The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-09-28
By MISS ANNIE EDWARDSI

herself by the Warwickshire Stamers.
Yet. if it comes to liking-if you were
to ask me whether I shall miss Dir.
Chester when he leaves, or whether l
wish I had never known him at all, l
could not answer you"
And eight days later she accepted
him! Ran into the house n evening,
ish face, with the news that Barry
Chester loved her-loved her to such
a new, trembling happiness in her girl
an extent he could not possibly face
existence unless she would become his
wife. And she.-how could she have the
heart to say him nay? They were to
start at once and colonize in Virginia.
You could buy an estate il Bedford
County, with stabling for thirty horses,
and an icehouse on it, said Daphne,
for a few hundred pounds, and peaches
were grown in orchards like our cider
apples, and-and please might she ask
Mr.. Chester to come in-he has only
waited for her on the terrace-and
everything might be talked over quiet
" after tea.
She was so without guile, this coun-
try nurtured child Of eighteen-her Sc
questered life, the fine Unborn white
ness Of her nature, raised her so high
above the level of all falsehoods, that
even Aunt Hosie forgave her for being
dazzled by Barry Chester's protesta-
tons. Besides, sitting her personal
dislike and some natural jealousy at
descending from the first place in
Daphne's affections, what objection
could Aunt Hosie urge lst Mr..
Chester's suit?
The modesty Of his worldly prospects
was laid bare by him, without reserve,
ON this first evening Of his engage
ment. He had sold out Of the army
some mcnths before, and the money,
or remainder Of the money, realized by
the sale Of his commission constituted
his actual fortune. At the same time.
his expectations from rich friends,
Warwickshire Stamers and others,
amounted to moral certainties. He was
young, not yet twenty-eight, and fond
of an outdoor life. did you ever know
a consummately useless man Of the
Barry Chester type who did not make
the same profession? The outdoor life,
writ large, signifying pigeon shooting,
race courses and general polarity. per-
haps, toward horsily cut coats, q jewel
set whip, and gaiters.)
His project was to emigrate this
coming autumn to Virginia, the most
hopeful of colonies. twas said, for gen.
tlemen settlers, buy a farm at a cost
Of six or even hundred pounds, and
live upon it. Not a brilliant outlook,
he knew, and yet all that he had to
offer! This and his own great love
an expression for a moment flushing
his face that made even Aunt Hosie
think him handsome. Would Daphne
accept him?
Daphne accepted him; three weeks
later knelt at his side before the vii
lage altar-caring for him-well, in
the dreamy fashion young girls do care
for the first man whose lip-worship has
raised their lives from commonplace
to drama, but sobbing in earnest terror
when the moment neared in which
she must loosen her arms from Aunt
Hosie's neck and drive away, amidst
an avalanche of old shoes and huzzas,
Barry Chester's wife.
She was in nature so rich in good
as to render her passionate allegiance
to every new phase Of duty a matter
Of course. Whatever Mr.. Chester's
shortcomings, and they were many
Daphne clung to him during the eight
months in which they lived side by
side with an answering, blind tender
ness that does not always fall to the
lot Of worthier men. Did she, at any
moment, love him with such full meas
ure az she had to give during these
eight months? Reader, she believed
she loved him, and
Where a button goes, 'twere an
epigram
To offer the stamp Of every Guelph.
They spent their honeymoon in Sark.
1t rained, and before ten days were
over MI. Chester had ceased to repress
his yawns or gid over his expletives
in his brides presence. After this came
their wedding visit to the old aunts at
Fief-de-la-Reine, a visit during which
it was understood that preparations
Of every kind should be set on foot
for the coming exodus to Virginia.
Weeks, however, glided away into
months, the harvest was gathered in,
the russets Of late autumn came to
settle on field and hedgerow. and still
Mr.. Barry Chester's projects took no
definite form. Nay, he began at times
to talk about q steeplechase on Quer-
nee Common in the coming spring,
about fiat races in July, after a While
to discuss the wisdom Of starting for
Virginia at all. Colonial life a deuced
chance, even for a man with capital.
Just as much to be gained in the old
country as abroad if a fellow had pa
thence to wait, and brains-to utilize.
Why, here in these islands q very good
thing might be done in breeding and
exporting the little Normandy horses!
If one could only rent pasture ground
enough somewhere in the neighbour
hood OF Quernec, he was certain a
moderate fortune might be realized by
horse breeding, and at less risk than
in any colony going. Pending this
Pending this, Mr.. Barry Chester
spent his days-as the winter wore on.
his evenings-more and more away
from home; wore flasher ties, wore