Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-12-12
CHAPTER TX.
AT LOVERS LEAP.

CHAPTER TX.
AT LOVERS LEAP.
In spite Of the pitiful collapse Of old
Stoneman under his stroke Of paraly-
sis his children still saw the uncon-
quered soul shining in his colorless
eyes. They had both been on the point
Of confessing their love-affairs to him
and joining the inevitable struggle
when he was stricken. They knew
only too we'll that he would not consent
to dual alliance with the Camerons
under the conditions of fierce hatreds
and violence into which the state had
drifted. They were too high-minded
to consider violation Of his wishes
while thus helpless, with his strange
eyes following them about in childlike
eagerness. His weakness was mightier
than his iron will.
So for eighteen months, while he
slowly groped out Of mental twilight
each had waited-Elsie with tender
faith struggling with despair. and Phil
in torture Of uncertainty and fear.
| In the meantime, the young northern
er had become as radical in his sympa-
! thies with the southern people as his
father had been against them. This
power Of assimilation has always been
mark Of southern genius. The sight
Of the Black Hand on their throats now
reused his righteous Indignation. The
patience with which they endured was
% him amazing. The southerner he
had found to be the last man on earth
to become a revolutionist. All his
traits were against 1t. His genius for
command, the deep sense Of duty and
honor. his hospitality, his deathless
love of home, his supreme constancy
and sense Of civic unity, all combined
to make him ultraconservative. He
began now to see that it was reverence
for authority as expressed In the con-
stitution under which slavery was es-
tablished which made Secession inevi-
table
Besides, the laziness and incapacity
of the negro had been more than he
could endure. With no ties Of tradi-
ton or habits Of life to bind him, he
simply refused to tolerate them. In
sympathise. She discharged Aunt Gin
dy for feeding her children from the
kitchen, and brought cook and house
girl from the north, while Phil would
employ only white men in any capac-
| ity.
In the desolation Of negro rule, the
Cameron farm had become worthless.
The taxes had more than absorbed the
income, and the place was only kept
from execution by the indomitable en-
ergy of Mrs. Cameron who made the
hotel pay enough to carry the interest
on mortgage which was increasing
from season to season.
The doctors practice was with him
a divine calling. He never sent bills
to his patients. They paid something
If they had it. Now they had nothing
Ben's law practice was large for his
age and experience, but his clients had
no money.
| While the Camerons were growing
each day, poorer, Phil was becoming
rich. His genius, skill, and enterprise
had been quick to see the possibilities
Of the water-power. The old Eagle
cotton mills had been burned during
the war. Phil organized the Eagle &
Phoenix Company, interested northern
capitalists, bought the falls, and erect
ed two great mills, the dim hum OF
whose spindles added new note to the
rivers music. Eager, swift, modest
his head full Of ideas, his heart full OF
faith, he had pressed forward to sue
cess.
AS the old Commoner's mind began
to clear. and his recovery was sure
Phil determined to press his suit fol
Margaret's hand to an issue.
Ben had dropped hint of an inter-
view Of the Rev. Hugh McAlpin with
DR.. Cameron, which had thrown Phi
into a cold sweat.
He hurried to the hotel to ask Mar
garet to drive with him that afternoon
He would stop at Lovers Leap and set
tie the question.
He met the preacher, just emerging
from the door, calm, handsome, serious
and Margaret by his side. The dark
haired beauty seemed strangely serene
What could it mean? His heart was
in his throat Was he too late;
Wreathed in smiles when the preacher
had gone, the girls face was a rid
die he could not solve.
. To his joy, she consented to go.
AS he left in his trim little buggy
for the hotel, he stopped and kissed
Elsie, whispering:
Make an offering on the altar OF
. love for me, Sis!"
: You're too slow. The prayers Of
all the saints will not save you!" she
replied with a laugh, throwing him
kiss as he disappeared in the dust.
, AS they drove through the great for
, est on the cliffs, overlooking the river
the southern world seemed lit with
! new splendor today for the northerner
! His heart beat with a strange courage
: The odor of the pines, their sighint
music, the subtone of the falls below
J the subtle life-giving perfume Of tht
'fullness Of summer, the splendor of th'