Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-10-24

Blackport?"
Yes" answered DR.. Dick, knawine
his red moustache; 'the only woman
in the place worth mentioning. Com
pared with her, all the others are as
tallow-d dips to the MOON"
Polly had pressed her dark, salloW
face to the pane, and was staring
blankly out into the shabby, rain
swept street.
What is she like?" she forced her.
self to ask.
THE loveliest things known to man.
kind" he replied; "she is as white as
snow, with hair like web of gold
and eyes as blue as swamp violets
and her figure no words can describe
"Oh," faltered Polly. "a blonde! In
all the novels that I read, it is always
the white woman who wins the lover
from her dark rival. Have you-you-
known her long?"
The little Steeles were fighting furi-
ously over the sweetmeats-their din
heed to tho more did Polly.
Just a week." he said, 'and I give
you my word that 1 have suffered un-
speakable agonies in this time! She
is my heaven and my hell. 1 think OF
nothing, but her. and yet every thought
is torture
Does she know all this?" asked
Polly, with her face still glued to the
glass, and her voice faint and husky,
as if life was dying within her.
Know it?-at the end Of weeks
acquaintance? I should think mott"
"Then why do you despair?"
Heaven above! She is es good as
engaged to live English baronet
across the water-a kinsman Of her
own. What chance can a penniless
Yankee doctor have against a rival
like that?-deuce take him!"
She was silent, awed, perhaps, by
the hopelessness of her lovers tone.
At last she said, in a low, firm voice:
"Whoever-whatever the lady is, you
are her equal, DR.. Vandine. And who
ever-whatever her suitor may be, she
cannot-she will not be unkind to
you."
He answered with lugubrious grin.
That sounds very fiattering, Polly
you are too partial. by far. I feel
abominably certain that she will be
very unkind to me, if am ever fool
ish enough to give her the chance. No,
the proper thing for me to do is to cut
my throat, off hand, or drown my
self comfortably in some of the Black
port creeks. 1t would be impossible
to endure life a great while in my
present state of mind"
"Oh," cried Polly, how sorry-how
sorry l am for you!"
He was touched by her tone.
You good little thing! Come, I'll
not torment you with any more of this
rubbish. Let us talk about yourself"
He began to think of her at last-he
was not a selfish fellow at heart. by
Jove! you're failing in looks. Polly
this life is hard on you. Don't you
find things little monotonous in the
doctors household?"
"Yes-that is suppose So" she
hesitated.
Look here-have they mentioned
the matter of wages to -'Nu yet?"
"No-never!" faltered Polly.
His own woes were forgotten for a
moment in the Indignation which
overwhelmed him.
Now this passes belief! You have
been the slave of the family for years,
and received nothing in recompense
but your keep, and Aunt Emily's cast
off clothes. Why, they haven't the
smallest idea of justice or mercy-not
one of them. 1 say, Polly, it's time
to put an end to your slavery. You
need a change, and you must have it
He had been the one only friend of
her life. She looked up at him breath
lessly, and with such pathetic, appeal
ing eyes that his heart was stirred
within him.
This is the sole home l ever knew
she answered! what would become
of me if should leave it?"
His careless face put on look OF
genuine solicitude.
We'll, l can offer you something
Polly-not much, to be sure, but some
thing better than this endless, unpaid
drudgery of this house. They will kill
you here before you are 20. How
would you like to exchange the city
for a town like-well, let us say, Black
port"
"Blackport?" she gasped; "the place
where you live?"
Yes" he assented, with a good-na-
tured laugh; you'll get plenty of sun
shine there, and wholesome salt air
things you sadly need. board at a
queer old inn, kept BY a queer, but
estimable woman. Now, 1 CHANGED
two or three days ago, to hear Miss
Poole say that she was in need of a
maid to wait on transient guests and
sew, anu Va NhaN S'iN
told you the situation was not daZ-
zling one. However, say the word. and
down you go to Cats Tavern this very
night-Pn take you myself-by Jove
will, you poor little thing! Mercy
Poole, can swear, will treat you
kindly and pay you fair wages, and
the work cannot be hard, for the inn
is never crowded with guests"
If he had offered her ease, luxury
the choicest gifts of fortune, she
could not have looked more amazed
and overwhelmed. To go with him
to live in any capacity under the same
roof-to see him daily, even though
she could be no more tn him than the
dust under his feet-tO receive wages
to save, that she might some day be
able to go in search of the unforgot-
ten, the still keenly regretted Nan-it
was too much happiness! Tears gush
ed into her cheeks.
It's more than l can believe!" she
gasped. I'm afraid the Steeles viii
not let me 60"