Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-12-08

over there determined to find out how
| stood. l was brave until got nearly
to the house and then my courage fall
ed. l stood by the fence in the bIa:k-
perry br,ars and gazed at the house.
After a while l saw her come out and
start down the Ebenezer road. And
then | whipped round and met her.
And as l stood beside the road, waiting
for her to come up l noticed for the
I.rst time that the sun was nearly
down. For hours l had been standing
IN the briars. l pretended not 10 see
ner; let on like l was hunting for
squirrel up in tree, until she came
up. Tnen 1 spoke to her and she start
ed as if she was scared. She said that
she was going over to Lum Smiths to
tell the young people to come over at
night, and l asked her II l might walk
along with her. She said with a laugh
that l might go part Of the way, and
then l knew that she was ashamed for
any one to see her with me. This cut
me TO the red but walked along with
her. l felt that l had nothing TO say
that would interest her, but kept on
talking, and once in q while she would
look up at me and laugh. At last, and
it was just as we came within sight Of
Smiths place, l asked her what she
really thought Of Dan Stuart ! knew
that this was q fools break, and If 1t
hadn't been I don't suppose I would
have made it. She looked up at me,
but she didn't laugh this time. I beg
sed her pardon for my rudeness, and
she reminded me that l was only to
come a part of the way with her. /
then told her that l would wait for
her to come back She said that she
might not come back that way. I re-
piled that no matter which way she
came back l would see her. She went
On, laughing now, and I waited, but
didn't have to wait long before l saw
her coming. AS she came up asked
her If she was ready to grant my par
den and she wanted to know what
l.
she began to tell me about her brother,
how smart he was and all that, and
said that didn't think that he was as
smart as you, Bill; 1 wanted to take
credit for a friendship 1 had formed,
you see? But a moment later I was
sorry, for I was afraid that she might
say something against you, but she
didn't She said that you were a smart
mana distinguished looking man, and
that she liked you ever so much. At
first was pleased, but a second after
ward / was jealous Of you, Bill. Did
you ever see as blamed fool az I am?
But 1 don't hate you, Bill. No, my
heart was warm toward you even while
she was praising you-even while l
was jealous. l again asked her what
she thought Of Dan Stuart, and she
looked up at me and wanted to know
if 1 knew what he thought Of her. I
told her that everybody loved her, and
that l didn't suppose he was mean
enough not to love her. She said that
she knew people who didn't love her,
and I told her that if she would show
them to me l would butt their heads
together for being such idiots. We,
were now almost within sight Of the
generals home and was not getting
along very fast. / was determined to
make a break. We were on a hill,
where the trees were tall, almost over
tapping the road. To the right ran a
path through the briars, a nearer way
home. l asked her to wait and she
stopped. The sun was down and 1t
was now almost dark. And 1t was then
that l told her that I loved her. I
don't know how acted or what I said,
but I know that l was down in the
dust at her feet. She stood there, pale
and trembling looking around as II
she would call for help. I asked her
to marry me, and she laughed, Bill
laughed at ME and darted down the
path. Then l went into the woods and
roamed about l don't know where;
and that is the reason I wasn't at the
gathering tonight I'm bruised and
crippled, Bill-my heart Is sore, but /
want to tell you that when she's stand
ing on the floor with that fellow Stu
art, with the preacher in front Of her,
I'll be there, putting in my plea. I
won't give up as long as there Is a
fighting chance left. Don't say word
about It, Forgive me for dragging you
rff down here. God knows you've got
4 deep trouble Of your own. And
wish my word could settle it'd speak
It. though it might hurt my chances at
the generals. Well, let's go to the
house"