Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-02-07

When l stepped ashore my dress
caught the gunwale and upset our Ca
Inoe. The good man rolled noisily into
the water, and rose dripping. I tried
Ito help him.
Don't bother me-none," he whis-
Ipered testify, as IL out Of patience,
while he righted the canoe.
When at last he was seated again,
as leaned to shove him of, he whis-
lpered in a compensating, kindly man
ner: when ye re goin' ashore, an
they 8 somebody n the canoe, don't
never try t. tex it with ye less We tell
i'm yer goin' tew."
There was deep silence over wood
and water, but he went away so
stealthily could not hear the stir Of
his paddle. I stood watching as he
dimmed off In the darkness, going
quickly out of sight. Then crept over
the rocks and through a thicket, shiv-
ering, for the night had grown chilly.
snagged my dress on brier every
step, and had to move by inches. After
mincing along half an hour or so,
came where I could feel bit Of clear
earth, and stood there, dancing on my
tiptoes, in the dark, to quicken my
blood little. Presently the damp
light of dawn came leaking through
the tree-tops. / heard a rattling stir
in the bare limbs above me. Was 1t
some monster Of the woods? AL
though have more courage than most
women, II startled me, and stood still
The light CAME clearer; there was
rush toward me that shook the boughs.
I peered upward. 1t was only a sQuir-
rel, now scratching his ear, as he
looked down at me- He braced him
self, and seemed to curse me loudly
for spy, trembling with rage and
rushing up and down the branch above
me. Then all the curious, inhospitable
folk of the timber-land came out upon
their towers to denounce.
made my way over the rustling,
brittle leaves, and soon found trail
that led up over high land. fol-
lowed 1t for matter of some minutes,
and came to the road, taking my left
hand way, as they told me. There
was no traveller in sight. I walked as
fast as ! could, passing a village at
sunrise, where I asked my way In
French at q smithy. Beyond there was
q narrow clearing, stumpy and rank
with briers, on the upside of the way.
Presently, looking over level stretch,
I could see trees arching the road
again, from under which, as | was
looking, squad of cavalry came out
In the open. It startled me. / began
to think was trapped. thought OF :
lodging into the brush. But, no; they
had seen me, and would be fool now
to turn fugitive. looked about me.
Cows were feeding near. / picked up
stick and went deliberately into the
bushes, driving one Of them to the pike
and heading her toward them. They
went by at a gallop, never pulling up
while in sight of me. Then I passed
the COW and went on, stopping an hour
later at a lonely log house, where l
found French people, and a welcome
that included moose meat, a cup of
coffee and fried potatoes. Leaving, L
rode some miles with travelling
tinker, a voluble, well-meaning youth
who took a liking for me, and went
far out Of his way to help me on. He
blushed proudly when, stopping to
mend a pot for the cook at camp
of militia, they inquired If I was his
wife.
mo; but she may be yet" said he;
who knows?"
knew 1t was no good place for me,
and felt some relief when the young
man did me this honor. From that
moment they get me down for sweet
heart.
"She's too big for you, my boy"
said the general, laughing.
1.-The more the BETTER" said he;
cant have too much Of good WIFE"
| said little to him as we rode along.
He asked for my address, when | left
him, and gave me the comforting as
surance that he would see me again
I made no answer, leaving him at a
turn where, north of us, could see
the white houses of Wrentham. Kings
ton was hard by, its fort crowning
hilltop by the river.
1t was past three by a tower clock
at the gate of the Weirs when l got
there. A driveway through tall oaks
led to the mansion OF dark stone.
Many acres of park and field and gar
den were shut in with high walls. |
rang bell at the small gate, and some
fellow in livery took my message.
wait ere, my lass" said he, with
an English accent. 81 II 60 at once
to the secretary"
I sat in a rustic chair by the gate
side, waiting for that functionary.
"Ah, come in, come in," said he,
coolly, as he opened the gate little.
He said nothing more, and followed
him-an oldish man with gray eyes
and hair and side-whiskers, and neat
ly dressed, his head covered to the ears
with nigh nat, tilted Dack"aru. we
took a stone path, and soon entered a
rear door.
"She may sit in the servants hall"
| said he to one of the maids.
They took my shawl, as he went
away, and showed me to room where,
evidently, the servants did their eat
ing. They were inquisitive. those
kitchen maids, and now and then l
was rather put to it for wise reply.
said as little as might be, usiLg the
dialect, long familiar to me, of the
French Canadian. My bonnet amused
them. 1t was none too new or fashion
able, and / did not remove 1t.
afraid we IL steal it," l heard one
of them whisper in the next room.
Then there was a loud laugh.
They gave me a French paper. l
read every line of it, and sat looking
out Of a window at the tall trees, at
servants who passed to and fro, at his
lordship's horses, led up and down for
exercise in the stable-yard, at the twi-
light glooming the last pictures OF