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

'sThe girl must speak" replied the parson,
laying down his pipe "Here's our neighbot
who says he loves you, Madge. Do you lows
him, ay or no!"
'sI think do" said Mariory, family.
swell, then, that's all that could bo
wished" cried Will, heartily. And be took
her hand across the table and held it
moment in both of his with great satisfaction.
"You must marry" observed the parson,
replacing his pipe in his mouth.
''Is that the right thing to do, think youF
demanded Will.
ut is Indispensable" said the parson.
"Very well" replied the wooer.
Two or three days passed away with great
delight to Will, although bystander might
scarce have found it out. He continued to
take his meals opposite Marjory, and to talk
with her and gaze upon her in her fathers
presence; but he made no attempt to see her
alone, nor in any other way changed his con-
duct towards her from what it had been
since the beginning Perhaps the girl was q
little disappointed, and perhaps not unjustly;
and yet if it had been enough to be always IN
the thoughts of another person, and so per-
wade and alter his whole life, she might have
been thoroughly. contented For she was
never out of Wills mind for an Instant. .He
sat over the stream, and watched the dust OF
the eddy, and the poised fish and strainlng
weeds; he wandered out alone into the purple
even, with all the blackbirds piping round
him in the wood; he rose early in the morn
ing, and saw the sky turn fromsgray to gold,
and the light leap upon the hilltops; and all
the while he kept wondering if he had never
seen such things befora or how it was that
they should look SO different now. The
sound Of his own mill wheel, or of the wind
among the trees, confounded and charmed
his heart. The most enchanting thoughts
presented themselves unbidden in his mind.
He was so happy that he could not sleep at
night, and SO restless that he could hardly sit
still out Of her company. And yet it seemed
as if be avoided her rather than sought her
out.
One day, rs he was coming home from a
ramble Will found Marjory in the garden
picking flowers and as he came up with her,
slackened his pace and continued walking by
her side.
'You like howersT' he said.
"Indeed love them dearly" she replied.
"Do your
"Why, no." said he, mot so much. They
are very small affair, when all is done.
can fancy people caring for them greatly,
but not doing Us you are just now"
"HowF' she asked, pausing and looking up
at him.
"Plucking them," said he. "They are
deal better off where they are, and look
deal prettier, if you go to that"
81 wish to have them for my own," she
answered, ''to carry them near my heart,
and keep them in my room. They tempt me
when they grow hero; they seem to say,
Come and do something with u.s. but once
have cut them and put them by, the charm is
laid, and can look at them with quite an
easy heart"
"You wish to possess them," replied Will,
"in order to think no more about them. It's
bit like killing the goose with the golden
eggs. It's bit like what I wished to do
when was boy Because had fancy
for looking out over the plain wished to go
down there, where couldn't look out over it
any longer. Was not that fine reasoningl
Dear, dear, if they only thought of it, all the
world would do like me, and you would let
your flowers alone just as stay mp here in
the mountains" Suddenly he broke off
sharp "By the Lord!" he cried. And when
she asked him what was wrong he turned the
question Off and walked away into the house
with rather humorous expressio of face
He was silent at table, and after the night
had fallen and tho stars had come out over
head he walked up and down for hours in
the courtyard and garden with an uneven
pace. There was still light in the window
Of M.ar9rSs u litss SesqRs Ind s
yer starlight Wills mind ran great deal
on the window, but his thoughts were not
very lover like. "There she is in her room,"
he thought, land there were the stars over
head-a blessing upon both" Both were
good influences in his life; both soothed and
braced him in his profound contentment with
the world. And what more should he desire
with either? The fat young man and his
councils were SO present to his mind that he
threw back his head and, putting his hands
before his mouth, shouted aloud to the popu-
lous heavens Whether from the position Of
his head or the sudden strain of his exertion,
he seemed to see momentary shock among
the stars, and diffusion Of frosty light pass
from one to another along the sky. At the
same instant corner Of the blind was lifted
up and lowered again at once. He laughed
q loud ho-ho! "One and another" thought
Will. "The stars tremble and the blind goes
up. Why, before Heaven, what great ma
gician must be! Now, if were only q fool,
should not be in pretty wayr And he
went off to bed, chuckling to himself: IF I
were only fool"
The next morning, pretty early, he saw her
once more in the garden, and sought her out.
II have been thinking about getting mar
ried," he began abruptly; land after having
turned it all over, have made up my mind
it's not worth while"
She turned upon him for a single moment;
but his radiant, kindly appearance would,
under the circumstances, have disconnected
all angel, and she looked down again upon
the ground in silence He could see her
tremble.
"I hope you don't mind" he went on, a lit
tie taken abacl. "You ought not. l have
turned it all over, and upon my soul there's
nothing in it. We should never be one whit
nearer than We are just now, and if I am
wise man, nothing like SO happy"
1T is unnecessary to go round about with
me,n she said. ~ very we'll remember that
YOU refused to commit yourself; and now that
1 see you were mistaken, and in reality never
cared for Inc, can only feel sad that have
been so far misled."
II ask your pardon" said Will stoutly;
"you do not understand my meaning. AS to
whether have ever loved you or not, must
leave that to others. But for one thing, my
feeling is not changed; and for another, you
may make it your boast that you have made
,,,y ,rboln lifo md choropt Sompthinu diff
ferent from what they were. mean what
say; no less. do not think getting married
is worth while. l would rather you went on
living with your father, SO that could walk
over and see you once, or maybe twice q
week. as people go to church, and then we
should both be all the happier between
whiles. That's my notion. But I'll marry
you if you will, he added.
"Do you know that you are insulting me"
she broke out.
"Not l, Marjory," said he; ''if there is any
thing in clear conscience, not l. I offer all
my hearts best affections; you can take it or
want it, though suspect it's beyond either
your power or mine to change what has once
been done, and set me fancy free I'll marry
you, if you like; but I tell You again and
again, it's not worth while, and we had best
stay friends Though l am quiet man, I
have noticed a heap of things in my life.
Trust in me, and take things rs | propose; or,
if you don't like that, say the word, and I'll
marry you out of hand"
There was considerable pause, and Will,
who began to feel uneasy, began to grow
angry in consequence.
at seems you are too proud to say your