Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-21
Explain yourself, madam!"

Il beg your pardon, Philip! You
know that Abel Lispenard entertains
like prince. One is always sure tc
meet distinguished people at his table
He Is really the idol Of the best fami-
lies at the Dale"
"Lispenard-that thing?" cried Cyril
Wye, scornfully.
"Why do you call him a thing?" de-
manded Mignon.
Cyril wye laughed.
THAT you will understand when you
see him, my dear cousin. He is vul-
carly rich person-worth nobody
knows how many millions, and he has
a family skeleton so huge that no clos
ct can contain it. He went abroad to
escape the talk Of the public"
"Oh, hush, Cyril, hush!" pleaded his
mother, and then, catching her hus-
bands eye again, she feebly stammer-
ed, BEG your pardon!" and sank into
silence.
Ridiculous airs that Lispenard gives
himself" Cyril drawled, without heed
II ing his mother in the least; sails on
our Yankee Charles in a Venetian gon-
dola, reads his Bible in every language,
living or dead. plays Wagner's music,
and keeps an Egyptian mummy grin
ming in his private library; typical,
perhaps, Of that family business which
sent him tramping around the antip-
odes''
Pray take pity upon us, Mr.. Vye,'
cried Maud LOTUS, land clothe the
Lispenard skeleton with tangible out
lines-in other words, tells us its sto-
ry."
He made a grimace.
Really you must excuse me, Miss
Loftus-I might spoil your digestion.
It's something so deucedly unpleasant
that we never mention 1t in polite So
ciety"
"Oh, dear!" cried Maud; "you inter-
est me deeply in this unique Mr.. LIS
penard 1 pant to behold him!"
And 1 also!" laughed Mignon.
You will find one look sufficient,
ladies'" sneered Cyril; 'T'll wager my
head that neither of you will care to
see Mr.. Lispenard a second time"
| Philip Wye looked blandly at the two
girls.
| "Cyfil means that Abel Lispenard
has-hum! few personal attractions.
Nevertheless, he is a most fascinating
person, and he has made many con-
quests, l assure you, among the fair
SEX"
"And he is still a bachelor?" asked
Maud, with preternatural solemnity.
"Yes, he's still a bachelor" replied
the lawyer, and then he began to talk
Of something else.
Dinner over, they went back to the
drawing room. Philip wye, who never
fingered long with the family circle,
retired to the library to write letters.
Maud LOTUS, with q view to relieving
Mignon of obnoxious attentions, decoy-
ed Cyril Wye to the piano, and Kept
him there turning leaves Of music
while she sang selections from Verdfs
operas Mignon and her aunt were thus
| left alone at the other end OF the
drawing room.
my DEAR" said Mrs. wye, looking
wistfully up into the lovely, spirited
face Of the girl, permit me to ask you
one question; have you come back to
Rookwood heart whole?"
Mignon stared, then smiled.
Entirely, Aunt Elinor."
Then you do not yet know what love
is, Mignon?"
mo; papa is my one only lover, and
he" with a sigh, 'is not as affection
ate as 1 could wish, since he seems
content to keep me far, far from him.
| The elder woman toyed nervously
with some meshes Of bright embroid-
cry silk.
Your father is quite right, my dear.
The far west is no place for girl
like you. Pray, what could Gilbert do
with such a daughter on a wild cat
tie ranch? Mignon, you believe that
love you, do you not?"
Most certainly, dear Aunt Elinor.
"Well, then, 1 want to give you "a
a-word of warning. Never allow
yourself to be coaxed or coerced in the
matter Of marriage. Be on your guard,
dear, against-ah-undue influence. l
dare not say more. You should be al
lowed to choose a husband for your
self. All women" pitifully, "ought to
have that privilege. But my papa
cherished other views. He believed in
the French method-he selected my
husband for me, and, you know, my
dear, there is such a thing as incom-
patibility of temper. My married life
has not been altogether felicitous."
Mignon lifted her delicate, dark
brows.
Dear Aunt Elinor If I ever marry
be sure that l shall choose my own
husband-I, and no other! We west
ern born people dearly prize our per-
sonal liberty, our inalienable right as
individuals. Uncle Philip is an un-
mitigated domestic tryant. He has
ruined your health and broken your
spirit with his petty cruelties. Rest
lassured, he will have no voice in any
future plans of mine! have the
strong, defiant western blood in my
veins, you know. My mother was the
daughter of ranchero; am not meek
and docile like you, Aunt Elinor."
Alarmed at such boldness, Mrs. Wye
glanced nervously around.
Hush, oh, hush, dear!" she entreat-
ed, as though she feared her lord
might hear, even through the VAIN
scoted walls. Then, not daring tc
trust herself to speak further, she
with a heavy sigh, fell to manipulate
ing her embroidery silks.
Mignon stood watching her for 9
few moments, then slipped out into
the hall. where the gas jets had jus
been lighted, and looked around for 6
. portrait of her father, which had al
ways hung at the foot Of the stair
case ever since her earliest remem'