Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-08-16
CHAPTER Y.
THE SPA.

EA J" set. though the pump
EGA" room was full every
EM ~ morning and the gar
EN. MA dens and the long room
&i "A in the evening were
we'll attended. the spa
lacked animation. The music pleased,
the singers pleased, the colored lamps
dangled In chains between the branches
and pleased. yet the company was dull.
There was little noise of conversation
and no mirth or laughter; the family
groups were not broken up; the people
looked at each other and walked round
and round in silence. After the first
round or so, when they had seen all the
dresses. the girls yawned and wanted
to sit down.
To me it was amusing only to see the
people in their fine dresses marching
round and round while the music play.
ed. trailing their skirts on the floor.
swinging their hoops and handling
their fans: for the lack Of young men
talking to the clergy from the cathe-
drals and the colleges. and casting at
each other glances Of envy If one was
better dressed or Of scorn when one
was worse dressed than themselves.
AS for the men-"Jack." said Cap
tain Crowle. 81 keep looking about me.
try the pumproom in the morning,
the ordinary at dinner. the taverns
after dinner. My lad, there is not one
among them all who is fit to be mated
with our Molly. Gentlemen, are theyi
like not the manner Of these gentle.
men. They are mostly young. but
drink hard already. Their faces are
red and swollen at 25. What will they
be at 40? My girl shall marry none OF
them. nor shall she dance with them.
She shall stay at home"
In fact. during the first week or two
after the opening Of the spa Molly re-
mained at home and was not seen In
the long room or In the gardens.
The town was nearly full, many Of
the visitors having to put up with
mean lodgings in the crazy old courts,
Of which there are so many in Lynn,
when the first arrival from London
took place. 1t was that Of clergyman
named Benjamin Purden. Arthur Ma
gister. formerly Of Trinity college,
Cambridge. He was man Of insig.
nificant presence. his figure being small
and thin. but finely dressed. His head
was almost hidden by full ecclesias.
tical wig. Apparently he was between
40 and so years Of age. He looked
about him and surveyed the company
with IN air Of superiority. as If he had
been person Of rank.
He came to US down the river by q
tilt boat from =, ubridge and accepted
contentedly quite q humble lodging,
barely furnished with chair and a
flock bed. Humility becomes divine, "
he said in a high authoritative voice.
1.-THE room will serve. A coal fire and
an open window will remove the musti.
ness" He was perhaps, though we
must allow a good deal to his profes.
sion. too fond of preaching. He preach.
ed in the morning at the pumproom.
1t was presently learned that Mr..
Purden had offered to take the services
at st. Nicholas for few weeks in or
der to enable the curate to attend the
bedside Of dying parent. He under
took this duty without asking for any
fee or pay, fact which greatly in
orooeod b;e, rop,1totiop
A day or two after Mr.. Purden's ar
rival came q carriage and four con-
tanning a very fine lady indeed, with
her maid and her man. She drove to
the Crown, the people all looking after
her. A large coat Of arms was embla.
zoned on the door of her carriage. with
a coronet and supporters. Her man
was dressed in noble livery Of pale
green, with scarlet epaulets. a little
crowd gathered round the door Of the
Crown while the footman held the door
open and the lady spoke with the land
lord.
Sir" she said, inclining her head
graciously and smiling upon the crowd,
81 have been directed to ask for thy
good offices in procuring lodging. I
am simple person, but body must
have cleanliness and room to turn
about"
Madam" said the landlord. there
Is but one lodging in the town which
is worthy Of your ladyship. I have
hn nY.1-n a
house which contains three or four
rooms. These would submit to your
ladyShip's consideration"
This was an excellent beginning.
The lady took the rooms at the rent
proposed and without haggling. There
were two bedrooms for herself and her
maid and one room in which she could
sit. The man found lodgings else
where. 1t appeared from his state
ment that his mistress was none other
than the Lady Anastasia. widow of
the late Lord Langston and sister Of
the living Earl Of Sclsey. 1t was there
fore quite true, as Sam Semple had an
nounced. that persons Of quality were
coming to the spa.
The Lady Anastas;a at this time was
about 26 years of age, handsome
woman still. though no longer in the
first flush Of her beauty. Her dress as
we'll as her manner proclaimed the
woman Of fashion. | confess that rs
a simple sailor one who could not pre-
tend to be q gentleman and had never
before seen q woman Of rank, much
less conversed with one. was quite
ready, after she had honored me with