Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-09-26
CHAPTER TX.
A Leaf From Iris GreyIoek's Diary.

sence of six years, here 1 am back in
this hateful Massachusetts, capital, SO
full to me of wretched associations and
memories-the city which 1 ardently
hoped to never see again.
l was obliged to sell the last of my
Jewels to pay for the journey from
New Orleans-my beloved jewels, the
trophies of so many past triumphs! 1t
made my heart bleed to part with
them, but one must have money. 1t is
now two wretched years since my
miseries began, and during that period
/ have not paid Hannah Johnson a
dollar of wages, yet she stays on with
me, not so much from love, l fear, as
q hope of future reward when / shall
have conquered the unkind fate that
now overwhelms me. But shall con-
quer it?
We have secured a boarding place
in an obscure corner of the city, where
the Affections are vile food and suspi-
cious people. To be poor and fasti-
dious at one and the same time is sad
" inconvenient. Words cannot ex-
press the adherence which have for
poverty in all its forms, and since I
have tasted luxury and ease my re-
pugnance to my old state of privation
has increased an hundredfold. Ver-
lily, l cannot go on longer like this
something must be done.
Today / sent Hannah Johnson out
for a carriage, and we drove to that
West End house where l once lived
and quarreled with poor, dear Robert.
There" / said to myself, Il shall
surely hear news of the child"
AS 1 entered the street dagger
seemed to pierce my heart. The
house was gone-the march of modern
improvement had swept it out of ex-
istence. Workmen were busy remov-
ing debris from the spot where it once
stood. My former landlady and her
servant Martha-where were they?
CONSERVATION seized me. 1 piled
the workmen with vain questions. /
limped about the vicinity, striving to
gain some information concerning the
last occupants of the house; but 1t
was useless Baf1ed, disappointed, l
let Hannah Johnson lift me, at last,
into the carriage, and when we were
shut in together 1 sobbed and cried
bitterly. ..--..
Il have come a long and tiresome
Journey l have sold my last article
of value to learn the fate of the
child" 1 said, "and this is the result.
THE landlady and her maid are
gone-Heaven only knows where. The
workmen say that the house was va
cant for months before its destruction.
You had better leave me. Hannah, for
it is plain that, sooner or later, 1
must cast myself on public charity"
Don't get down hearted, ma'am,"
answered Hannah; there are plenty
of children in the world, and you can
buy one anywhere for a couple of dol
lars"
Hannah is English by birth-it was
in England that l first secured her
services-oh, those glad, gay nights at
Covent Garden! But l must not think
of the past or shall go mad. She is
very shrewd and daring, but now she
hints at something too dangerous to
think about. l am ready to curse my
self for my own short-sighted folly.
Why did l ever leave the child? Why
did l not take her with me when
shook the dust of this city from my
feet six years ago? Why did l not
consider that l might one day need
her-that she would always be pow
er in my hands to WELD against the
Greylocks? Alas l could not then
foresee my widowhood, and the mis-
fortunes that awaited me in the fu-
ture. l left the child at the last gasp
/ am sure she must have died-the
doctor assured me she had not a
chance of life; yet, under present cir
cumstances, dare not make a single
movement against poor Roberts rela-
tives. Meanwhile they roll in luxury
while l starve.
Thursday.
For a whole week have been seek
ing information concerning my former
landlady, but finding it not. The the
atre where l used to dance has new
manager, and even were the old one
still there he would know nothing ol
what l wish to discover. l must move
cautiously. Not for worlds would
have any of my former associates
know of my presence in the city-least
of all the errand which brings me here
Even Hannah begins to feel discour-
aged, especially as we are obliged, at
this wretched place, to pay oul
board in advance.
1T seems, ma'am," she said to me
this morning. "as If we'd brought VI
against a blank wall, with no opening
i'm it,"
She grows restive. If her hope OF
future reward suffers an eclipse, | an
sure she will leave me to my fate.
Saturday.
I set forth with Hannah for a con-
stitutional 1t will never do for me tc
fall i'll here, and so increase my al
ready numberless perpleXities.
You're just breaking down with the
disappointment. ma'am," says Hannah
and l think she is right. l dragged
myself as far as the Common, anC
there, on a mall which CHANGED to be
nearly deserted, l fell. exhausted ant
exasperated, upon seat.
Hannah" l cried, with my mlser'
able infrmity it is impossible for m'
to walk through life. and who is t
furnish the carriage in which | mus
ride?"
The Greylocks of Blackport, ma
am" answered Hannah.
Her words plunged me into
mournful reverie, from which. | wa:
at length aroused by the sound of foot
steps approaching on the gravel.
looked up to see a perambulatnr. pro-
PEELED by a maid, coming along th'
mall toward the spot where sat. An
other child was trundling hoop b!
- I'll, &c ,bo servant whose 0raggle(