightful
sense of freedom caused by the possession of
certain crisp paper, delicately presented
to him in Susie's name, began to be con-
scious of a dull ache in the region of his
heart. and of sundry uneasy misgivings con-
nected with his daughters pale and sorrow
full looks during the fortnight prior to her
uCpol w lldC IL HC lIdu UCCii lliC ihSe'ho
of forcing her into an unWelcome marriage
what if her affection-notWithsta her
assurance, which had satisfied him at the
time-still fingered with some regret about
the past? He began to feel that his release
had been dearly bought.
Tom Morton, naturally, had not gone to
the wedding. The discovery of Susie's de-
fection had not slain him, as he ut first
fancied it would. But it had crushed his
spirit and changed his kindly temper, and
the cottage was not as pleasant home as