Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-04-15
gu Original Storg.
Written for the YOrkville Enquirer
AMOS BARTON
BY L. d. oZMOND.
CHAPTER VII.

BY L. ID. OZMOND.
CHAPTER VII.
A wear later, Susie Barton sat in her pref
ty sitting-room at Roselawn, as she called
her place, reading letter which had just
been brought to her. It had not come from
the post Office, but was delivered by a prl-
vate hand, and she knew we'll enough be-
fore opening it who was the writer, for the
inscription on the envelope was in famll-
lar hand.
Part of it ran thus-the part which shall
transcribe:
"You know we'll enough the careful re-
straint which I have put upon my feelings,
respecting your condition too much to have
any desire to intrude them upon your notice
until after fitting lapse of time. But now
this objection, as it seems to me, cannot any
longer be supposed to exist. The most sim
cere grief had you felt such for your loss,
might we'll be softened at the end of this
period, and I cannot blame myself for un-
seemly haste, when ask you now to return
to your old love, and cancel that interval
which has stood between it and the present
time. Susie, you have not forgotten the
past? l know that you have not. will
not deny that struggled for time against
my own yearning desire to renew the old
bond. Pride told me that you had wronged
me deeply, and that it would be lack OF
self-respectin in me to sue for your favor again.
But, oh Susie, my own darling, love is
stronger than pride, and my love for you
.: fSYn
ago, when you cast me of. Let me see
you-let me come to you, and learn from
your own sweet lips that my prayer is not
in vain.'
It cannot be denied that Susie's heart
throbbed as she read these words, and her
breath came and went quickly as the men,
cries they recalled swept through her mind.
That first, early love-could it. ever fade
from her recollection? Surely it had been
no fault of hers if at times-and many
times-echoes of loving words, of thrilling
tones, had repeated themselves in her ear; ;
if visions of bright face and manly form
had risen up before her; if in her dreams
she had walked through familiar woods and
shady lanes in the old joyous companion
ship, and felt again the hand-pressure that
said more than speech. But-was it some
subtle influence, some unacknoWledged re-
gret, that seemed now to hold her in check?
She had thought that first pure love could
never grow cold-and yet it did not respond
freely to her lovers written plea. Her
bounding heart quieted down, and strange
thoughtfulness stilled the tremor of her
nerves.
"What must say to him ?" she asked
herself; and the only answer that present
ed itself was the brief one, "Wait."
She wrote him a kind, cautiously-Worded
note; she asked him for time to think and
prayed him to forgive the delay. Her
words, when she read them over, seemed
very cold, but she could not think of more
suitable ones.
They seemed cold enough to Tom Nor
ton, who had waited with feversh impa-
thence for her reply. He read the note
through, then angrily tore it in pieces and
threw it in the fire.
81 was fool to write, instead of going
myself She would not have refused to see
me, and could have pleaded my cause so
much better in person !" he thought.
Old Mrs. Morton, still the same gentle,
placid body as ever, and still as jealous
of her boys honor and dignity, had not
yet brought herself to think kindly of
marriage between him and Amos Barton's
widow, who was in her estimation very
different person from the Susie Dean she
had once loved and would gladly have well
coined as daughter. She was shrewd
enough to suspect what was on Toms mind,
for although he had spoken very seldom
ON the subject, particularly of late, she felt
sure that he still cherished the hope she
would fain have had him relinquish.
"I've heard from your cousin Mary this
evening, Tom," she remarked as they sat
down to supper, land she's coming very
soon to pay us visit"
"Well, mother" said Tom, not looking
particularly pleased at the news.
"Of course you'll have to take her round
and show her everything, and make it
pleasant for her."
''There isn't much to show her in this
place, that know Of, "replied Tom. "And
she's been here before"
"Yes, but that was long ago, when she
was child. You remember her we'll, don't
you, Tom? what sweet, pretty little girl
she was"
81 recollect her somewhat-not very clear
ly."
"Well, want you to be very attentive
and good to her while she is here. She is
my favorite sisters child, you know"
81 suppose shall be polite to her, moth
er. But you can't expect me to take very
keen interest in a girl l scarcely know, just
because she happens to be relation"
Toms tone was not very gracious; but
then he was unhappy, and there was only
one young woman in the world in whom at
that time he could feel the slightest inter-
est. In his heart he voted his cousin Mary
a bore and wished she would stay away.
"Tom, you've got so Indifferent about
things lately" said his mother, looking
troubled. 81 wish you'd be more lively
more like your old SELF Home isn't the
same to me as it used to be-"
"Nothing is the same as it used to be-"
said Tom, bitterly. II can't pretend to
feel lively when don't. L hope am not
disagreeable, mother. 1 hate to vex you,
but you mustn't mind me-"
"How can I help minding, Tom? You
are all I have in the world" said Mrs. Nor
ton with tears in her eyes. "When l see
you unhappy, it makes me unhappy too"
81 did not say was unhappy" replied
Tom. "Why should you think me so?
But there's nothing to be particularly jolly