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

quite everything, Neiluieu' WI
fess she has kept me almost as much
in the dark as yourself, sir. But l only
wanted to ask if, after have seen her
today, and if l should gain her consent
to an early day. you would not waive
any objections on your own part and
allow the matter to go forward as soon
as possible?"
In answer to this he arose from his
chair and stood looking out of the win
dow, his back turned to me. could not
call his reception of my suggestion en-
thusiastic: but at last he turned.
Il presume that our two families
might send you young people sack of
meal or a side of bacon now and then,
as far as that is concerned" he said.
| could not call this speech joyous.
There are said to be risks in any
union. sir" l ventured to say. Il ad-
nit l do not follow you in contemplate
ing any risk whatever. If either you or
YOUR daughter doubts my loyalty or af-
fection, then l should say certainly it
were wise to end all this: but" and
| fancied / Strengthened perceptibly-"l
think that might perhaps be left to
Miss Elisabeth herself"
After all, Mr.. Dan Churchill was
obliged to yield, as fathers have been
obliged from the beginning Of the
world. At last he told me l might take
hn "A pn
way.
Trust the instinct of lovers TO bring
them together, l was quite confident
that at that hour | should find Elisa
beth and her aunt in the big East
Room at the presidents reception, the
former looking on with her uncompro-
missing eyes at the little pageant which
on reception days regularly went for
ward there.
NV conclusion was correct. l found
a boy to hold my horse in front of
Cautier's cafe. Then l fastened cn
across the intervening blocks and
through the grounds of the White
House, in which presently having
edged through tine throng in the ante
chambers, | found myself in that inane
procession of individuals who passed
by in order, each to receive the limp
handshake, the mechanical bow and
the perfunctory smile Of President Ty-
ler-ra ther a tall, slender-limbed, active
man. and of very decent presence, al
though his thin, shrunken cheeks and
his cold blue-gray eye left little quality
of magnetism in his personality.
1t was not new to me, of course, this
pageant, although it never lacked OF
interest. There were in the thr"nS
representatives of all America as it was
then, a strange, crude blending o1 re-
finement and vulgarity, Of ease and
poverty. Of luxury and thrift.
A certain air Of gloom at this time
hung over official Washington, for the
minds of all were still oppressed by the
memory of that fatal accident-the eX-
plosion of the great cannon peace
maker on board the war vessel Prince
ton-which had killed Mr.. Upshur. our
secretary of state, with others ana
had, at one blow, come so near to de-
priving this government of its head and
his official family: the number on
prominent lives thus ended or endan-
gered being appalling to contemplate
II was this accident which mad called
Mr.. Calhoun forward at Il national
iuncture of the most extreme dellcacy
and the utmost Importance. In spite
of the general mOurning, however, the
informal receptions at the White House
were not wholly discontinued, and the
administration. unsettled as 1t was,
and fronted by the graveSt of diploma
tic problems, made such show OF Dig
nity and even cheerfulness as it might.
| considered it my duty TO pass in the
long procession and to snake the hand
Of Mr. Tyler. That done, I Sazed about
the great room, carefully scanning the
different little groups which were ac-
customed to form after the ceremonial
part of the visit was over. | saw many
whom l knew l forgot them: for in
far corner, where a flood of light
came through the trailing vines that
shielded the outer window, my anxious
eyes discovered the object Of my quest
Elisabeth.
1t seemed to me l had never known
her so fair as she was that morning in
the great East Room of the White
HOuse. Elisabeth was rather taller
than the average woman. and of that
splendid southern figure. slender but
strong, which makes perhaps the best
representative Of our American beauty.
She was very bravely array"d today in
her best pink lowered lawn. made wide
and full, as was the custom of the time,
but not 50 clumSily gathered at the
waist as some. and 50 serving not
wholly to conceal her natural comeli-
ness of figure. Her bonnet Sh" had re-
moved | could see the sunlight on tie
ripples of her brown hair and the
shadows which lay above her eyes as
she turned to face me, and TN" slow
pink which crcpt into her checks.
Dignifcd always. and reserved, was
Elisabeth Churchill. But now ! hope il
was not wholly conceit which led m" to
| feel that perhaps the warmth, tn" glow
of the air. caught while riding under
the open sky, the sight of tn" many
| budding roses Of our city, the scent n1
| the blossoms which even then came
| through the lattice-thc meeting even
with myself. 50 lately r"turncd-Snmc-
thing at least of this had caused ar
| awakening i'm her girls heart. Some
| thing. | say, do not know what. gave
| her greeting to me more warmth than
was usual with her My own heart
| eager enough to break bounds, answer
| ed i'm kind. We Stoud-bluShing like
| children as our hands tnuchcd-forg"t-
ten i'm that aSScmblaEc of Washing
tons pomp and circumstance.
How do you do" was all | could
| find to say And How do you do
| was all | could catch for answer. al
though saw. in Il tl"ctinS way, {