Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1858-09-11
THE END OF A wOMAN,s CAPRICEs
A LOVE STORY


class OF human beings denominated lovers
are terrible bores. 1t does very well Tor wO-
men to blush and look tlustered now and then
when occasion makes it desirable but to see
a man with his face IS red ripe cherry,
and real parcel of strouS -mndedness, SELF
reliance and masculine dignity, done up In
broadcloth and starched linen. quaking from
the toe of his boot TO the top OF his shirt col
lar, his mouth awrv, and his tongue twisted
into commissions in the vain attempt to say
something sweet--O gracious y
So said sarcv Sophie Lynn aloud to her
self as she sat swinging backwards and for
wards before the window, half buried in the
cushions of luXuriant rmchair, and playing
,, with a delicate ivory fan which lay upon her
lap.
at also seems so strange, not to say tire
some" she continued, with running musical
laugh, latter one has waltzed and sung, quot
ed poetry, and talked nonsense, with anybody,
till one is puzzled to know which one of the
two is most heartless, ones companion,
or yourself to hear him come down
plump on the subject of matrimony,
as though that was the legitimate re
suit of every such insipid acquaintance -
For my part, | never had Il lover (here So
phle tluttered her fan and looked pleased, for
she had more than one,) that | wasn't sick of
after he proposed. There was Capt. Morris !;
| thought him the handsomest man in the
whole circle Off acquaintance until be went
on his knees to me, and swOre he should die
if | didn't take pity on him. Somehow. he
always looked fright to me afterwards Then
there was DR.. Wilkins; he was really agreea-
BILE, and people said very learned. | was de-
lighted with him for time but he spoiled
it all with that offer of his-what long-wind-
ed adjectives! and how the poor fellow blush
ed, and perspired! He called me an 'adOra-
bic creature" and hiccoughed in the middle
of adorable" Horrors ! | have hated him
ever since. Then there was a -
Here Sophie started She heard the door
bell ring. With nervous spring she stood
before the mirror, smoothing down her brown
hair with a face truly comical
IL won't do to seem interested" she said
as she took fishing survey of her person in
the glass, and shook out, with her plump,
jewelled fingers, the folds of her airy muslin
DRESS
The moment afterwards, when servant
entered to announce Mr. Harry Ainslee, she
was back to her old seat by the window,
looking and playing with her fan, apparently
as unconcerned and listless as thougd that
name had not sent quicker thrill to her
heart, or the betraying crimson all over her
pretty face. ''rell him l will be down pres
emily" she said.
The girl disappeared, and Sophie flung
oren the window, that the cool fresh air might
fan away the extra rosnesS from her com
| pleXion. Then she went again to the mirror,
and after composing her bright, eager, hap
pv face into an expression OF occurrences des-
cended to the parlor A smile broke over her
| features, and she reached out both hands to
| the guest but, as if suddenly recolecting
/ tse.t she drew them back again, and, with
a formal bow of recognition, she passed him,
and seated herself in further corner of the
| rOom
1t was very evident that something was
/ wrong with Sophie; unat she mad made up
her mind either not to be pleased, or not 10
! please. Could it be that she had foreseen
hat was coming ? That presentiment of
that visit and its result had dictated the mer-
ry speeches in her chamber? BE that as it
may, a half hour had not elapsed before Hen
ry AinSee's hand and fortune (which latter,
by the way, was nothing wonderful-were in
the same place where capt. Morris's and Dr.
| Wilkins's had been before them.
"The first man that [ ever heard say such
things without making a fool of HIMSELF
muttered Sophie empha'icaly from behind
her fan, as she sat blushing and evidently
eratIiied, yet without delgning any reply to
the gallant, straightforward speech in which
her lover had risktd d lis all Of hope.
lie ought to 90 penance for the pretty
way in which he manages his tongue. He's
altogether too calm to suit me- And Sophie
shook Der curly head meaningly, holding her
hand before her for screen-dd she forget
what she had been saying ? IL wonder if
could snore the way old Uncle Jones used to
in church ?" she soliloquzed. "Wouldn't it
be fun and wouldn't 1T plague Harry if he
thought had been asleep while he was talk
ing y
Sophie blue eyes danced with suppressed
mcrrlment as she gave two or three heavy
breathings and followed them up with mas
al explosion worthy OF all orthodox deacon.
1t was well done, and theatricalIy done and
poor Harry sprang but surprised, upright
mortified, chagrined. Human nature could
stand it no longer, and Sophie gave vent to
her mirth in burst of triumphant laugh.
ter.
O-u little witcii-yOu mischief-yOu
! spirit Of evil - exclaimed the relieved Har-
ry, as he sprang to her side, and caught her
by the arm with a grip that made her scream
You deserve a shaking for your behavior =
Then lowering his voice, he added, gravely:
VIII you never have done tormenting
me Ii you love me, can you not be gen ar-
ous enough to tell me so ? And if you do
not, am not at least worthy of u candid re
lusal?'
W ords sprang 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 drawn towards him they never before
| had been before towards any man.
But she could not quite give up her rail-
cry then. She would 90 one step further
from him, ere she laid her hand in his, and
told him he was dearer than all the world
beside. So snc checked the tender response
| that trembed on her tongue and fnging off
his grasp, with mOckipg gesture and ring
ing laugh, danced across the room to the pi-
anO.
She seated herself; she ran her fingers
gracefully over the keys and broke out in a
wild, brilliant, defiant song, that made her
listeners ears tingle as he stood watching her
and choking back the indignant words that
came crowdng to his lips for utterance.
Sophie, listen to me p he said at length,
as she paused from her sheer exhaustion
is 1t generous, is it just 10 triie with me
so? To turn into rIdicuIe the devotions OF a
heart that offers to you the most rcverent af-
| tections
have loved you, because, beneath this
volatile surface character of yours, thought
| saw truthfulness and simplicity purity of
soul, and warm current of tender, woman
ly feelings that would bathe with blessings
the whole life of him whose hand was so for
tunate as to touch its secret springs. You
are an heiress, and only poor student; but
if that is the reason why you treat my suit
so scornfrlly, you are less the noble woman
than thought you."
Sophie's head was averted and a suspicious
moisture glistened in her eyes as Harry ceas
ed speaking. All! why is it that we some
t;,.,sss LID L;crhaSt hapripasS i ialtl