Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-08-18

l had not gone to 1t. Ihe world would buStle
me about with it. wished it would let me
alone.
CHAPTER II.
BLANCHE.
Blanche and strolled about the door yard.
| The gate was half open-its normal condition
and proper one as Indicative of the easy,
happy y-go-lucky disposition of the parent Sef
TONS Capt. Tommy, the father, ran a sloop
| to New York His real home was on that
craft, and it was a saying among the vii
layers that he could pilot her through Long
| Island sound and the East river with his
eyes shut. His daughters made frequent
trips with him to the city. The 'old man"
was most at home when it blew, and blew
hard, to the CONSERVATION of Mary and
Phoebe, who would implore him at such
times to put in at some of the sound harbors
on the north shore of Long Island. But no
wind blew too hard for Blanche, though so
far as outward seeming went, hers was an
equal placidity in storm or calm. AS boy,
I had looked upon Blanche as one of the
solder girls"-girls already treading the
shore of womanhood, and girls soon to con-
srmmate the great aim and end of life-as
mony.
Recently, had timidly ventured Blanche
some attentions, and was pleased and sur
prised to find that she had accepted them
with apparent pleasure. She had a queenly
way with her. In my own private col
| loauies, which never talked to any one,
called her the Empress" and often, as
saw her walking the street, did l lament
that such face and form should ever be-
come worn and wasted with the labors and
cares of the everyday commonplace life
about us.
blanche is the mum o. our family" was
Mother Sefton's frequent remark. She
seemed to stand in some awe of this daugh-
ter. Blanche was not imperious or arrogant;
yet something about her kept every one at
the distance she desired to keep them. 1t
was not so much what she said or did, but
something she made you feel; and rebel
against it as much as you might, you could
not break through the barriers she chose to
put up at any distance she pleased.
For this reason Blanche was not gen.
eral favorite. People said she was ''stuck
up" and put on airs" Her real offense
| lay in her keeping her own counsel. She did
not tell all she knew regularly every day to
half dozen friends, leaving with each one
the idea that they were honored with her
special confidence.
| had admired this girl all my life. When
| say "all my life" mean the life Of a boy
who worships queen at distance-the boy
of fifteen, who sees that queen surrounded by
older courtierS This had seen-felt is the
better word-when 1 was navigating mud
puddles barefooted and barelegged. Her
world seemed as one never to be reached by
me.
Yet within the last year an unprecedented
acquaintance and friendship had grown up
between myself and Blanche Seton. How it
commenced could hardly tell found my
self talking with her on subjects which
| seemed Of little interest to my other COM
panions was surprised to find that could
talk with her at all. had imagined that the
thought and conversation of these "grown-up
young women" lay on topics could not COM
prehend. All women over a certain age
seemed as possessors Of some secret not yet
revealed to me.
We walked for some time in silence
through the main street of the village its
sidewalks shaded by the great sycamores,
reached the outskirts, crossed the bridge
leading over Pond creek and reached
wooded promontory jutting into the Cove.
The moon shed glittering, tremulous mark
! far over the beautiful expanse of water, and
the katydids were filling the warm August
night with their calls. it was one of the en-
chanted nights of our North American sum-
mer.
'Well John," said Blanche, 'you are 60
ing away with the rest What are you going
fore
81 don't know" l replied, "and l don't
care"
''Do you really want to go!" she asked
II do and 1 don't. There's no home for
lne here That's why leave it."
"But YOU will come home rich Gnd take
care of your mother, and marry"
Marry, marry, marry" l exclaimed inl-
patiently 1T seems to nle that's all people
think of in this world"
She laughed in her own pleasant way and
said, "Why, John, you take gloomy view
Of things tonight You need cheering up.
What pity I'm not going to California with
you"
"What pity you are not" ventured at
last to say, and l said it very seriously;
had little idea of badinase or saying daring
things in q sportive way. Finally l added,
"Would you go if you could!"
81 would" she replied decisively. Her
manner and bearing seemed suddenly to
change.
'What! all by yourself in the Ann Mary
Ann, with seventy men on board"
I'D 60 all by myself in the Ann Mary Ann
with 500 men on board"
"Why, what do you want to 60 FORE"
''To see the world" she replied "Wasn't
it made for women we'll as men"
81 suppose So" was my rather doubtful
reply. But what would you do in Cali
forniaf'
I'D find something to do. See here,
john" said she. with an access of energy;
''here's thousands of men and boys going
there from all parts of the country. Don't
you think you'll need women! Who is to do
your cooking and washing and mending:
Its just the mistake you're all making not
taking women along with you. Why, women
will be worth their weight in gold out there.
Do you think you can live without them: If
l was able I'd send out two or three on shares
myself, just as Judge Gardner is sending
that thick-headed Bill Roper, with the idea
that Roper will ever send a cent back Now,
if had my way Id fit out Louisa Bird and
Mary Talmadge and Sophronia Stebbins,
bright, lively girls. who have hands to work
with and wits i'll their heads, and Id go my
self along with them
WELL" said /, after a pause, 81 think,
Blanche, that you and I ought to change
places. You to go, to stay behind"
John, certainly think we ought Any
way, l wish had your chance. I've got the
fever as bad as any of you-much worse
than you. l plan it all out in my mind,
sometimes, how I'll disguise myself as a man
"a boy, rather-and serve as cabin boy OH
some ship bound out there. But there are
other ways of getting there" added she, re-
fectively. Then, resumns her former tone
she added: I'D 60 to take care of you, tOo,"
accompanying the remark with one of her
smiles, which left one in complete doubt as to
the sentiment which prompted it.
"You think, then, need some one to take
care of me-" asked
"Yes: I do, indeed You're fit now only