Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-12-01
CHAPTER iii.
AUGUSTUS CAESAR.

CHAPTER III.
AUGUSTUS CAESAR.
Phil early found the home Of the
Camerons the most charming spot In
town. AS he sat in the fashioned
parlor beside Margaret, his brain seeth-
ed with plans for building hotel on a
large scale on the other side of the
Square and restoring her home intact.
The Cameron homestead was a large
brick building with an ample porch,
looking out directly on the court house
square, standing in the middle Of a
lawn full Of trees, flowers, shrubbery,
and wilderness Of evergreen lockwood
planted fifty years before. 1t was To-
Gated on the farm from which 1t had
always derived its support. The farm
extended up into the village itself. with
the great barn easily seen from the
street.
Phil was charmed with the doctors
genial personality He often found the
father a decidedly easier person to get
along with than his handsome daugh-
ter. The Rev. Hugh McAlpin was a
daily caller and Margaret had a tantal-
izing way OF showing her Difference to
his opinions.
Phil hated this preacher from the
moment he laid eyes on him. His pug
.:acious piety he might have endured
but for the fact that he was cookbook
ing and eloquent. When he rose in the
pulpit in all his sacred dignity, fixed
his eyes on Margaret, and began in
tenderly moduiated voice to tell about
the love Of God, Phil clinched his fist.
He didn't care to join the Presbyterian
church, but he quietly made up his
mind that, IL 1t came to the worst and
she asked him, he would join anything.
What made him furious was the air Of
assurance with which the young divine
carried himself about Margaret as II
he had but to say the word and 1t
would be fixed as by a decree issued
from before the foundations Of the
world.
He was pleased and surprised 20 find
that his being a Yankee made no diff
ference In his standing or welcome.
The people semed unconscious Of the
part his father played at Washington.
Stoneman's Confiscation Bill had not
yet been discussed in congress, and the
promise of land to the negroes was un-
iyersally regarded as hoax Of the
League to win their followers. The old
Commoner was not an orator. Hence
his name was scarcely known in the
south. The southern people could not
conceive of a great leader except one
who expressed his power through the
megaphone Of oratory. They held
Charles Sumner chiefly responsible for
reconstruction.
The fact that Phil was Yankee who
had no axe to grind In the south caused
the people to appeal to him in path
etic way that touched his heart. He
had not been In town two weeks be-
fore he was on good terms with every
youngster, had the entree to every
home, and Ben had taken him, protest
ing vehemen:ly, to see every pretty girl
there. He found that, In spite Of war
and poverty, troubles present, and
troubles to come, the young southern
woman was the divinity that claimed
and received the chief worship Of man.
The tremendous earnestness with
which these youngsters pursued the
work of cour;ing, all Of them so poor
they scarcely had enough to eat, amaZ-
ed and alarmed him beyond measure.
He found in several cases as many as
four making a dead set for one girl, as
II heaven and earth depended the
outcome, while the girl seemed to re-
ceive II all as a matter Of course-her
just tribute.
Every instinct of his quiet reserved
nature revolted at any such attempt to
rush his cause with Margaret, aid yet
1t made the cold chills run down his
spine to see that Presbyterian preacher
drive his buggy up to the hotel, take
her 10 ride. and stay three hours. He
knew where they had gone-to Lovers
Leap and along the beautiful road
which led to the North Carolina line.
He knew the way-Margaret had show
ed him. This road was the Way Of
Romance. Every farm house, cabin,
and shady nook along its beaten track
could tell its tale Of lovers fleeing from
the north to find happiness in the
haven of matrimony across the line In
South Carolina. Everything seemed to
favor marriage In this climate. The
state required no license. A legal mar
riage could be celebrated, anywhere, at
any time, by a minister In the pres
ence of two witnesses, with or without
the consent Of parent or guardian.
Marriage was the easiest thing In the
s;ate-divorce the one thing impossi-
BILE. Death alone could grant divorce.
He was now past all reason In love.
He followed the movement Of Margarets
queenly figure with pathetic abandon
ment Beneath her beautiful manners
he swore with a shiver that she was
laughing at him. Now and then he
caught a funny expression about her
eyes, as IL she were consumed with
sly sense Of humor In her loVe-af-
fairs.
What he felt to be his manifest
traits, his reserve, dignity, and moral
earnestness, she must think cold and
slow beside the dash. fire, and assurance
of these southerners. He could tell by
the way she encouraged the preacher
before his eyes that she was criticising
and daring him to let go for once. In
stead Of doing 1t, he sank back ap-
palled at the prospect and let the
preacher carry her off again.
He sought solace in DR.. Cameron, who
was utterly obivious of his daughters
.ove- affairs.
Phil was constantly amazed at the
variety of his knowledge, the genuine
less of his culture, his modesty. and
the note of youth and cheer with which
he sill pursued the study of medicine.
His company was refreshing for Its
own sake. The slender graceful figure.
ruddy face, with piercing, dark-brown
eyes in startling contrast to his snow
white hair and beard, had for Phil a
perpetual charm. He never tired lis
liar grace and dignity with which he
carried himself, unconscious Of the
commanding look Of his brilliant eyes.
II hear that you have used hypno-
tism in your practice, DOCTOR" Phil
said to him one day, as he watched
with fascination the changing play OF
his mobile features.
"Oh. yes! used it for years. South
ern doctors have always been pioneers
in the science of medicine. DR.. Craw-
ford Long Of Georgia, you know, was
the first practitioner in America to ap-
ply anesthesia to surgery"
But where did you run up against
hypnotism? l thought this a new thing
under the SUM-"
The doctor laughed.
It's not home industry, exactly. /
became interested in II In Edinburgh
while a medical student, and pursued
it with increased interest in Paris"
Did you study medicine abroad?
Phil asked in surprise.
Yes; I was poor. but / managed
to raise and to borrow enough to take
three years on the other side. | put all
| had and all my credit in it. I've nev--
er regretted the sacrifice. The more
saw Of the great world, the better
liked my own world. I've given these
farmers and their families the best God