Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-12-06


You must be dreaming"
Moll bounced over on her fiat, feath-
erless pillow.
Maybe, though amt much given to
dreams"
IF you have been rich in your day,
why are we now-why have we always
been, since I can remember-so poor
You once told me that my father died
when 1 was a. babe. Was it his death
that brought US to want?"
Moll shrugged her shoulders.
mol I brought you to want only.
Don't ask any more questions. I shan't
answer them; I'm going to Sleep" and
she stretched out her gaunt body,
turned her face to the wall, and be-
came at once preternaturally still.
Mercy picked up her sewing and
went to work again.
She sat stitching away like mad.
when the door opened softly, and the
face Of a woman looked into the cham
ber. It was a shrewd, kindly old vi
sage, screwed now into an expression
of apprehension and alarm. A cap all
awry, surmounted the gray hair; COL
lar was pinned under the left ear. Miss
Affry Black, racked with rheumatism
and defective of vision, was the most
careless creature on earth regarding
her personal adornment. She stepped
noiselessly over the threshold, throw
ing up both hands as her near-sighted
eyes fell upon the sleeping figure in
the corner.
wal told me-" she whispered, "and
he would make me come up to ask If
we can do anything for you, poor
child"
Mercy looked up with sad, grateful
smile.
Thank you, Miss Affry-no, you
can do nothing. But now that she has
come, you will not, perhaps, want me
to stay here. She has promised to do
better, but how can I tell whether she
will keep her word or not?"
Miss Blacks funny little face grew
intense with sympathy.
BLESS me! have you got that bee In
your bonnet? Did you think Val and
would turn you out because Of her?
No, not for a hundred just like her!
Oh, my dear how hard hearted we
must seem to you! You'll excuse me
Mercy, but I hope the next drop OF
no throat
choke her stone dead do indeed!
She stamped on the floor in her ear
nestness. Miss Black was person who
spoke her mind upon all occasions
ITO think that a good, beautiful crea-
ture like you should have such moth
er!" she went on" it's abominable! Nc
whether she gives you further trouble
or not, you will stay here, Mercy, and
we will be your true friends-Val ant
II. !, too, have had sorrows child" and
a mist of tears over-spread her eyes
"I brought Val up, you know. His
father and mother died when he was
babe, and left him to me-bless him!
He always was and always will be the
best Of boys, but betwixt sending hin
to school and getting bread for us
had my poor hands quite full. Well
thank God! it's over now, and he take:
care of me, the dear laddie! Don't sew
any more, Mercy. Go to bed, dear, oi
your pretty eyes will be dim long be-
fore their time. II you want anything
in the night-if she gives you an!
trouble, you'll call me, won't you?"
Yes" assented Mercy, but she vii
not-shes asleep, as you see.
Miss Black gave the girl a sount
smack-a great, loud, loving kiss.
You brave, sweet, heroic child, ma!
the good Lord watch over you!" sh'
muttered, and then went out softly
| closing the door behind her.
Mercy fell to her work again, stitch
ing, stitching till her lamp burned
low, and her slender fingers ached, ant
| the long, tired lashes dropped involun
tarily over her heavy eyes: At last tn
final stitch was set in the dainty gar
meat-an infants christening robe
and a thing Of beauty indeed. The Ait
Society had no seamstress who coul'
compare in skill and excellence witt
Mercy Dill. With a weary sigh, sh
| folded up her work, knelt at her night
ly prayer-Mercy never forgot that
and then slipping out Of her garments
she crept in the bed behind the cur
tain, and in five minutes was deepl!
and dreamlessly asleep.
In five minutes, also, Moll Dill aros
from her corner. She had not slept
Raked up in the red-hot Goals of mem
| ory and remorse, there was no rest TO
her this night. To shut her eyes wa
to see the wounded face of man. pale
aristocratic. blood stained, starin
straight into her own; to open then
was to behold the same vision dane
ing on the bare wall, in mid-air-eV
erywhere A moonbeam shone throug
the window; by its light she sprang u
noiselessly and dressed herself wit
feverish haste.
"Oh, cursed be memory" she whis
pered, with white lips; there's but on
thing that'll drown it, and that's drinl
And good folks wonder that don't re
J form! Let them take me from thes
! devil pictures that keep rising befor
! my eyes, these devil voices that kee
!: whispering in my ears, and I'll do /
I'll be a good woman ever after"
She glided softly to Mercy's bed. an
looked down upon her by the dir
!, moonlight; looked at the slumberin
young face, with the gold-bronze hal
tossed about it, and the black lashe
clinging close to the pale cheeks. Mo
Dill clinched her hands suddenly owe
| the sleeper.
/ "Oh, Cod" she groaned, Il wish /
never tried TO take revenge throug
her-I wish I'd left her to better lt
. i wish the misery and the want an
the shame I've made her suffer wei
off my soul tonight! They burn m
like fire! She was born to be dresse
, In purple and fine linen and fare sumI
/ tuously every day-born to be petite