Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-10-27
CHAPTER Xxx.
Polly Speaks,

Polly Speaks.
The hour when 1 bade farewell to
the Steeles and started for Blackport
with DR.. Vandine was the happiest OF
my life I went without misg!vings
Leaving behind me the drudgery
which had no end and no recompense
I started with my one only friend to
seek a change Of fortune.
He was very kind during the ride
abstracted, often absorbed, but kind
I felt that he pitied me because Of my
forlorn and lonely condition-ah! 1t is
sad and bitter thing to be pitied!
His distract manner showed that his
thoughts were wandering far from me
and my troubles-doubtless he was
dreaming of his fair blonde heiress.
With a strange mingling Of Joy and
dread 1 considered that I was now on
my way to Blackport, and that I would
surely see there the fortunate, favored
creature who had obtained possession
Of his great noble heart.
1 was not expected at Cats Tavern,
but the landlady received me very
kindly. With her grand figure, and
dark, gloomy, inscrutable face, she
looked like a Lady Macbeth masque-
rading in common clothes.
When DR.. Vandine said, Il have
brought you a particular friend of
mine, Miss Poole-he good to her." her
black, searching eyes semed to pierce
to the very marrow in my bones.
"Humph!" she answered; what a
bag of bones! 1t is plain that the
poor child has never had a proper
meal in her life."
and there set before me a tempting
supper, and poured my tea with her
own hands.
While 1 ate she put her elbows on
the table, and watched me in dark,
strange way. The room was full of
sleek cats that purred around my
dress, and seemed eager to make
friends with me. After a while, Miss
Poole said. grimly:
In all the world there are but two
or three persons whom l like-Dr.
Vandine is one of them. Since he Is
not ashamed to call himself your
friend, will see that you have good
wages and kind treatment here. You
can begin work in the morning"
So I was fortunate to find favor at
once with Mercy Poole and her cats.
The change from the Steele house.
hold to that quiet old inn by the great,
cool sea, seemed to me like transit
tion from purgatory to paradise. For
the first time in my life 1 was earning
money for myself. Then, too, I saw
DR.. Vandine daily, and whether he
looked at me or not-often he did not,
for he had grown so needless and mo-
rose of late that l felt sure his suit
was not prospering- he spoke
or remained silent-and the latter was
usually the case-these glimpses OF
him made up the sum of my earthly
happiness.
l soon became fond of the inn-of
the great sea shimmering in the sun,
or lying dark and cool under the stars,
of the cats, and even Of Mercy Poole
herself, though she was a person to
repel rather than attract strangers,
A week passed / was now we'll set
tied in my new home, but though /
kept eyes and ears wide open, had
neither seen nor heard anything Of the
fair woman-the heiress and beauty
whom Vandine loved
1t was my custom to rise early-of-
ten before the other members of the
household were astir-and sit down to
my sewing in some quiet corner until
was called by Mercy Poole to other
service.
One morning, eight days after my
arrival at the inn, while the dawn was
still red in the sky. and Blackport was
yet asleep, l descended to the silent
keeping-room, opened a window that
looked out on the main street Of the
town, and seating myself beside 1t,
with needle in hand and head bent low,
I fell to stitching like mad, with only
the cats for company.
Ravaillac purred on the sill at my
elbow. Charlotte Corday was licking
the dew of midnight wanderings from
her paws, and Pontius PLATE and the
Borgias mapped en- famille on settee
in the corner.
In and out, in and out flew my
needle. Once only l paused to glance
toward the empty street, into which
the sun began to shoot long shafts of
yellow light. Just opposite my WIN
dow was the village postoffice, and as
looked, my eyes were suddenly ar
rested and held by a huge poster,
which hung on a billboard near the
weather. beaten door.
1t was the advertisement of con-
cert, to be given by some travelling
troupe, called the Orpheus company,
on the following night in the town hall
of Blackport. The street being mar
row, could read the names of the
| WnOle 6dldhS VI SoiS''S' ~
which the Blackport people were cor
daily invited to give their attention
and their shekels.
Mademoiselle Eurydice, the world
renowned soprano; Monsieur Reg
nault. the Incompatible tenor; another
mademoiselle who sang alto like a
seraph; and a second monsieur, who
had the finest bass voice on the ter
restrial globe. other attractions fis-
ured in huge type on the bill.
spelt out the strange names some
what laboriously, then fell to stitch
ing again with renewed haste. What
was the Orpheus Concert company to
me? l had never been to a place oi
amusement in my life.
Presently the postoffice boy appear
ed at the door opposite, and turned
the kew i'm the lock. He, too, read the
poster and was just turning from II
with an air of gratified curiosity. wher
clatter-clatter sounded the hoofs of
o.,.ao Of the street and