Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-04-15
CHAPTER VII.
REGARDING Elisabeth.

and the middle would be devoid OF
pIeasure.-Proverb.
In some forgotten garret of this
country, as do not doubt, yellow with
age, stained and indistinguishable, lost
among uncared-for relics of another
day, there may be records of tnat in
teryiew between two strange person.
alities, John Calhoun and Helena Won
Ritz, in the arrangement of which l
played the part above described. l
was not at that time privileged to have
much more than a guess at the nature
of the interview. Indeed, other things
now occupied my mind. l was very
much in love with Elisabeth Churchill.
OF these matters need TO make some
mention. My fathers plantation was
one of the old ones in Maryland. That
Of the Churchils lay across low range
of mountains and in another county
from US, but our families had long been
friends. l had known Elisabeth from
the time she was a tall, slim girl, boon
companion ever to her father, old Dan
iel Churchill; for her mother she nad
lost when she was still young. The
Churchills maintained a city establish
ment in the environs of Washington it
self, although that was not much re-
moved from their plantation in the old
state of Maryland. Elmhurst, this
Washington estate was called, and II
was well known there, with its straight
road approaching and its great trees
and its wide doored halls-whereby the
road itself seemed to run straight
through the mouse and appear beyond
and it's tall white pillars and hospl-
table galleries, now in the springtlme
enclosed in green. l need not state
that now, having finished the business
Of the day, or, rather, OF the night'
Elmhurst, home of Elisabeth, was my
immediate Mecca.
| had clad myself as well as l could
in the fashion of my time, and fiattered
myself. as looked in my little mirror,
tnat | made none such bad figure of
man. | was tall enough, and straight
thin with long hours afoot or in the
saddle, bronzed TO a good color, and II
health did not show on my face, at
least l felt it myself in the lightnesS
of my step, in the contentedness of my
heart with all of life, in my general as
surance that all in the world meant
well toward me and that everything
in the world would do well by me.
AS to Elisabeth Churchill, it might
have been in line with Maryland GUS
tom had she generally been known as
Betty: but Betty she never was called,
although that diminutive was applied
to her aunt, Jennings, twice as large
as she, after whom she had been named.
Betty implies a snub nose: Elisabeths
was clean-cu and straight. Betty runs
for a saucer mouth and a short one;
Elisabeth's was red and curved. but
firm and wide enough for strength and
charity as well. Betty spells round
eyes, with brows arched above them as
though i'm query and curiosity; the
eyes of Elisabeth We're long, her browS
long and straight and delicately fine. A
Betty might even have red hair: Ellis
abeth's was brown i'm most lights, and
so liquid smooth that almost was dis
posed to call it dense rather than thick.
Betty would seem to indicate nature
impulsive, gay, and free from care;
on the other hand, it was to be said of
Elisabeth that she was logical beyond
her kinda trait which she got from
her mother, a daughter of old Judge
Henry Gooch, of our Superior Court.
Yet, disposed as she always was to be
logical in her conclusions, the great
characteristic of Elisabeth was sereni-
ty. consideration and charity.
With all this, there appeared some
times at the surface of Elisabeth's ma
ture that fire and lightness and impul-
sivenesS which she got from her father,
Mr.. Daniel Churchill. Whether she was
wholly reserved and reasonable, or
wholly warm and impulsive, |, long as
| had known and loved her, never was
quite sure. Something held me away,
something called ME forward: SO that
was always baffled, and yet always ca
StI, NTOu WI. L SuIpbSF NlIlS 10 INV "''S
of women. At times l have been i'm
patient with it. knowing my own mind
we'll enough
At least now. in my tight t-Strappcd
trousers and my long blue coat and my
deep embroidered waistcOat and my
high stock, my shining boots and my
tall beaver made my way on my we'll
groOmed horse up To the gates of old
Elmhurst: and as | rode | pund"red
and | dreamed.
But Miss Elisabeth was not at home
it seemed. Her father, Mr. Daniel
Churchill, rather pOrtly and now just
a trife red of face. met me instead. II
was not an encounter for which de-
vOutly wished, but one which | knew II
was the right Of both of us to eXpcci
ere long. Seeing the occasion propi-
tious, | plunged at once in medias res
Part of the time explanatory. again
apologetic and yet again, | trust. as
Sertive, although always blund"ring
and red and awkward. I told the father
Of my intended of my own wishes. my
prospects and my plans.
He listened to me grav"ly and, il
seemed to me. with none of that en-
thusiaSm which | would have weic"m-
ed AS to my family. h" knew enough
As To- my prospects. he questioned mn"
My record was not unfamiliar tn him
So. gaining confidence at last under
the inSiStencc of what | knew were
worthy motives. and which certainly
were irresistible of themselves, 80 fan
as was concerned. asked him if We
might not soon make an end "f this
and taking chances as they were, al
low my wedding with Elisabrah t. take
place at no very distant date.
why. as To that. Of CuurS" | do not
know what my girl will say" went OF
Mr. Daniel Churchill. pursuing up his
lips.
"Oh. of coursc-that." I answered