Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-02-04

ing, and evidently gratifed, yet without
deigning any reply to the gallant,
straight t-forward speech in which her
lover had risked I9is all of hope.
ale ought to do penance for the pret-
ty way he manages his tongue. He's
altogether too calm to, suit me-" And
Sophie shook her curly head meaning
! ly, holding her fan before her for a
screen-did she forget what she had
been. saving - KoRaeE 6 eaeida
ele Way Old Uncie ones used to
in churchr' she soliloquized. "Would
it not be fun !?-andw would it not plague
Harry if he thought had been asleep
while he was talking? 2" l.s,. .a.a
Sophie's eyes danced with suppressed
merriment as she gave two or three hea-
Wy breathings, ard followed them up
with nasal explosion worthy of an or
thodox deacon. 1t was we'll dome
sprang bolt upright-surprised, morti-
stand it no longer, and Sophie gave
vent to her mirth in burst of triumph
ant laughter. 3 -
''Y-o-u little witch-you mischief
you spirit of evil" exclaimed the re-
lieved Harry, as he sprang to her side
and caught her by the arm with grippe
that made her scream. You deserve
shaking for your behavior" Then low
ering his voice he added gravely, ,e''Will
you never have done tormenting me?
If you love me, can you not be gene
rous enough to tell me so?-and if you
do not, am not, at least, worthy of q
candid refusal.
Words 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 as they never before
had been to any man. But she could
not quite. give up her raillery then
She would go one step further from bin
ere she laid her hand in his, and told
him he was dearcr than all the world
beside So she checked the tender re- .
sponse that tremhled on her tongue,
and fiinging off his grasp with a mock
| ing gesture and a ringing laugh, danced
across the room to the piano.
-.uESSknlSaa4ezL ka1sAlf Alf,ShaszEa-lsaEsGagss
gracefully over the keys, and broke out
in wild, brilliant, defiant song, that
made her listeners ears tingle as he
stood watching her, and choking back
the indignant words that crowded to his
! lips for utterance.
Sophie, listen to mer' he said at
I length, as she paused from sheer ex
haustion. '.Is it generous-is it just
to trife with me so ?-to turn into ridi-
cule the emotions of heart that offers
| you its most reverent affections? /
!
atile surface character of yours, l thought
saw truthfulness and simplicity; pur-
ity of soul, and warm current Of ten
der, womanly feeling, that would bathe
with blessings the whole life him whose
hand was fortunate enough to touch its
secret springs. You are an heiress, and
only Il poor student; but if that is
the reason why you treat my suit so
kscornfully, you are less the noble wo-
man than thought you.
Sophie's head was averted, and sus-
picious moisture glistened in her eyes
as Harry ceased speaking. All why
is it that we sometimes hold our high
est happiness SO lightly-earrying it
carelessly in our hands as though it
were but dross, and stalking it all upon
an idle caprice
When she turned her countenance
towards him again, the same mocking
light was in her eyes, the same coquet-
tish smile wreathed her red lips.
Speaking of hciresses." said Sophie,
''there's Helen Myrtle, whose father is
worth twice as much as mine Perhaps
you had better transfer your attentions
| to her, Mr.. Ainslee. The difference in
our dowries would no doubt be quite an
inducement, and possibly she might
consider your case more seriously than
l have done" ~
Like an insulted prince, Harry Aims
lee stood up before her-the hot, fiery,
indignant blood dashing in fierce tor
rent over his face-his arms crossed
tightly upon his breast, as if to keep
his heart from bursting with its upris-
ing indignation-his lips compressed
and his dark eye flashing. Sophie, cru
ell SOphie You added one drop too
much to your cup of sarcasm. You
trespassed upon his forbearance one lit
tie step further than you would have
dared, had you known his proud, sensi-
tive nature.
Not till he was gone-gone without
| a a,single word of expostulation, leaving
only grave ''good bye" and the mem
ory of his pale face to plead for him
did the thoughtless girl wake to reali-
zation of what she had done. Then
quick, terrible fear shot through her
| heart, and she would have given every
curl on her brown head to have had him
beside her one short moment longer.
''Pshaw! what am I afraid of! He
will be dack again within twenty four
hours as importunate as ever she NUT
tered to herself, as the street door closed
after yet sigh, that was half sob, fol-
| lowed the words, and could Harry have
seen the beautiful pair of eyes that
watched him SO eagerly as he went down
the long street. or the bright face that
leaned away out through the parted
blinds, with such wistful look, after
he had disappeared, it might have been
his turn to triumph.