Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-01-28

It,"
"You are quite right" I said. II cal
fully sympathize with your feelings
am sadly reluctant to go back to foggJ
old England myself after my trip ou
here.
"And do yop intend going back very
soon?" asked Miss Sanderson, who hae
been smoothing ont her gloves upon bel
knee.
within the next month or 3d."
answered, with sigh. my business
in the east is at an end, and have ne
excuse for staying longer.
From this point the talk drifted on te
general topics, and when tea was finish
ed l seized the first opportunity thai
presented itself, and making an excuse
withdrew Just as stepped from the
veranda one of the small native dos-a'
dos carts entered the grounds and drew
up near the end Of my corridor. Two
ladies descended from it, and having
paid the driver entered their rooms.
One was tall and the other rather short.
er. At last felt convinced Allie had ar
rived
AS they disappeared the gong warn;
ed us to prepare for dinner, but heed;
less of my costume seated myself out
side my door and waited. Though I re-
mained there for some time, however,
they did not emerge again, and at last
was compelled to go in and make my
self .presentable without having seen
them.
At dinner, which was served in the
palatial marble dining saloon standing
in the center of the gardens. discover
ed to my annoyance that my place was
laid at long table at the farther end,
exactly opposite those occupied by the
American ladies with whom had taken
tea.
From where sat it was quite impos'
sible for me to see all over the room,
and in consequence / could not tell
whether Allie was present or not. AS
soon, however, as the meal was over
rose, and before walking out looked
about me. Some of the residents were
still dining, and at the end of the mid
die table, .farthest from me, were, with,
out doubt, the two ladies whom | had
seen arrive At the distance was from
them it was quite impossible to tell who
they were, but from the poise Of her
head and the shape Of her beautiful
arms and shoulders l felt convinced that
the taller of the two was the woman
loved and whom had all the afternoon
been so anxiously expecting.
Seeing, however, that it was just pos.
sible / might be mistaken and remem-
bering the instruction Allie had given
me to let our meeting appear accidental,
I could not walk down the length Of the
room aud accost her, so l betook myself
into the marble portico and waited for
them to come out. But as it happened
Miss Sanderson and her friend were the
first to emerge, and the voluble young
American took me by storm at once.
From what she told me l gathered two
things - first, that hitherto she had
found her evenings dull and, second,
that on this particular occasion there
was to be an open air concert on the
kings plain, distant about mile from
the hotel. She and her friend had In
tended going, if they could find an es-
cort, and there and then she asked me
if I would officiate in that capacity.
did not know what to say. They were
women, and I could not be rude, and,
moreover, as they had evidently set their
hearts upon going and was not posi-
lively certain that Allie had arrived
felt had no right to decline the honor
of escorting them. Accordingly as
sented and went across the garden tc
get my hat. Five minutes later they
met me at the gates, and we strolled
down the road together toward the
plain.
There are few prettier places in the
world than Batavia, and / have met
with few handsomer girls than the dis
tinguished looking American by my
side, but for all that was not content
ed with my lot. wanted to be back II
the veranda at the hotel watching fol
Allie.
Leaving a handsome street behind US,
we passed on to the plain, where large
crowd of people were promenading te
the strains of military band. At any
other time the music would have been
inspiriting, but in the humor was II
the gayest marches sounded like funeral
dirges. For over an hour we continued
to promenade, until I began really tc
think that l should have to ask my
friends to accompany me home or re-
main where they were without me. But
at last the concert came to an end, and
we once more turned our faces In the
direction of our hotel.
"You have been very quiet this even
ing," said Miss Sanderson to me as We
left the tarf and stepped on to the roao
again.
II hope my being so has not spoil'
your enjoyment" said, trying to beg
the question.
"Oh, dear. nol'' Then as sif something
had suddenly struck her: "Do you ex'
pect to gee any one in Batavia? l have
noticed that you scan every lady we pass
as if you were on the lookout for an ac
quaintanoe.
II did expect to see some one, must
confess, answered. "You have SHARP
eyes, Miss Sanderson.
"They have been trained in SHARP
school, /" was her brief reply.
By this time we were within tiVt
minutes walk of home and in the ao
of crossing one of the numerous bridges
that in Dutch fashion grace Batavia
LL M1o -nrcnd fnr q fa1u fnnmanti