Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-04-04
YORKVILIE. S. @. WEDNESDAY, 4. 1888.

at table than she made her father q speech,
with her eyes fixed upon her plate, but
showing no other sign Of embarrassment or
distress.
"Father,n, she began, "Mr. Will and have
been talking things over. We see that we
have each made mistake about our feelings,
and he has agreed, at my request, to give up
oil idea of marriage, and be no more than my
very good friend, as in the past. You see
tiero is 10 shadow of quarrel, and indeed 1
hope we shall see great deal Of him in the
future, for his visits will always be welcome
il our house. OF course, father, you will
know best but perhaps we should do better
to leave Mr.. Wills house for the present 1
believe, after what has passed, we should
/ hardly be agreeable inmates for some days" "
Will, who had commanded himself with
difficulty from the first, broke out upon this
into M inarticulate noise, and raised one
hand with an appearance Of real dismay, as
II he were about to interfere and contradict
But shc checked him at once, looking up at
him with swift glance and an angry flush
upon her cheek.
"You will perhaps have the good grace"
ske said, "to let ME explain these matters for
Exa58slf.n -! Z. !; =
! win was put entirely out OF countenance
by her expression and the ring of her voice.
lie held his peace, concluding that there were
some things about this girl beyond his COM
prehension, in which he was exactly right.
The poor parson was quite crcstfallen. He
tried to provo that this was no more than a
true lovers tiff, which would pass off before
night; and when he was dislodged from that
position, he went on to argue that where
there was no quarrel there could be no call
for separation; for the good man liked
both his entertainment and his host. 1t was
curious to see how the girl managed them,
saying little all the time, and that very
quietly, and yet twisting them round her
finger and insensibly leading them wherever
she would by feminine tact and generalship.
It scarcely seemed to have been her doing
it seemed as If things had merely SO fallen
out-that she and her father took their de-
parture that same afternoon in a farm
cart, and went farther down the valley,
to wait, until their own house was ready for
them, in another hamlet But Will had
been observing 9osely, and was well aware
of her dexterity and resolution. When he
found himself alone he had great many
curious matters to turn over in his mind. He
was very sad and solitary, to begin with. All
| the interest had gone out Of his life, and he
might look up at the stars as long as he
| pleased, he somehow failed to find support or
consolation. And then he was in such tur-
noil of spirit about Marjory. He had been
puzzled and irritated at her behavior, and
yet he could not keep himself from admiring
it. Hc thought he recognized fine, perverse
angel in that still soul which he had never
hitherto suspected, and though he saw it was
an influence shat would fit but ill with his
own life of artificial calm, he could not keep
himself from ardently desiring to possess it.
like man who has lived among shadows and
now meets the sun, he was both panied and
| delighted.
As the days went forward he passed from
one extreme to another; now pluming him
self on the strength of his determination,
now despising his timid and silly caution.
The former was, perhaps, the true thought
| of his heart, and represented the regular
tenor of the mans reflections; but the latter
burst forth from time to time with an unruly
violence, and then he would forget all con-
sideration and 60 up and down his house and
garden or walk among the fir woods like one
who is beside himself with remorse. To
equable, steady minded Will this state Of
matters was intolerable; and he determined,
at whatever cost, to bring it 10 an end. So
| one warm summer afternoon he put on his
| best clothes, took thorn switch in his hand
and set out down the valley by the river As
soon as he had taken his determination he
@ hadEaaTaiggs ya ned he t3e th44R9 his customary peace
aEalthc variety OF the scene withotft dhJ
admixturc of alarm or unpleasant eagerness.
twas nearly the same to him how the matter
turned out. If she accepted him he would
have to marry her this time, which perhaps
yas oil for tho best. If she refused him he
would have done his utmost, and might fol-
| low his own way in the future with an un-
troubled conscience He hoped, on tho whole,
| she would refuse him; and then, again. as he
saw the brown roof which sheltered her,
pecping through some willows ut an angle OF
the stream, no was half inclined to reverse
the wish and more than half ashamed of him
self for this infirmity Of purpose.
Mariory seemed glad to sec him and gave
him her hand without affectation or delay.
"Ihavc been thinking about this marriage" !"
he began.
$50 have T." she answered. "And respect
YOU moro and more for very wise man. You
understood me better than I understood my
self. and am now quite certain that things
are all for the best as they are"
cat the same time"-ventured VIII.
"You must be tired" she interrupted
"TaEo q seat and let me fetch you glass OF
wine. The afternoon is so warm, and wish
Won not to be displeased with your visit
You must come quite often; once week II
YOU Gun spare the time; I am always SO glad
to sec my friends"
80, very wen," thought Will to himself
SIT appears I was right after all" And he
paid q very agreeable visit, walked home
again in capital spirits and gave himself no
further concern about the matter.
For nearly three years Will and Marjory
continued on these terms, seeing each other
once or twice q week without any word Of
love between them; and for all that time l
believe Will was nearly as happy as a man
can be. He rather stinted himself the pleas
ure of seeing her; and he would often walk
half way over to the parsonage, and then
back u,,ain, as if to whet his appetite In
deed there was ono corner of the road,
whence he could see the church spire wedged
into crcvicc of the valley between sloping
firwoods, with q triangular snatch Of plain
by way of background, which he greatly
affected as q place to sit and moralize in be-
fore returning, homeward; and the peasants
cot so much into the habit of finding him
there in the twilight that they gave it the
name of will O the Mills corner"
At tho end of the three years Marjory
played him sad trick by suddenly marrying
somebody else Will kept his countenance
bravcly, and merely remarked that, for as
littlo Us he knew of women, he had acted very
prudcntly in not marrying her himself three
years before She plainly know very little
of her own mind, and, in spite Of deceptive
manner was as tickle and fighty rs the res'
of them. He had to congratulate himself OF
an escape, he said, and would take higher
opinion of his own wisdom in consequence
But at heart, he was reasonably displeased
moped good deal for month or two, ane
fell away in flesh, to the astonishment of hi:
serving lads.
1t was perhaps year after this marriage
that Will was awakened late one night by
the sound Of horse galloping on the road
followed by precipitatc knocking at the lnr
door. He opened his window and saw farm
servant, mounted and holding led horse by
the bride, who told him to make what haste
he could and 60 along with him; for Marjory
was dying, and had sent urgently to fetct
him to her bedside Will was no horseman
and made so little speed upon the way tha,
the poor young wife was very near her enc
before he arrived. But they had some
minutes talk in private and he was present
and wept very bitterly while she breathed hel