Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-12-22

me merely to be forgiven. l said tha'
he would kneel at my feet, and this
i may sound foolish to You, but he Will
How do 1 know? l feel it; l don't
know why, but 1 do. And we are
to leave the old home if father can
sell the land. It's better to go, but 1t
will be still better to come back, and
we will. Do you think that am mere
ly a simple girl without ambition?
am not; dream"
Il know that you are a noble wo-
man."
"Oh, don't fiatter me now. It's first
reproach, and then flattery. But have
you thought of the real nobility OF
some one else-yourself?'
strove to laugh, but l know that
it must have been a miserable croak
II have done nothing to merit that
opinion" replied.
| "Oh, it is a part Of your nature to
suppress yourself. Do you know that
1 expect great things of you? l do"
II know one thing that I'm going to
dol am going to buy the old house
and a narrow strip of land-the path
and the spring. That's all l want-the
house, the path and the spring, with
just little strip running short dis
tance down the brook where the moss
is so thick. 1 have the promise of
money from Perdue, and l think that
l can borrow some of Conkwright
Yes, l must have the house and the
path and the spring and the strip of
mossland that lies along the branch.
1t will be merely poetic possession,
but such possessions are the richest
to one who has a soul; and no one with
soul will bid against me. 1t is a
mean man that would bid against a
sentiment"
You must be nearly worn out" she
said, when for some distance we had
walked in silence.
Il may be, but 1 don't know 1t yet.
And so long as l don't know 1t, why,
Of course, I don't care"
For q long time we said nothing.
Her hand was on my arm, but scarce
ly felt it's weight, except when we came
upon places where the road was rough;
and 1 wished that the way were rough
er, that 1 might feel her dependence
upon me. Once she stepped into a
deep rut, and caught her about the
waist. but when I had lifted her out,
she gently released herself. She said
that the road was rougher than she had
ever found it, and was ready to swear
| that it was the most delightful high
way that my feet had trod; indeed,
did swear it, but she warned me not
to use such strong language when
meant to convey but weak compli-
ment.
Let us walk faster" she said. 1T
is away past midnight l do believe
it's nearly day. Can you see your
watch?"
Yes, but ! can't see the time"
Nobody can see time, Mr.. Teacher
OF Children"
But l could not tell the time even If
I were to hold the lantern to the
watch"
oh. of course you could. Why do
dc you talk that way?"
Il am moved to talk that way be-
cause l know that the watch, being In
sympathy with me, refuses to record
time when l am with you-it frightens
off the minutes in an ecstasy"
Nonsense, Mr.. Halves. l do believe
daylight is coming. What night we
have passed, and here I am unable to
realize it, and mother is heart broken
over our disgrace But suppose it will
fall upon me and crush me when we
have gone away. My brother sentenced
t. the penitentiary! To myself l have
repeated these words over and over
and yet they don't strike me-"
Perhaps it is because your mind is
on some one else" replied, with re-
turn of my feelings of bitterness.
With pressure gentle and yet for
getful her hand had been resting on
my arm. but in an instant the pressure
was gone like a bird fluttering from a
bough, and out in the road she was
walking alone.
Il earnestly beg your pardon. l
scarcely knew what l was saying.
Won't you please take my arm?'
ITO be compelled to drop it again
before we have gone hundred yards?'
No, to drop it when we have reach
| tho Won ,,laa
don't deny that l am fool. l have
always been a fool. My father said
so and he was right. Everybody made
fun of me because was SO easily
cheated; and you ought to be willing
to forgive a man who was born a fall
ure. Whenever there has been a mis-
take to be made I have made it. Once
l was caught in a storm and when l
came in dripping. my father said that
hadn't sense enough to come in out
of the rain. But l am stronger with
every one else than l am with YOU,
and"
She was laughing AT me; but it was
laugh of sympathy, Of forgiveness.
i anu L CduB III iltI 'NlN p'S'NNN ~
upon my arm. And so we walked along
in silence. she pressing my arm when
the road was rough. Daylight was
coming and we could see the house,
dark and lonesome beyond the black
| ravine.
What peculiar man the general
is" l said, feeling the growing heav-
mess Of the silence. II can hardly place
him: but believe he has kind heart. "
Yes" she replied, "he Is kind and
brave and generous. but over it all is
weakness"
And he is of a type that is fast
disappearing" said |. "A few years
more and his class will be hut q men,
DRY. and then will come almost for
getfulness, hut later on he will reap
pear as a caricature from the pen OF
some careless and unsympathetiC wri-
ter"
| We had crossed the ravine and were
now at the gate, and here l halted.
What, aren't you going in?" she asked.