Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-11-05

the person you speak of, Brother ST.
las!" 1 answered, angrily, whereupon
IMehitable gave me severe look and
lordered me to wipe up the milk. Twas
down on my knees at this task when
II heard approaching footsteps, and,
Through the open door, saw an eldress
enter the adjoining kitchen, followed
1by a party of strangers, to whom she
was showing the place.
The visitors were laughing and talk
ing among themselves, and making
various comments, quite regardless Of
listeners.
How clean these people are!" said
a girls voice. Meat as Shaker
ought to pass into a proverb. Oh, Mr..
Kirke do you suppose they really en-
Joy this life?"
She spoke to a gentleman who was
looking languidly around on the splint-
bottomed chairs and long deal tables
and general baroness Of the Shaker
kitchen-the very person that 1 had
seen at church on the previous day.
IF they do not" he answered, why
should they voluntarily live it?'
Think how dull 1t must be!-no
fashions, no fiirtations. no lovers. and
those dreadful caps and gowns would
kill me in twenty-four hours. Blythe
way, did you notice the girl who led
the singing at the church yesterday?
Oh, know you did saw you looking
at her. Miss Johnsbury was jealous"
WAS she?'
Il am sure Of it-jealousy is her
prime weakness" with a teasing little
laugh. II wonder If it will be mine
when I am engaged. Oh, 1 wish we
could catch another glimpse Of her
the pretty Shakeress, mean"
II wish we could, from my heart!"
answered Mr. Kirke.
BY this time they had reached the
dairy door.
The low window stood wide open.
Before Mehitable could suspect my in
tention, l was out of it-over the Sill,
off and away across the yard, leaving
her to show her curds and cheeses and
yellow butter unassisted. 1 saw no
more OF our visitors.
That was a weary day. Everything
went wrong and Mehitable scolded me
roundly. In the early dusk 1 slipped
unperceived out Of the kitchen, into
great garden which lay just beyond
| hof rSon Immense
beds of onions grew there, with white,
Towering tops, rising like silver balls
from the green, tube-like stalks; beds
of ruddy beets and delicate, blossom
ing carrots, the broad, dropping leaves
of the tobacco plant, green, trailing
cucumbers and patches of vivid red to-
matoes.
Down the long, orderly walks l sour
ried toward the lake. The foot Of the
garden dipped straight into its waters.
Here a rude wharf was built. l sat
down near it under the elder bush, re-
joicing in the stolen taste Of freedom.
The shadows Of the hills stretched
long and sharp across the smooth
brown lake. Down from the bank
leaned thickets of water willows and
pert Scotch-cap, bright with crimson
flowers and more crimson fruit.
A small gray bird sailed through the
dusk, and, alighting on the velvet head
Of tall reed near by, gave vent to one
prolonged, melancholy note. L caught
e.ox, hi, fhroat an6 tossed III
| into the air with variations-1 knew
the song of every feathered thing in
Hadham woods. Then we sat there
and mocked each other-that gray
atom and I-he on the brown cat-tail,
| | on the bank-until the whole place
was alive with the bubble Of our mel
ody. and a dip Of oars in the lake
brought me suddenly to my feet and
frightened the bird from the reed.
A boat was making straight for the
spot where stood. 1t contained sim
gle rover He sprang boldly ashore
yea, straight into the Shaker garden,
and lifted his hat to me.
| DO not let me frighten you, Miss
Fox" he said; you see that l know
your name. l had the good luck to
hear 1t at the church yesterday. Mine,
permit me to say, is Hallam Kirke.'
1 must have made an odd picture in
my Shaker cap and coarse gown, as
lifted my startled young face in the
shadow Of the willows.
He advanced to my side, looking
very fair and bold and eager.
Nobody calls me Miss Fox" fall
tered, as 1 turned to fly. 81 am only
Sister Esther
Il will call you anything you like
he cried. putting himself 'deftly before
me, providing you will not run away.
l heard you sing yesterday-its
thousand pities that such voice
should be wasted here"
I stopped, irresolute. Did he see
anything in my tell-tale face which
encouraged him to proceed?
May l ask IL you have been long
with these people?" he said.
"Yea-from infancy"
| Are they KIND 10 you--uo they coih-
pei you to work?"
| l looked at my. hard, brown hands
with bitter smile.
They tolerate no drones in their
hives Everybody works-yea, late and
early, from years end to years end"
His blond face was full Of keen in
tereSt
And pray what tasks do they assign
to such as you?" he queried, under his
breath.
Sometimes l make butter in the
dairy, sometimes l wash clothes in the
laundry. sometimes l scrub in the
kitchen" l answered.
Good heaven! A girl like you?
This is Shameful-abominab And