Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1857-12-11

such things without making q fool Of him
SELF" muttered Sophie emphatically from
behind her fan, as she sat blushing, and
evidently gratifed, yet without deigning
any reply to the gallant, straightforward
speech in which her lover had risked his
all of hope. fl,r ,ots
"He had ought to do penance for the
pretty way he manages his tongue. He's
altogether too calm to suit me-" And
Sophie shook her curly head ncaningiy,
holding her fan before her for screen
did she forget what she had been saying
"I wonder If 1 could snore the way old
Uncle Jones used to in church," she
soliloquized. "Wouldn't it be fun n?-and
wouldn't it plague Harry if he thought 1
had been asleep while he was talking2'
Sophie's blue eyes danced with sup
pressed merriment as she gave two or three
heavy breathings, and followed them up
with nasal explosion worthy of an ortho-
dox deacon 1t was well done-theat-
rically done; and poor Harry sprang bolt
upright surprised, mortified, chagrined.
Human nature could stand it no longer,
and Sophie gave vent to her mirth in a
burst of triumphant laughter.
"Y-o-u little witch-you mischief-you
spirit of evilr' exclaimed the relieved
Harry, as he sprang to her side and caught
her by the arm with gripe that made her
scream. "You deserve shaking for your
behavior!" Then lowering his voice gravoi
ly, "Will you never have done with tor
menting me? If you love me can you not
be generous enough to tell mo so?-and
| if you do not, am I not at least, worthy
of candid refusalY' t-.. s..,r .u
Words spraDg to Sophie's lips that
would have done credit to her womanly
nature, and made her lovers heart bound
with rapture; for the whole depths of her
being were stirred, and were drawn towards
him as they never before had been to any
man. But she could not quite give up
raillery then. She would go one step
further with him ere she laid her hand in
his, and told him he was dearer than all
the world beside. She checked the ten
der response that trembled on her tongue,
and flinging off his grasp with mocking
gesture and ringing laugh danced across
the room to the piano.
She seated herslf, she ran her fingers
gracefully over the keys, and broke out in
avid, defiant song, that made her listener s
ears tingle as he stood watching her, and
choking back the indignant words that
came crowding to his lips for utterance.
"Sophie, listen to mel he at length said,
as she paused from sheer exhaustion
''Is it generous-is it just. to triAe with
me so ?-to turn into ridicule the emotions
of heart that offers you its most rever-
ent affections? have loved you because
under this volatile, surface character Of
yours, thought I saw truthfulness and
simplicity; purity of soul and a warm
current of tender, womanly feeling; that
would bathe with blessings the whole life
of him whose hand was fortunate enough
to touch its secret springs. You are an
heiress, and only poor student; but il
that is the reason why you treat my suit
so scornfully, you are less than the noble
woman that l thought you"
Sophic's head was averted, and sus'
picious moisture glistened in her eyes a:
Harry ceased speaking. All why is il
that we sometimes hold our highest hap
piness so lightly-carrying it carelessly il
our hands as though it were but dross
and stalking it all upon an idle caprice
When she turned her countenance to
wards him again, the same mocking ligh
was in her eyes, the same coquettish smil'
wreathed her red lips.
Speaking of heiresses," said Sophie
there's Helen Myrtle whose father i
worth twice as much as mine. Perhap
you had better transfer your attentions t.
| her, Mr.. Ainslee The difference in ou
dowries would no doubt be quite an in
ducement and possibly she might con
slider your case more seriously than hav
+ done" '"-
n Like an insulted Prince, Harry Ainsle
o stood up before hcr-the hot, fiery indig
B, nant blood dashing in fierce torrent owe
# his face-his arms crossed tightly acros
\ his breast, as if to keep his heart fror
c bursting with its uprising indignation
) his lips compressed and his dar k eye fash
f ing, Sophie, cruel Sophie! You adde
j one drop too much to your cup of sarcasm