Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-06-03

| Wlllmarth q 20. VI course CneSter,
with the perverse understanding Of the
unfortunate, imagined that the old fel
low had in some way learned Of hi
financial disasters and was Chatting
him, a notion that set him inwardly
raging.
There were many exceptions, Chester
found, to the "family gathering" limi
tations of the party, and among them
was Mr. Cyrus Pratt the famous poll
tician, to whom he was introduced,
with not little impressment, by Mr..
Willmarth. The ''boss" appeared to bt
a heavy man, considerably past middle
AGE. with an immobile countenance
sleepy eyes and coppery complexion,
who merely accorded him nod Of in
difference in acknowledgment Of the in
PRODUCTION. Later in the evening, wher
he was sitting beside Irma conversine
with her, Mr.. Pratt came up to ask he,
hand in the next cotillon, when she
answered in her impulsive fashion:
"On condition that you will do me 6
favor, Mr.. Pratt "
IT shall esteem 1t privilege to serve
you any way in my power" " he replied
smilingly.
"Well, first I wish to introduce tx
you Mr.. Chester Sewan" F"
IT have already had the honor Of al
introduction to Mr. Sewal by your IA
ther," he responded, bowling with ur
bane courtesy to the young man and
looking as if the acquaintance filed hin
with the iveliest satisfaction.
"Ah, you have9 Goodi Now I viii
tell You what the favor Is thct I want
It is that you put Mr.. sewall into poll
tics, find some nice place for him and
and-ten him what to do"
IT shall be happy to put myself al
Mr.. Sewall's disposal, " replied the poll
tician smilingly, "and I have no doubt
we shall find something for him"
"Thanks That's settled Now you
may put your name down for two dances
instead Of one; one because you asked it
and the other for being good"
"It pays to be good when goodness is
30 rewarded
Chester uttered some expression Of
grateful acknowledgment for the prom
ised favor, though there was something
in the incident, he hardly knew what,
that he did not like, and Mr.. Pratt led
Irma away. Left alone to ponder over
the circumstance, he found that 1t was
the confident and familiar way Irma
spoke to the "boss" and the evident
good understanding between them
lXhich ssxe him the uncomfortable feel
| ing of dislike Tor aiGI.p peX protector:
But outside that little incident and Mr..
Willmarth's eccentric behavior his en-
joyment Of the evening was perfect.
Irma led him into the conservatory,
nominally to show him a new orchid
that had just come into bloom, and In the
shelter Of the foliage, when she was sure
nobody saw them, she gave him kiss
His passion, the little twinge Of jealousy
Mr.. Pratt had given him and the fire Of
her caress together impelled him to reck-
less disregard for all else than his love,
and he urged her to consent to an imme-
diate marriage. He wanted her to elope
with him the very next day. The thought
that after paying the expenses Of the
elopement and minister's fee he would
be practically penniless did not even oc-
cur to him.
She heard him through indulgently,
even encouragingly, and gave him an
other kiss, but she would not run away.
mo, Chester, dear" !" she said, with
placid reason, not at all disturbed by his
fever. "It would be very nice but not
even little bit sensible for us to make
papa angry, and he would be, awfully, If
we were to do thing like that We
must keep on his good side if we can.
You will be all right I've been watch
ing him this evening, and 1 can see
that he is beginning to take to you. Be
patient. A little bird whispers to me
that we will not have very long to
wait"
Opposite as the poles were the thought
in her mind prompting the figurative
whisper of the little bird and the under
standing in his produced by it He had
not told her whence he had obtained
the costly present he had made to her,
the value Of which she knew far better
than he did, and she naturally supposed
that he had purchased it To be able to
buy thing like that argued to her
sudden and great improvement in his
financial condition. It was quite true
that his speculations were going badly
when last he told her anything about
them, but she very well knew some
times fortunes were picked up on Wall
street in a few hours, and why might
not her lover have had some such lucky
picking? Certainly his entire capital at
the time when he asked her father for
her hand would not have suficed to
buy that grand ruby. He must be get
ting rich.
But Chester thought she meant him to
understand the birds whisper as Papa
Is on the verge of giving his consent to
our marriage" -.
And before the error of either could
be corrected the presence Of other per-
sons put an end to the conversation
But it had lasted long enough to make
the young man happier than he had
been in a good many weeks past, and
when he went out that night from her
presence his future seemed once more
radiant with the golden light Of hope
He and Irma would marry. Her father
would start him in business By the
way, why had she, knowing all that
solicited that man to give him pollt-
ical appointment No doubt she meant
1t as a joke, or it was just possible that
she was really ambitious to see him win
o1;I;,,1 ,,,.ofo-,,,ant Wel1 II IL would