Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-10-24

carried this mature oma She was In.
fatuated. From one point Of view, it
was laughable; from another, it was beau:
tifI and pathetic.
1t is not in the nature of things that a
woman of SO, who is engaged to a hand
some nan of IS, should remain always
calmly sure of her conquest. An event
was approaching which was destined to
cast upon this happy heart q shadow of
uneasiness. AS Janet sat, one holiday
afternoon. beside her Ernst, watching the
growth Of meaning and beauty under his
pencil, she said to him abruptly. my
little cousin will be here soon."
"So?" replied the painter without stop.
ping mis- work. II must get her q bres'
emit; shall it pc a toll?"
ga doll! She wouldn't thank you. She
is 10 years old"
$50 exclaimed Ernst, looking up in
surprise. "Then she cannot pc ferry
little"
II have got her q situation in my
school. She has finished her education
and must begin to earn her living"
"That is goot," smiled the artist. eve
will make ono family"
"My darling, I wanted to tell you
hesitated Janet. 1--WE must say nothing
about our engagement for the present:
That is, I would rather you would not, If
it makes no difference to you"
"Why?" asked the painter, stopping his
work and staring at her in surprise.
Because" stammered and blushed this
engaged old maid-''because I am
ashamed. Not of you'll Oh no, dearest.
But she will think it so queer. And then
it may never come to anything-we are SO
poor. At least it may be o long time
first. Well. until our way is q little more
clear l.ofore US, I would rather the en-
gagement should be kept q secret. You
are not annoyed, are you, Ernst7"
"No," replied Ernst, calmly, not under
standing too well, and not caring quite
enough.
well" continued the shy and fastidi.
GUS Janet, then it shall be so. We will
be just good friends in the eyes of Nellie
until-until it shall seem best to let he1
know"
On the morrow arrived Nellie Fisher, 6
plump, lively, laughing little blonde, with
eyes of o deep turquois blue, hair of the
lightest and fossiest faxen, q face some.
what broad and nose somewhat short,
beautiful in the German peasant style,
but undeniably beautiful Ernst, who
was present at the meeting of the two
cousins, glanced at the visitor 80 ire
quently and with an expression so full Of
mysterious meaning, that Janet's interest
was aroused. At the first chance for al
aside she said to him, "Wel, what dc
you think of herr"
"She looks like the one in Chermany,
he replied, lost in meditation, his eyes
both tender and somber, his soul in Other
years and lands.
Janet turned pale.
Does the reader divine what she fore
saw?
Well, it happened. -,
Ernst's heart was empty. Janet die
not inhabit it; had not even entered
into it. The unnamed girl whom he hae
loved in Prussia had by heroic efforts
been so far expelled from it that he die
not desire aver again to see her. But
her former residence there had so nodded
the abode that any one who resemblee
her could seize upon it, occupy it, and I'll
it. What now happened to the young
man was apparently love at first sight
but was really no more than the trans
ferring of an old love to a new object. A
week after he first met Nellie Fisher the
thought of her could fill him with deli
cious reveries, while the thought Of his
troth plight to Janet Holcum was sut6
Gent to make him mediate once more
upon suicide.
And the girl2 He and she met every
day, and two or three times a day. Ii
spite of his conscientious efforts to con
troll himself, there was in his manner to
ward her o tenderness, which, REINFORCED
by his beauty, his graceful address, anc
the glamour Of his artistic ability, coulc
not but move the heart of a child Of 10
who had never hoped for so fine an ad
mirer. In q little while Nellie began tt
futter at sight of him, and to pet him II
-.Isn't he charmingf" she said to hel
cousin.
"Do you think sol" replied Janet, hall
gratifed and half anxious.
81 really like his accent now. I Thought
it ridiculous at first"
$50 did l."
"What does she mean2" queried Nellie
marveling at this dryness and brevity
'Oh, I suppose know. He is poor, ane
I am poor, and we mustn't-hirt. We
Il suppose we-mustnt."
She went to the glass, looked at hel
lily skin, wished her nose were longer
arranged her aaxen hair, and wondered
whether he liked her.
"Do you know how you could fattel
mel" she said before long to Ernst.
"How2" he asked coolly, for she tempt
cd him in q distressing manner, and b
felt that he must allow himself no e1
pansion.
ooh! you don't want to do it" she re
piled, with q little sunny pout which sh'
had and which was irresistible.
81 am sure I wish to please you" b
said, unable to bear her pout. How cal
I fatter you2"
"You could put me into n OF you
pictures"
Il should be charmed to do it," ad
mitted the over tempted artist.
The next day the two women behelt
Nellie's bewitching face, drawn and col
ored with all the fervor of an art whicl
loves, smiling from Ernst's canvas. Tn
younger blushed and bridled with joy t.
SEQ herself there and so beautiful; tn
elder wore q fixed, mechanical smile, ant
said repeatedly, what an excellent like
ness!'
He had never put Janet's face into hi
creations. She did not blanc him TO
that; she believed that he could do moth
ing agreeable with it; she surveyed her
self in the glass and sighed, II am s.
ugly!" Eut TO see Nellie on that easel
painted 10y his hand and painted so well
it was driving q dagger into her beating
heart.
That very day Ernst, in a fit of nobl
remorse and self sacrifice, said to Jane
In private, Il wish you would let me In
form Nellie of u troth plight. Ithin]
1t would be PETER"
She grew so faint, under the terrible
revelation which he had u~nintentionall.
made, that for q moment she could no
answer him; and even when she spoke, !
was only to ask for delay.
"Stop!" she said, pressing her hand
upon her eyes. LET me think. / must
consider this"
He offered to slide his arm around he1
waist in his usual caressing style; but
she gently stopped him, looked earnestly
in his face, smiled with an unspeakable
pit%eousness, and gently glided away; bel
whole II saying, "Ah, my darling
you don't wish to do 1t, and why do you
do itw
"Is it possible that she comprehend.
me?" thought Ernst, folding his arms ant
shaking his head with the air of q mar
who is trying to stand firm against him
self. He appreciated fully the self abne
cation and heroism of Janet's character
lie knew that if he once confessed to hel
that he did not love her, she would in