Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1857-12-11
CLARKSyILLE, TENN, FRIDAY, DECEMBER Il. 1857 4

herself, as the street door closed after him
yet sigh that was halfa sob, followed the
words, and could Harry have seen the
beautiful pair of eyes that watched him Sc
eagerly as he went down the long street o.
the bright face that leaned away ou
through the parted blinds with such |
wistful look, after he had disappeared, i
might have been his turn to triumph.
In spite Of Sophie's prophecy, twenty
four hours did not bring back Harry
Days matured into weeks and still he haC
not come, nor in all that time did she SEE
him. And now she began to think hersel
quite martyr, and act accordingly. II
fact she did as almost any heroine would
have done under the circumstances-gre
pale and interesting. Mamma began tc
suggest delicacies to temptSophie's palate
-"the poor dear child was getting SO thinp
In vain. Sophie protested she had no ap
petite.
In vain papa brought dainty gifts, ant
piled up costly dresses before his pet, A
faint smile, or an distracted "thank you,
was his only recompense. IF sister Kate
suggested that Harry's absence was in any
manner connected with her altered demean.
or, Sophie would toss her ringletty heat
with an air ofsupreme indifference, and g
away and cry over it hours at time
Everybody thought something was The
matter with Sophie, Sophie among the rest
Her suspense and penitence became in
supportable at last. Sister Kate, who had
come so near the true solution should know
ell-so said Sophie. Perhaps she coult
advise her what to do for to give Harry
up forever, seemed every day more of al
improbability,
"Will you come into the garden will
me, Kate?'' she asked in trembling voice
of her sister one day, about month aftel
her trouble with Harry.-"I have some
thing of importance to tell YOU"
"Go away, darling, and l will be will
you in afew moments, replied Kate, cast
ing searching glance at Sophie's flushed
cheeks and swollen eyes.
Running swiftly along the garden path
as if from fear of pursuit, Sophie turned
aside into her favorite arbor, and fingin,
herself down on low seat, buried her heat
among the cool, green vines, and gave her
self up to a paroxysm of passionate grief
Soon she heard steps approaching, and a,
arm was twined tenderly about her waist
and warm hand laid caressingly on he
dropped head.
80 Kate, Kate!" she cried in the agon,
of her repentance, 81 am perfectly wretch
ed. You don't know why, though yo'
have come very near guessing two or thre
times. Harry and ="
Here a convulsive sob interrupted her
and the hand upon her head passed owe
her disordered curis with gentle, sooth
ing motion.
"Harry and I''-another sob-"ouar
relied two or three weeHs ago. was will
ful and rude, just as it was natural for m
to be, and ne got angry. don't thin
he is going to forgive me, for he hasn
been here SINCE"
Sophie felt herself drawn in closer EN-
brace, and was sure Kate pitied her.
81 wouldn't have owned it to anybod
if it had not been just as it is" she cor
tinued, rul b.ng her little white hand int
her eyes; "but 1 think 1 love him almost 4
do you and father and mother"
A kiss dropped on Sophies glossy hea,
and tighter was she held. She wondore
that Kate was so silent, but still kept he
face hidden in the vines.
"He asked me to be his wife," she cor
tinued-"asked me as nobody else eve
did-in such manly way that he mac
me feel as though l ought to have been ii
one to plead instead of him. l could NJ
bear that, and so l answered him Just as
should not. He thought it was becau,
he was poor and l was rich, and all IL
time | was thinking would rather live
a cottage with him than in the grande
palace in the world with any other ma
only I was too proud to tell him so to h
face.-Whatcan lido? Tell me, Kate, yo
are so much better than am, and new
get into trouble am sure I shall die ifyo
don't" And poor Sophie wept anew.
Sophie did look up with start and IL
next moment, with little scream, leapc
from the arms of-not sister Kate, b,
Harry Ainsleel .,.r.
Sophie declares to this day, that she h