Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-03-21
could have imagined him prey to the deep

could have imagined him prey to the deep
est rooted sorrow.
7 think he was the most sad when passed
him in company with the captain who some
times condcscended to promenade with ma.
and the most angry when was out with Mr..
Goodc. to whom I was relief from the wear
and tear of two boys wonderfully full Of ami
NAL spirits on unreasonable occasions. When
was with Lily Brian, he seemed to brighten
upa little, and Lily was curious concerning
him, and asked me many questions.
WHO is that good looking young man,
Jane, who is always taking his hat OFF, she
asked one morning.
"Hc is a carver and glider; don't know
hinl-that is, l hardly know him." 1 said.
"Hc called once about something he had
cropped down our area, and he has claimed
an acquaintance ever since"
"Then why doesn't he speak!" asked the
practical Lily.
He's much too quick with his speech; and
It's very good thing he's q trife quieter
just now" said, sharply, and Lily looked at
me and said, eagerly,
"Tell mo all about il! Is he'-
"No, he is not"
."SOh, rbeg your pardon, Jane; ! thought
he was"
An enigmatic dialogue, but we perfectly
understood each other, And hoped that l
had made Lily understand had no interest
in Mr.. Bird, for young girls jump so rapidly
at conclusions where young men are con.
cerncd Not that Lily was in the habit of
jumping after young men in any way-l do
not mean to convey that impression. Lily
was full of spirits, but good girl in every
respect, with not an atoms worth Of the
ordinary Margate jetty girl in her constitu-
tion not she. Still, curiously enough, was
deceived in and by Lily Brian. had no idea
| she could have been so cunning or so easily
deceived. One morning when l walked
down the jetty found to my intense aston
ishment Mr.. and Mrs Brian, Lily, George, the
eldest Master Brian and Mr.. Goode, all talk
ing and laughing with Mr.. Bird, and taking
it in turns to peer through his telescope at
some object on the far horizon. l walked up
slowly, and with bushes on my cheeks, 1 am
sure in my surprise.
"Jane, my dear, here's O gunboat," said
Mr. Brian as approached; "this gentleman
has been kind enough to allow lis to inspect
it through his very powerful telescope. Look
here, child
Mr.. Bird did smile a little, in IL sheep faced
and embarrassed kind Of manner, as he
glanced toward ME, but he did not say Il
word when Mr.. Brian handed me the instrl-
ment. fIe even let Mr.. Goode focus the in
strumcnt for me without interfering i'll any
way. although fancied heard him grind
ing his teeth.
Its capital glass, sir" said Mr.. Brian to
him. Mr. Brian, being of q genial turn, was
always disposed to be friendly with the first
stranger whom he encountered out of town.
''Yes, it's good glass"
'sHad it long, sir! Would you like to dis
pose Of it now!' was the insinuating inquiry.
"It belonged to my father" was the reply,
therefore it has not money value to me.
It was his present when l was onc-and-
twenty, and shouldn't like to part with it.
Another birthday present, thought.
Heavens, if he were to lose this too
"Certainly not, certainly not" said Mr..
Brian II admire your good feeling, sir.
George, YOU hear that" he said to his son,
who was lacking in flial sentiment, and was
at that identical moment sucking the bare
knob of his stick as if it were an egg.
George nodded and then winked at me. \
most Objectionable lout was George, and Mr..
Bird scowled ferociously at him, and from
him to me.
l inspected the gunboat, or triad to inspect
it, for tho object glass was very misty with
little transparent worms that seemed to be
wriggling and dancing all over it; returned
the telescope to its owner, who said: THANK
you, maam," very quietly, and with his look
of sadness highly developed again.
Still he remained remarkably non-obtrrl-
L. i otfop,y,f fo forna hic
sation upon me in any way, and presently he
was walking down the jetty with Mr.. Brian,
and talking and laughing as if he had known
him all his life.
thought all this was q new and deep laid
scheme Of his, but it was really Lily Brian
who was at the bottom Of it all, or who at
least induced her parents and brother to say
from that day "Good morning" to Mr.. Bird,
and even to shake hands with him. Hence I
was obliged to say Good morning. also
when he directly addressed me, and to be-
come by degrees on speaking terms with him
again, and almost to forget that umbrella
question which had been bone Of conten-
tion-a whalebone Of contention-betwec1
us. Not that the umbrella was off his mind
in any way, for he had been introduced to
Capt. Choppers on one occasionally Cnpt.
Choppers express request, as that gentleman
wanted to borrow his telescope-and to my
astonishment I heard Mr.. Bird say, five
minutes after the introduction,
"You see, it was not for the value Of the
umbrella, but because Of the associations con-
nected with it. I hope you understand, cap
tain
II understand perfectly" was the reply;
''but that was no reason why you should
have kicked up such an abominable uproar,
SIR"
Capt Choppers had borrowed the telescope,
and was now dominant and rude.
The time was drawing toward the end of
the holiday when Mr.. Bird and I were friends.
may remark, actually friends, although I
will say very firmly, and despite Lily Brian's
opinion, nothing more than friends MIR.
Birds holiday would expire few days before
our own, learned, and, though would not
have owned it for untold wealth, was sorry
he was going back to London. He had in
formed me Of his position by that time, and
of his prospects for the future, or of some Of
them. He had given up the business, and his
fathers business before him, of carver and
glider in the Goswell road; he was very clever
at his trade, felt sure, for lie had been Of
1eTcu Iuc pOsU WI ouPCh III aVSiiuSi'o VI WI n ~
mn eminent firm in Oxford street, with whom
he had done business for years, and at very
respectable salary indeed.
He was exceedingly communicative the
last day of his stay in Margate; we were sit
ting together under the shelter of the veranda
of the refreshment room, with the band play
ing out in the rain. We were alone for q
wonder; the Brians were OH the rocks i'll
search of anemones, with the exception of
Lily, who had left me half On hour ago, with
an Injunction to come home if it poured"
and with an umbrella to shelter me, as had
ventured out without my own. She had seen
having very sharp eyes of her own-Mr.
Geoffry Bird advancing down tho jetty, and
had made some trivial little excuse to leave
me '.to give tho poor fellow chance" as she
told ME afterwards. And there he was sitting
by my side, cool and comfortable, and with
the rain coming down in big drops and start
ling and confounding the pleasure seekers.
II shall be quite tho gentleman soon, Miss
Neild," he said, with a laugh, land with
soul above shop keeping. only want few
friends about ME to make life worth living,
but l have never had any friends. Never
had the time or never saw anybody who waa
worth taking any trouble about, until-untI
lately"
could not reply to this. did not know
what he meant by 'lately."
people never took to me, either he con-
fcssed rucfully;"I have bad habit OF
| H.. ,l.oA .c ind mi