The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1888-02-02

little fellow OF twelve years, was the very
embodiment OF goodness and !nlnmCss, |
thought l sometimes met him in my soil
tary ramblCs around the place, and he ever
greeted me kindly, but Hn0tirc1 that strr:
watch was kept thaaC We did not often sec
each other.
Another circumstance that occurred each
year OF my stay at the Heights served t.
strengthen my opinion that for some good
reason was an inmate of this autOcra;ic
household. The first year after my being
installed there, l was surprised to sec ar
rive at tho cato carriage containing
large party who had evidently como to
pass quite IL length Of time at tho Heights,
for they brought considerable luggage with
them. The master and mistress seemed
very glad to SEQ them, but also much sur
priscd, and [ aftcrWard learned they were
not expected for a few days. Among the
company was an old gentleman whose hair
was white as snow but yet who locked hale
and hearty. He WAS II noble looking Old
man, with IL fine, erect figure and pleasant
address. Every one seemed to like him, |
thought. But it was to tho old lady, his
wife, my heart warmed, though | only
caught glimpse of her; but her lovely
placid face beneath the white hair was one
NOt likely to be soon forgotten. | felt as
though l could have crrpt into the kind
mothcrly arms and been SurO they would
welcome me warmly.
"Who arc thcy!" l asked Maggie, who
was III my room at the time Of their ARRIVAL
Tho old lady and gc"tlcman are Mr. and
Mrs Calcdon," she replied, "thcy arc, or
were, Mr.. Phillips p"rcnts. They always
come hero for n Vig't in June and bring
their young relations with them, and a fine
time they have, can tell YOU"
did not doubt her words, as | watched
the merry, laughing party enter tho house
and proceed TO mako themselves at homo in
the spacious rooms. But that evening,
greatly TO my surprise, | was transferred TO
farm house ten miles distant, where | re-
rnained for Il month with no other company
than the stupid German housewife and her
equally stupid husband The reason as
signed for this was they needed my room
When l returned again to CalCdon the
visitors were gone. Every year Of my stay
this was repeated. l wondered but could
find no clue as TO why 1 was thus banishcd.
The reader must not imagine that | had
forgotten my friend Dudley, who had so
kindly promised to return some day and
look after my welfare, not by any means.
His return was tho orc beacon toward
which / was eyer looking, hoping and
planning. / grew foolish as the idea Was)
10 love him, or the memory Of him rather,
in those days. Sometimes an awful haunt
ing fear would como upon mo that when no
returned and saw Irma Barrett so beautiful
and clever he would forget poor me, but
this thought was too terrible to be endured
and l drove it away. He surely was my
n1end-mine alone. The Claytons and Bar
retts had nothing TO do with him, said,
dercely.
They had been the bane of my existence
bat they should never rob mo OF my friend,
Oliver Dudley. And watched and waited,
always patiently, for his coming. spent
hours wondering what ho would say when
nc should SEQ mo grown to be n young lady
now, thought proudly. Would he like me,
wondered, and, would he hGvo grown old
er and graver in all these years1 OF course
he had. But this meeting about which I
had planned, as is often the case with most
OF our plans, came about in n very different
manner than had anticipated.