Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-12-12

sun cleaning through the deep foliage
and the sweet sensuous air, all seemed
incarnate in the calm lovely face and
gracious figure beside him.
They TOOK their seat on the old rustic
bench built against the beech, which was
the last tree on the brink Of the cliff. A
hundred feet below flowed the river
rippling softly along a narrow strip OF
sand which its current had thrown
against the rocks. The ledge Of tow
ering granite formed a cave eighty
feet in depth at the waters edge. From
this projecting wall, tradition said
young Indian princess once leaped with
her lover, fleeing from the wrath Of
cruel father who had separated them
The cave below was inaccessible from
above, being reached by p narrow foot
path along the rivers edge when en-
tered a mile downstream.
The view from the seat, under the
beech, was one Of marvellous beauty.
For miles, the broad river rolled In calm
shining glory seaward, its banks firing
ed with cane and trees, while fields of
corn and cotton spread in waving green
toward the distant hills and blue noun
tains Of the west
Every tree Of this cliff was cut with
the initials of generations Of lovers
from Piedmont.
They sat in silence for awhile, Mar
garet idly playing with flower she had
picked by the pathway, and Phil
watching her devoutly.
The southern sun had tinged her
face the reddish warm hue Of ripened
fruit, doubly radiant by contrast with
her wealth Of dark-brown hair. The
lustrous glance Of her eyes, half veiled
by their long lashes, and the graceful,
careless pose of her stately figure held
him enraptured. Her dress Of airy,
azure blue, so becoming to her dark
beauty, gave Phil the impression of the
eiderdown feathers of some rare bird
of the tropics. He felt that II he dar-
ed to touch her she might lift her
wings and sail over the cliff into the
sky and forget to light again at his
side!
III am going to ask very bold and
inpertinent question, Miss Margaret"
Phil said with resolution. May I?'
Margaret smiled incredulously.
"Tll risk your impertinence, and de-
eide as to its boldness."
"Tell me, please, what that preacher
said to you today"
Margaret looked away. unable to/sup-
press the merriment that played about
her eyes and mouth.
"Win you never breathe it to soul,
IL do?"
Never"
Honest Injun here on the sacred al
tar of the princess?"
ION my honor"
"Then I'll tell you," she said, biting
her lips to keep back laugh. Mr..
McAlpin Is very handsome and elo-
quent. 1 have always thought him the
best preacher We have ever had In
Piedmont"
"Yes, 1 know" Phil interrupted with
a frown.
.He,is very pious," she went on even
ly, land seeks Divine guidance In pray
er in everything he does. He called
this morning to see me, and was play
ing for him in the little music-room on
the parlor, when he suddenly closed
the door and said:
Miss Margaret, am going to take,
this morning, the most important step
Of my life
"Of course, hadn't the remotest idea
what he meant
"'Will you join me in a word OF
prayer" he asked, and knelt right
down. was accustomed, Of course TO
kneel with him in family worship at
his pastoral calls, and so from habit
slipped to one knee by the piano-stool,
wondering what on earth he was about.
When he prayed with fervor for the
Lord to bless the great love with which
he hoped to hallow my life-I giggled.
It broke up the meeting. He rose and
asked me to marry him. I told him the
Lord hadn't revealed 1t to me"
Phil seized her hand and held 1t
firmly. The smile died from the g1rrs
face, her hand trembled, and the rose
tint on her cheeks famed to scarlet.
Margaret, my own, I love you.' ne
cried with Joy. You could have told
that story only to the one man whom
you love-is 1t not true?"
"Yes. I've loved you always said
the low sweet voice.
"Always?" asked Phil through a tear.
Before l saw you, when they told
me you were as Ben's twin brother, my
heart began to sing at the sound of
your name"
Call It," he whispered.
Phil, my sweetheart" she said with
a laugh.
How tender and homelike the music
of your voice! The world has never
seen the match Of your gracious south
ern womanhood! Snow bound In the
north, I dreamed. as a child, OF this
world of eternal sunshine. And now
every memory and dream I've found In
YOU"
And you won't be disappointed IN
my simple ideal that finds its all with
in a homer"
mo. love the oldfashioned dream
of the south. Maybe you have en-
chanted me, but love these green hills
and mountains, these rivers musical
with cascade and fall. these solemn for
ests-but for the Black Curse, the south
would be today the garden OF the
world"
And you will help our people lit
this curse?" softly asked the girl, nest
ling closer to his side.
Yes, dearest, thy people shall De
mine! Had 1 thousand wrongs to