Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-05-27
MISS PEVERILL'S PRIDE.

81 never heard OF such 1mpertlnence,
said Agnes Peverill, throwing down the
letter she held, and half crying in her
anger. "How dare he write such things
to me9 What business has he to love
me? He never would have dared write
like this if-if papa were alive and we
had not lost our money"
"You may thank yourself for this,
said Grandmother Peverill, looking over
her spectacles with an air of concern.
"You have amused yourself consider
ably with Harold Helper, to my certain
knowledge. When one dances, one
must pay the piper"
81 don't understand you, grandma.
I certainly never gave him shadow of
encouragement. 1 have guessed for
some time that he-that he didn't dis
like me, you know; but I never dreamed
that he would dare say as much. Papa's
clerk Why, I've seen him sweeping
out the office, and his fingers as inky as
Daddy Jellyby's."
"Men are audacious creatures" OBJ
served grandma; "but if you knew that
he didn't exactly hate you, you oughtn't
to have accepted him as escort when you
were learning to ride. When your papa
brought him home to dine, you needn't
have made yourself 50 attractive, need
you? You might have had headache
in your own room, or an invitation out.
You needn't have talked pretty nonsense
with him by the hour, WI lie your father
and took our after-dinner maps, need
you9"
"One can't help flirting little,
grandma.
"What, with ones fathers clerk
And no doubt one can't help working
him slippers and braiding watch chains
either2"
"Why, of course, one gives birthday
and Christmas gifts to all ones acquaint-
ances, even to old Biddy, the pauper.
One doesn't expect them to presume on
that, however.
"And so you think that Mr.. Helper is
presuming when he offers you his hearts
love and all his worldly prospects. Why
so2"
G. think he is presuming, because
the Peverills are not of his order, grand
mamma. They came over in the May
flower; they descended from Lord Pew
Grill; they graduated at colleges, have
enjoyed elegant accomplishments ever
since the flood, and have never soiled
their hands with the CRIME of labor;
while Mr.. Helpers ancestors were il
literate mechanics, who murdered the
kings English, Why, his own father
was stonecutter. I've heard papa say
So" 'r
"And supposing that yours had been
mechanic, what objection would you
have urged" .E s#.
Why, it's not supposable case,
grandmamma-aP Peverilla stonecutter!" /"
" But supposing you were not a
Peverill?"
my imagination is not bold enough
for such fight You see, have all
the prejudices of my class. I would
choose unhappiness sooner than marry
beneath me-"
"Then I am to understand that you
consider yourself superior to Harold
Helper. 1t is some years since he fig
ured as your fathers inky fingered clerk,
remember. Since then he has written a
book, he has invented machine, he has
lectured to scientists. Wherein does
your superiority consists What have
you been doing in the meantime?"
81 have been rubbing papas gouty
toe, and accepting the attentions OF
Miles Bond"
"You don't mean -
"I mean that / shall probably marry
Miles Bond some fine day, if nothing
happens.
Marry Miles Bond l'' repeated
grandmamma, as if she had said that
she was going to marry the khan of
Tartary. ,-.-. .-.. ....
"You seem to be astonished, grand
mamma"
"Yes-a little. He's born aristo-
crat."
Exactly-there's a pair OF us.
shall be entitled to consideration in the
beau monde as his wife, don't you see9'
For it must be confessed that since Mr..
Peverill's death and insolvency the beau
monde had looked coldly upon his pretty
daughter, in spite of the Peverill coat
of arms and the luxuriance of the family
tree.
"Then you do not care fig for Mr..
Helper2" asked grandma. ..l
:" Is it necessary for me to deny the
soft impeachment, when I have almost
made up my mind to accept another2'
When 1 was girl - began 4he old
lady.
"You loved brocades and brocatelles
as we'll as your granddaughter"
&c But L did not sell myself for them
And so you are really engaged to Miles
Bond, and there's no help for it 2"
;" Well, not really engaged; won't
give my word-at least not quite yet
You see, grandmamma, one hesitates tc
rivet the chain, as they say in novels
And then Miles says he will wait; h'
won't hurry me he'd rather wait {
century in sweet suspense, as he calls it
than to be refused at once. But / sup
pose it will all end one way"
" And what will You answer TO Harold
Helper z"