Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-02-11

driving past the Asylum the other after
noon, and little curly headed girl was
peeping through the gate-the prettiest lit
tie chubby, rosy-cheeked creature | ever
saw; and I thought to myself how pleasant
it would be if we had little one of our
own Just like that. Now why couldn't we
get her? Suppose we make inquiries about
her at the first convenient opportunity
Magdalen, though she had once resolved
never to enter the Asylum again, was not
displeased now at the notion of presenting
herself there in the character of grande
dame, and OF patronizing where she had
once been patronized. She, therefore, ac-
ceded to the proposal, and a day or two
later her husband drove her over to the in
stitution, which was under the same man
agement now as when she had left.
She sent in her card, and Mrs Ellery,
busy and benevolent looking as ever, came
into the little parlor with a cordial greeting
on her lips.
"Well, Magdalen, I'm really glad to see
you!" she exclaimed, extending both her
dainty kid d-gloved hand with a dignified air,
she checked herself and added less warmly,
"lfrs. Burton, should say. Excuse the
familiarity, but your christian name slip
ped from me unaWares."
"No apology is necessary" graciously re-
piled Magdalen. This is my husband,
Mr.. Burton, and as we have no children of
our own, we have come with view to pro-
vide ourselves with one, if we can find the
right sort Fred, you talk to her about 1t.
Mrs. Ellery was quite willing to turn to
the gentleman, whose tone was far more
easy and cordial than his wife's, and to lis
ten to his description of the lovely little
girl whose face had so completely captured
his fancy.
ooh, I know quite we'll whom you
mean," she said smilingly when he had
finished. "It's little Dolly, dear child
we've only had few months in the house,
but we all love her so that it will be hard
for us to give her up. OF course, though,
l shall be very glad to secures so good home
for her. By the way" she added turning
to Mrs. Burton, "she was brought here by
some one you formerly knew, though per-
haps you have forgotten her name by this
time-Clara Conway. She is now Clara
Scott. She married an excellent young
man soon after last saw you"
Eyes, l remember her." said Magdalen
indifferently.
"Well," said Mrs. Ellery again address
ing Burton, "this little thing was found
fai ting on the Scott's door step, one freez-
ing winters night; she could give no ac-
count of herself, evidently had no parents,
and had run off, the poor baby, from some
body who treated her badly. She has new
er been claimed, and we have been unable
to trace her belongings in any way; SO you
are quite safe in taking her."
"Bring her down and let's see her" said
Burton. So Dolly was brought, and even
Magdalen was struck by her peculiar beau
ty, and reflected that with proper dressing
she could be made very ornamental figure
in their menage. She kissed the dimpled
cheek, and Dolly did not shrink from the
caress, but it was Burton to whom she
turned confidingly and offered, Of her own
accord, her rosy mouth.
The proper preliminaries were arranged,
and the very next day saw the little or
phan installed in her new, home. There
was one person who cried bitterly at part
ing with her and that was the warm-heart-
ed Sophy, who had become most fondIy at
tached to her little charge. Nor was 1t easy
to prevail upon Dolly to leave her; promises
of TOYS and candy had little effect, and it
was only when she was assured by her new
papa thit Sophy should come and visit her
as often as she pleased: that she became
reconciled to the separation.
"You surely don't mean to keep up her
connection with the Asylum by encourage
ing visits from it's inmates ?" scornfully ask
ed Mrs. Burton, who had heard this agree
ment made.
"And why not?" placidly rejoined her
husband. 81 would't teach her to be un-
grateful to those who have befriended her.
1t would he bad beginning to her ed
ucation. But / doubt if this connection
as you call it, will last very long; in the
natural order of events it will probably
soon fall through"
And so it proved, for Sophy had too much
good sense to take advantage of the oppOr-
tunity thus kindly given her; and Dolly,
finding herself we'll treated, and surround
ed by pleasures and luXuries which in all
her little life before had been unknown to
her, speedily accommodated herself to her
surroundings, and became perfectly at home.
1t chanced that Mrs. Fairfax fell Ill on
the very day of the child's arrival, and
Dolly had been more than fortnight in
the house before she was presented to her.
"Let me see your little protegee, Magda-
len," she said, when at length she was able
to sit up. II want to make her acquaint-
ance. Frederick gives me glowing ac-
counts of her."
erred is quite infatuated with her." re-
joined Magdalen. "However, must ad-
NIT that she is very pretty and attractive.
l am afraid he will quite spoil her. l am
sure had no idea that he was SO fond OF
children"
tie girl mi ght be brought.
Dolly came in, dressed in snowy muslin
and lace. Her soft golden hair fell in curls
over her dimpled shoulders, and she looked,
as her nurse had judiciously informed her
minute before, "ior all the world like lit
tie angel Just from heaven"
Mrs. Fairfax held out her hand caressing-
~, with the tender look that the sight of
little child always brought into her face.
And Dolly, after one serions scrutinizing
glance at the pale, delicate features and soft
sad eyes of the invalid, went straight up to
her and nestled in her arms. Mrs. Fairfax
bent over the golden head, rush of sudden
emotion yelling up from her heart, she
stroked the little rosy, innocent face, and
tear, that she could not repress, fell upon
it.
"What is she crying for?" asked Dolly,
turning to Magdalen, and the latter answer
ed rather severely
because it isn't right for you to be here,
Dolly. She is sick, and not strong enough
to see anybody that she doesn't Know
And coming forward in decided manner,
she took the little girls hand and would
have led her from the room, but she hung
back, holding fast to Mrs. Fairfax's chair.
81 want to stay-I will stay, she said in
defiant tone, the pink color in her cheeks
deepening to crimson. "She likes to have
me-don't you?" she added appealingly to
Mrs. Fairfax.
ut does not hurt me to have her, Magda-
len," said the invalid, rather timidly. For
she had learned to shrink from certain
hard expression that she saw now around
the mouth of the younger woman, whose
will she seldom gainsayed.
"Dolly will come with me and do as bid
ho- coid Napdalen tightening her firm