Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-05-31
CHAPTER XXXII.

CHAPTER XXXII.
EN0N q letter which Frank wrote
I8I to Alice soon after his re-
se turn 10 Boston he said: my
(S4& mother and, in fact, all my
people seem to think so much more OF
me since I have set about fitting my
self for a profession. Father says he
is growing proud Of me, and that
pleases me best of all, for he is and
always has been my best friend. OF
course I think the world Of Blanch,
and she seems to think l am the best
fellow in the world. Little do any OF
them know that it is you for whom l
am working, and always with the hope
that you will deem me worthy Of the
prize. How many times recall every
moment Of that one short hour on the
old mill pond and all that made 1t
sacred to me no one can tell. I go out
little except to escort mother and the
girls to the theater once in awhile, and
so anxious am I to be able to pass an
examination l often 60 to the office
and read law till midnight"
When this effusion reached Alice the
mountains around Sandgate were just
putting on their autumn glory OF col
or, and that night when she sat on the
porch and heard the katydids in the
fast thinning foliage Of the elms she
had what she called an old fashioned
fit Of the blues. And how lonely 1t
was there too!
Aunt Susan, never a talkative per-
son, sat close, but as dumb as a craven
image; no house near and only the
twinkling lights Of several on the other
side Of the valley were visible. On a
knoll Just below them she knew were q
few score of white headstones, among
them her mothers, and when there
was a moon she could see them plain
ly. 1t is during the lonely hours of our
lives that we see ourselves best, and
this quiet evening-no more quiet than
many others perhaps, but seemingly so
to Alice-she saw herself and her pos
IL
word of her lovers letter had been an
emissary Of both Joy and sorrow-joy
that be was so devoted to her and sor-
row because she felt that an impassa-
BILE barrier separated them. "He will
forget me in a few MONTHS" she said
to herself, "and by the time he has
won his coveted law degree his schem-
ing mother will have some eligible girl
all ready for him to fall In love with.
AS for me, she will never have the
chance to frown at me, for even II
Blanch begs, I would never set foot in
her house." When her feelings had
carried her up to this point she arose
and, going into the parlor, began play
ing. Her piano was the best and about
the only companion she had and quick
ly responded to her moods. And now
what did it tell? She played, but every
chord was a minor one. full Of the
pathos OF tears and sorrow. She sang
but every song that came to her lips
carried the same refrain and told only
of hungry hearts and unanswered love
And last, and worst Of all, almost in
sensibly her fingers strayed to the
chords of one well remembered song
One verse only she sang, and when the
last pathetic line was ended she arose
and, going to her aunt and kneeling
bowed her head in that good old souls
lap and burst into tears. 1t did not last
long, however, and when the storm
was over she arose and said:
There, auntie; I've been spelling fol
a good cry all day, and now I've had II
and feel better"
She thought of her brother, toward
whom her heart had always turned
when in trouble, and not in vain. Oh
the lest that Frank had made regard
ing the island girl Albert had fallen ir
love with she thought but little. She
fell to thinking what void it would
make in her life if his thoughts AMI
affection were centered elsewhere
Then she began wondering why he hat
failed to write as often as usual dur
ing the past six weeks. She had known
his plans for the yachting trip, and Inn
agined his letter announcing its failure
and his return to work an expression
of disappointment. Since then he had
written but once, telling her that he
was overwhelmed with business ant
inclosing check, but failing to inclose
any but the briefest expression of love
Life with Alice was at best a lone
some one, and Sunday, with its simple
services in the village church, the sing
ing in the choir and pleasant mods from
all she met, was the only break in its
monotony. Now, during summer va
cation time, it was worse than ever
and she began counting the days und
school opened again. Once, with Aunt