Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-06-19

wished to tell you Of it-when, agair
and again, the strong impulse was up
on me to ask you to listen, I pausec
and hesitated, because 1t seemed to mt
that language had no words to syllable
the intensity of that alteration. Ever
now," he continued, taking her hane
in his, II am tortured by the dari
fear that 1 have but poorly made yot
comprehend how entirely every
thought, and feeling, and desire, save
one. have been swallowed up. How
completely one word Of yours will
bless, how hopeless one other wore
will blast, the morning Of my exist
ence."
The hand he had seized remained fol
moment in his clasp. The fragile
form Of the lovely girl shrunk and shiv-
cred like the aspen when the NORTH
wind is blowing. A flood Of tears came
to her relief; and, snatching her hand
hastily away, she exclaimed, In tones
Of earnest, deep, and strong emotion,-
Forgive! oh, forgive me, Captain
Hamilton! for, as Heaven is my wit
ness, I never dreamed of this. dc
not-cannot love you; and If I have
done anything to encourage your
hopes, 1 have been deeply criminal
Pity me, and forgive mel"
There is nothing to forgive, Ade-
laide. was a slave before I had time
to think of encouragement. Mine Is
love that would have blossomed alike
under cheering smiles or menacing
frowns. It came unbidden-it will
abide with me here; and when the
curtain drops upon the stage Of life II
will travel with me through the count
less ages of the world to come. But
you are too deeply agitated to listen
further now. In few days shall see
you again. Until then, will try to
drive off despair. Good night. and
may the angels send messengers OF
bliss to people your dreams!"
What were the feelings Of that bold
and gifted, though eminently bad and
dangerous man, as he traversed the
streets Of the silent city. Stung,
pulse he had met, he walked rapidly
on, trying to think, yet feeling that
thought was impossible. Arrived at
his own quarters, he extinguished the
light, and threw himself, dressed as
he was, upon the bed.
AT least" he said, when the chaos
Of his feelings had assumed some de-
gree Of order, "at least I have made
no unnecessary or embarrassing dis
closures. She thinks my purposes were
honorable, and, come what may, my
character Is safe"
From this villainous consolation, he
turned to other views of his situation.
He ran over in his mind all that had
occurred since their first introduction.
He recalled every look, and tone, and
gesture. He remembered the minutest
shade that had passed over her express
sive countenance. He taxed his inge-
guilty to find some plausible ground to
hope that perseverance might still be
rewarded by success. 1t was In vain.
The earnest truthfulness Of her words
and manner-her agitation-her un-
concealed distress-left no room to be-
lieve that the avowal of his passion
had excited any feelings but those of
unmixed pain.
How" he inwardly asked, could /
have deceived myself so egregiously?
would have sworn that she was pre-
pared for, and expected a declaration.
Surely have not been such a fool and
puppy as to imagine a preference
where none existed"
Captain Hamilton was well aware
that the most astute and self possessed
Of human beings are not unfrequently
enticed into grave errors by that little
bewitching demon, Vanity; and there
fore he suspected himself Of constru-
ing mere evidences Of. friendship into
manifestations of a warmer regard.
The more he reasoned, the more ap-
parent did 1t become to him that he
had been unwittingly hugging a
charming delusion to his bosom. In
his modification at the discovery
he passed to the opposite extreme,
and bitterly cursed his own stu
pid blindness. Captain Hamilton
did himself injustice; a fact that
we chronicle the more readily, because
it was not one to which he was often
addicted. Adelaide Clifton did prefer
his society to that Of the men who
were constantly about her, and she had
taken no pains to conceal 1t. A man
less under the influence of passion than
he was, and therefore more capable of
reasoning clearly, might easily have
mistaken the character Of the prefer
ence unquestionably exhibited, and
have acted upon that impression with
out subjecting himself to the suspicion
Of inordinate vanity.
The character of Alexander Han.llton
was too strong and decided to admit
of long indulgence In unavailing re-
proaches. He did not yet despair OF
eventual success, and his thoughts
were occupied In endeavoring to de-
wise some means of extracting a tri-
umph from apparent defeat. He was
conscious that a renewal of his suit at
present would be useless; but he knew
the value Of perseverance, and hoped
that the high opinion she evidently en-
tertained of his character and acquire
ments might be improved and
strengthened, until love took the place
Of friendship. and, in some unguarded
moment, virtue fell a victim to pas
sion.
Morning found him tossing upon a
pillow that sleep had not visited. At
daybreak he went forth as usual to at
| tend to his military duties. He had
fixed upon no plan, and resolved for
awhile to trust to the chapter Of acci-
dents For two days she did not see
him. On the third he purposely called
at an hour when he was almost certain
Of meeting other visitors. He was de-
sirous to avoid the embarrassment of
a tete-a-tete at the first interview af-
ter the rejection Of his suit, and Sc
lected his hour accordingly. AS he