Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-04-09

AIS Wl1e!
I looked again at my mothers mar
riage certificate. Yes, the name of m!
unknown father was the name Of thu
Young preacher at Heroncroft!
The letter went on:
when the news of my betrotha
came to Judge Ferrer's ears, he wa.
simply furious. Rich, high-born, IA
nous, his ambition for me, his onl!
child, was unbounded. He commanded
me to renounce a lover who was OBJ
lscure and unknown, and whose accoun
of himself did not in the least satisfy
my father-yes, I must renounce MIN
and see his face no more. AS wei
might he have asked me to tear m!
heart from my bosom. / abandoned
home, father, fortune, friends and fec
with the man Of my choice.
He carried me to a charming house
in a quiet suburb, and for awhile-s
year, at least-we were happy. Ora
ham was only a clerk in a downtown
office-he had been abroad in his en-
ployer's interests, he said, at the time
of our meeting on the ocean steamer
Yet, strange to say, he surrounded me
with every luxury-I had jewels ano
fine clothes without stint. Knowing
little of the value Of money, my
whims were many; but my husband
gratified them, and neither questioned
nor complained. He seemed possessed
Of abundant means. and i, child II
experience, loving him blindly, looking
up to him as a superior being, never
once dreamed Of asking the source from
which the abundance came.
my fathers stubborn anger was the
sole thing that disturbed my happiness
in those days. After your birth wrote
to him, humbly begging forgiveness FOL
nv disobedience and entreating per-
mission to lay my child In his arms
He answered harshly, bitterly, reviline
my misunderstanding me forbid
ding me to enter his doors.
"I wash my hands Of you and
yours he said. You have married
scoundrel, Constance, and my word fol
it, you will yet have good cause to rue
your folly!'
1.-THE very day that I received this
letter, Hazel, the serpent entered my
Eden. He came in the guise of gen.
tleman-young, almost boyish, elegant
alike in person and manners. Graham
brought him to dine, and presented
him to me as Mr.. George Langstroth
a friend whose acquaintance he had
made in London. 1t was our first WIS.,
itor, and 1 was innocently pleased,
remember, to act as hostess; but MT
Langstroth's bold, admiring eyes en-
barrassed me not little.
1.-Two Opponents he said to my
husband, and each time with a beau
| ty, You are a lucky dog, Graham.
see now why you have Stunned me SC
resolutely Of late
"These words were as Sanscrit tc
me NV husband looked embarrassed
and annoyed.
""Pon my soul, Langstroth, was
hoping with all my heart that I might
never set eyes on you again. he an
swered.
| Our guest laughed.
"Don't fiatter yourself that you car
shake me off so easily he said. MY
dear boy, utterly refuse to be laid on
the shelf. Hide where you will, 1 will
ALWAYS be able to find you. You can
not escape mel am your fate! II
isn't in the least strange that you
should have made fool Of yourself
doubtless, under similar circumstances
I might have done the same. But l OBJ
iect to this secrecy-this growing re-
puenance to old friends and occupa-
tions. Get all the happiness out OF life
that you can, but let it not be done al
my expense
| "I did not understand this speecf
any more than the preceding one, and
George Langstroth's bold glances and
silver tongue impressed me very un-
pleasantly. Then and there the death
knell Of my happiness tolled.
From that day he came constantly
to our home, taking Graham away
with him at all hours. No explanation
was made concerning my husbands
absence or his connection with Langs-
troth; but by degrees 1 began to per-
ceive that Graham feared this SOFT
voiced man, and that the latter exer-
cised over him a mysterious and un'
holy power.
You must trust me, Constance,
he would say, feverishly, remorsefully
and you must be kind to Langstroth
He is very clever and an old friend, yor
know. We cannot afford to displease
him.
".Why do you desert me for thai
man. I asked. why do you go away
with him so often, ard where do yor
go, Graham
"I cannot tell you, darling-at least
not now,' he answered, gloomily Some
time, 1 dare say, you will know
"A few months passed. Then came
day when George Langstroth so fal
forgot himself as to make open ane
shameless love to meme, the wife OF
his friend! II scorn could kill, he
would have died then and there. AS
1t was, he met my indignant repulse
with mocking smile.
You will tell your husband OF the
insult I have offered you,' he sneered
and he will not resent it-he dare not!
have him in my grasp, and you also.
Il rang the bell sharply.
"'Show Mr.. Langstroth out II sale
to Patty. He turned upon the thresh'
hold of my home and looked at me will
wicked, exultant eyes.
"T hate you for your stinging words
your high disdain,' he said and love
you for your marvellous beauty. This
combination of hate and love make!
in a person Of my nature sentimen
as dangerous as -glycerine. Til
this moment have thought it a thou
sand pities that you should have
} thrown yourself away on Graham vi
vian-now 1 rejoice at your fate!'