The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-03
REALITY.
BY CHARLES READE.

Miss Sophia Jackson, in the State Of
Illinois, was beautiful girl, and had g
devoted lover, Ephraim Slade, mer-
chants. clerk. Their attachment was
sulleuly permitted by Miss Jackson's
parents, butnot encouraged; they thought
She mig ght look higher.
Sophia said: "Why, 10! he was hand
some and good. and loved her, and was
not that enough? I" '.' -, E..
They said "No; to marry beauty, a
man ought to be rich"
"Well," said Sophy, 'he is on the
way to it; he is in merchants Office. .
,"It Is a long road, for he is only 8
clerk"
The ab;ve is fair specimen Of the
dialogue, and conveys as faint an idea
of it as specimens generally do.
All this did not prevent Ephraim and
Sophia from spending many happy hours
together.
But presently another figure camc on
the scene-Mr. Jonathan Clarke. He
took fancy to Miss Jackson, and told
her parents so, aud that she was the wife
for him, if she was disengaged. They
said: "Well, now, thero's a young
clerk after her, but the man was too
poor to marry en-" - 80.
Now, Mr. Jonathan Clarke was a
wealthy speculator; SO, on that Iniorma-
ton, he felt superior, and courted her
Driskly. She complained to Epbraim.
1.-THE idea of encouraging that fat fool
to think of mel" she said. She called
him old, though he was but thirty; AMI
turned his person and sentiments into
ridicule, though, in the opinion OF SEN
sible people, he was a comely man, full
of good sense and sagacity.
MI. Clarke paid her compliments.
Miss Jackson iaughe :, and. reported
them to Slade in way to make him
laugh, too.
Mr.. Clarke asked her to marry him.
She said no; she was too young to think
of that. She told EpLraim she had
fatty refused him.
Mr.. Clarke made her presents. She
refused the first, and blushed, but was
prevailed on to accept. She accepted
the second and the third without first
refusing them.
She did not trouble Ephraim Slado
with auy portion of this detail. She was
afraid it might give him pain.
Clarke wooed her so warmly that Eph-
RAIN got jealous and unhappy. He re-
monstrated. Sophia cried, and said it
was ell her parents fault-forcing the
man upon her.
d. Clarke was there every day. Ehprain
scolded. Sophia was cross. They
parted in anger. Sophia went home anG
snubbed Clarke. Clarke laughed aud
said: "Take your time" He stuck
there four hours. She came round and
was very civil.
Matters progressed. Ephraim always
unhappy. Clarke always jolly. Parents
in the same mind.
Clarke urged her to name the day.
"Never!
Urged her again.
""Next year.
Urged her again before the. parents.
They put in their word. "Sophy, don't
triae any longer. You are overriding
it,"
"There, theres do what You want with
me-" said the girl; ~ am miserable =
and ran out, crying.
Clarke and parent; laughed, and
stayed behind, and settled the day.
When S6phy found they had settled
the day, she sent fo- EDhraim, and told
him with many tears. "Oh" said She,
. "you little know what l have suffered
this siI months"
"My poor grill" said Ephraim. "Lct
us elope and end it."
"What My parents would curse
me r.
ooh, they would forgive us in tims!'
"Never. You don't know them. No,
my poor Ephraim, we are unfortunate.
We can never be happy togather. We
must bow. I should die If this went
on much longer" -,
"You are tickle, faithless jade !"
cried Ephraim, in agony.
"God forgive you, dear!' she said,
and wept silently.
Then he tried to comfort her. Then
she put her arm around his neck, and
assured him she yielded to constraint,
but her heart could never forget him ;
she was moro unhappy than he, and al
ways should be.
They parted. with many tears on both
sides, and she married Clarke. At her
earnest request Slade kept away from
the ceremony; by that means sho was
not compelled to wear, the air of q VIC
tim, but could fling the cloak OF illusory
Happiness and gayety over her aching
heart; and she did it, too. She WAS as
gay ., bride rs had been seen for some
years in those parts.
Ephraim Slade was very unhappy.
However, after bit, he comprehended
the character, of Sophia Clarke, nee
Jackson, and even initiated her. She
had gone in for money, and 80 did he;
only, on the square-a detail she had
omitted. Years went on; he became O
partner in the house, instead of clerk.
The girls set their caps at him. But he
did not marry. Mrs. Clarke observed
this, and secretly approved. Say she
had married, that was no reason why he
should.
Now you will observe that by all the
laws Of fiction Mrs. Clarke ought te
have learned to her cost that money doel
not bring happiness, and ought to have
been miserable, especially whenever sht
encountered the pale lace Of him whos<
fowA cha vol,,ad fnO iaSa . -s.