Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-01-04


are all the same. Nothing-nothing
changed. All as Of old, but the one
all but she-she, the laughing child
the confiding playmate; and not as
now, the capricious woman-the i'm
perlous heart, scorning where once she
soothed, denying where she was once
so happy to bestow. Such is her
chapge-a change which the speechless
nature itself rebukes. She recks not
now, as Of old, whether her word car
ries with 1t the sting or the sweet. 1t
is not now in her thought to ask
whether pain or pleasure follows the
thoughtless slight or the scornful
pleasantly. The victim suffers, but
she recks not of his grief. Yet is she
not an insensible-not proud, not
scornful. Let me do her justice in
this. Let me not wrong her but to
think it. What but love, kindness, and
all affection is her tendance upon
poor Emily. To her, is she not all
meekness, all love, all forbearance
To my uncle. too, no daughter could
be more dutiful, more affectionate,
more solicitously watchful. To ALTO
all but me! To me, only, the proud, the
capricious, the Indifferent. And yet,
none love her as I do; I must love on
in spite of pride. and scorn, and indif-
ference cannot choose but love her.
1t is evident that Major Singleton is
by no means sure of his ground, as a
lover. His doubts are perhaps, ma
tural enough. and, up to a certain
period, must be shared by all who love.
His musings, as we may conjecture,
had for their object his fair cousin,
the beautiful Kate Walton-according
to his account, most capricious dam
sci in some respects, though we'll
enough. 1t would appear in others.
We shall see for ourselves as we pro-
ceed. Meanwhile, the return Of Hum
phries from his scouting expedition
arrests our farther speculations upon
this topic, along with the soliloquy
Of our companion, whose thoughts were
now turned into another channel. as
he demanded from his lieutenant an
account of his discoveries.
"And what of the Britons, Hum
phries? are they yet in saddle, and
when may we hope to approach the
dwelling? have not been used to
skulk like a beaten hound around the
house of my mothers brother not dar-
ing to come forward: and I am free
to confess, the necessity makes me
melancholy"
Very apt to do so major, but you
have to bear 1t little longer. The
horses of the officers have been brought
up into the court, and the boy Is in
waiting, but the riders have not made
their appearance. I suppose they stop
for last swig at the coloners Madei-
ra. He Keeps prime stock On hand,
they say, though I've never had the
good fortune to taste any Of It."
You shall do so tonight, Humphries
and grow wiser, unless your British
majors potations exceed a southern
gentleman's capacity TO meet them.
But you knew my uncle long before
coming down from Santee with him"
"To be sure did, sir. used to see
him frequently In the village; but
since the fall of Charleston he has kept
close to the plantation. They say he
goes nowhere now, except 1t be down
towards Caneacre and Horse Savan-
nah, and along the Stono, where he
has acquaintance. 'spose he has rea-
son enough to lie close, for he has
too much wealth not to be an object,
and the Tories keep a sharp lookout
on him. Let him be suspected, and
they'd have q pretty drive at the old
plate, and the negroes would soon be
In the Charleston market, and then of
to the West Indies. Major Proctor Is
watchful too. and visits the squire
quite too frequently not to have some
object"
said you not that my cousin Kate
was the object? Object enough, !
sent out to make his fortune in alli-
ance with the very blood he seeks to
shed. Kate would be a pleasant ac-
QUESTION for a younger son."
There was something of bitterness
in the tone of the speaker on this sub
ject. which told somewhat of the
strength of those suspicious in his
mind. to which, without intending SO
much, Humphries, in a previous re-
mark, had actually given the direction
The latter saw this, and with a de-
liberate tact. not so much the work OF
his education as of a natural delicacy
careful not to startle the nice jealous
les of Singleton. he hastened to re-
move the impression which unwitting-
" he had made. Without laying any
stress upon what he said, and with an
expression of countenance the most in
different. he proceeded to reply as fol-
lows to the remark Of his companion
Why. major, it would be a pleas
ant windfall to Proctor could he ge,
Miss walton: but tnereS lllSHt9
small chance of that, If folks say true
He goes there often enough, that's GER
tain. but he doesn't see her half the
time. She keeps her chamber, ol
takes herself off in the carriage, wher
she hears of his coming; and his
chance is slim even to meet with her
LET lone To get her"
There was a tremulous lightness ir
Singletons tone as he spoke to this
IN oblique language
And yet Proctor has attractions
has he not? l have somewhere heard
so-a fine person, good feature, ever
handsome. He is young, too"
Few better looking men, sir, ant
making due allowance for an enemy
a clever sort of fellow enough. A
good officer. too, that knows what he:
about, and quite a polite, fair-spoker
gentleman"
Indeed! attractions quite enough
1t would seem, to persuade any young
lady into civility And yet, you say
"Hist major Talk of the -