Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-07-15
THE MIDLANDERS
By CHARLES TENNEY JACKSON
Author of Che Day Of Souls, My Broihers Ksspe. Etc

unknown glory beckoning her. She
sighed and put by the undreamed al
lurement; 1t seemed that since she had
known Harlan she was always putting
something by, renouncing, struggling;
trying to do or be something quite un-
attained. That was love, she answer
ed-to renounce and not be embittered,
to try for something better than one
had, to be better than one truly was,
That was it. Love meant trying!
Nobody will have me-" she went on
slowly. Il won't pay any attention to
'em. I love you that way, Harlan.
Just to wish my face was ugly If 1t
pleased you. To scratch my cheeks and
eyes. If you wanted me to! Just to live
on here and be the bootlegger's girl
from the bottoms, and never have a
pretty dress 1 will, If you want me
to-" " " #
He did not answer for e, time. She
could not tell that he was conquering
the lump in his throat at the pathos OF
her passion. For mel" he whispered,
and she nodded; and so they went on
through the moonlight to his home.
They crossed the wide lawn where
Palf, the great friendly Saint Bernard,
came to greet them. Some one was
singing in the parlors. 1t was Elise
Dickinson, and SchumanD song; and
Harlan slowly remembered that this
was their last night at home before he
went to Harvard and Elise to Bryn
Mawr, and that all the boys he had
grown up with. played football and de-
bated with; and all the girls he had
danced with his life long, had gather
ed to speed him we'll. Elise was going
too; it was partly in her honor.
He felt Aurelie falter at the music,
then after his steadying glance at her,
she tensed in her petite independence
and went with him through the door to
the library. His father and mother
were there alone. The Van Hart house
was the rendezvous of all the High
street young people: there was no need
of bidding to its fine, open, careless
welcome, any one of Harlan's set. So
while the guests amused themselves in
the parIors, the judge sat at his paper
and Mrs. Van Hart was before book
case, the wall light upon her contour
Of hair and brow. There was about
her the inescapable inference Of breed
ing, that same charm Of assurance, Of
power, of books and gentle ways, which
the room itself disengaged-the grace
Of right living and Of love. that splen-
did wholesomeness Of the American
home.
Mrs. Van Hart looked up at them in
surprise She did not recognize Aure-
lie. But Harlan's arm was about the
stranger. The lady arose with an ex-
clamation. my dear, have you been
hurt?"
NO" said Aurelie.
Mother" the boy began, and drop
ped Aurelie's hand and stood apart In
quiet dignity, she's not hurt" His
father had lowered the paper and turn
ed his kindly eye upon them. I'VE
came to tell you, mother, we're engag-
ed"
He saw his mothers blue eyes mar
row. heard the rustic of the newspaper
in the judges hand. From the other
room the Schumann song went on.
Mrs. Van Hart checked the flutter in
her voice. 'Engaged-Harlan"
YES. To Aurelie Lindstrom."
There was a silence, courteous, even
kindly. Harlan knew at all costs they
would be kindly. If the Van Harts had
sent a culprit to the gallows 1t would
be done without scene-and kindly.
His mother was looking at them keen
ly; then she laughed, briefly, so nat
urally, that, for a moment, even Har-
Ian was deceived. Then to Aurelie:
my dear-be seated"
The girl did so in a sort of dream.
They had welcomed her! They had
called her dear" 1t was all so unut-
terably different, so beautifully differ
ent! Her day Of the jinnee had dawn
ed-the most beautiful girl in all
America! Harlan's home opened to her
with love. Love, that was it-love
graced and opened everything. Love
counted nothing of her simple gown,
love asked nothing Of her brown hands
her want of manner, her lack of speech
and knowledge of all this gentle life
love asked her in and opened all the
way!
She had not seen the judges paling
face. his eyes upon his son with a
crushed despair, so glorified was she
with this. The mother went on: my
dear child" She hesitated, then
smiled easily. You surprise us. 1t is
a-a-thunderbolt!"
"All summer, mother" Harlan an
swered doggedly-he knew the shock
they felt, if Aurelie was deceived
we've been meeting each other. It's
no sudden thing. should have told you
i hated to deceive you"-he laughed
bluntly and looked at Aurelie, perched
like a bird blinded by light upon her
chair-"well, I'm sorry for that But
now I'm going away to school, and l
want you to care for Aurelie. Just to
know you, mother-it will be so much
to her! wanted to bring her here,
mother-home! And then this fool
beauty contest that Wiley Curran got
some of the town girls into-I simply
couldn't stand it,"
YES" his mother answered. ELISE
her picture was sent 1t was abom-
Unable. Mr.. Dickinson telephoned to-
night to ask Mr.. Van Hart if some
thing actionable could not be done
about it,"
Harlan laughed mirthlessly. ELISE
didn't get the prize so no one'll know
of her! But Aurelie-" His eyes went
hungrily to Aurelie, dumb on her chair,
striving to grasp what might be this
amazing beauty, for he had never
thought of that in her! The purity of
her oval face, the perfect line of her
small throat, her mouth, budded al
ways with laughter. now grave as a
nun, her black heavy-lidded eyes-he