Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-02-02
REALITY.
BY READE.

Miss Sophia Jackson, in the State of Il
linois, was a beautiful girl, and had a de-
voted lover, Ephraim Side, a merchants
clerk. Their attachment was s~ullenly per.
mitted by Miss Jackson's parents, but not
encouraged; they thought she might look
higher.
Sophia said "Why. la! he was hand
some and good, and loved her, and was
not that enough
They said emo to marry beauty, a
man ought to be rich"
"Well, said Sophy, che is on the way
to it; he is in a merchants office"
cit is a long road. for he is only a clerk
The above-is a fair specimen of the dia~
logue,, 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 came on
the scene-Mr. Jonathan Clarke. He took
q fancy to Miss Jackson, and told her par
ents SO, and that she was the wife for him,
if she was disengaged. They said "Well
now, there's a young clerk after her, but.
but the mar was too poor to marry her.
Now, MI. Jonathan Clarke was a weal~
thy speculator so, on that information,
ne felt superior. and courted her briskly.
She complained to Ephraim. 1.-The idea
of encouraging that fool to think Of me p
she said. She called him old, though he
was but thirty; and turned his person and
sentiments into ridicule, though, in the
opinion Of sensible people, he was q comely
man, full Of good sense and sagacity.
Mr.. Clarke paid her compliments. Miss
Jackson laughed, and reported them to
Slade in a way to make him laugh, too.
MI. Clarke asked her to marry him. She
said no; she was too young to think of
that. She told Ephraim she had fatty re-
refused him.
MI. Clarke made her presents. She re-
fused the first, and blCshed, but was pres
vailed OF to accept. She accepted the Sec
ond and the third without first refusing
them.
She did not trouble Ephraim Slade with
any 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 remon-
strated. Sophia cried, and said it was al
her parents fault-forcing the man upon
her.
Clarke was there every day. Ephraim
scolded. Sophia was cross. They parted
in anger. Sophia went home and snubbec
Clarke. Clarke laughed and said ''Yake
your time" He stuck there for hours
She came round and was very civil.
Matters progressed. Ephraim always
unhappy. Clarke always jolly. Parents
in che same mind.
Clarke urged her to name the day.
"Never!"
Urged her again.
Next year."
Urged her again before the parents
They put in theirs word. "Sophy, DOM
trifie any longer. You are OVERRIDING it..
"There, there, do what you Want will
me" said the girl ; II am miserable !" ant
ran out, crying.
Clarke and parents laughed, and stayed
behind, and settled the day.
When Sophy found they had settled tn
day, she sent for Ephraim, and told hin
with many tears. ooh - said she, 'yo1
little know what I have suffered this si1
months"
"My poor grill" said Ephrajm. "Le
US elope and end it,"
"What! My parents would curse me !
ooh, they would forgive us in time -
"Never. You don't know them. Nc
my poor Ephraim, we are unfortunate
We can never be happy together. w
must bow. I should die if this went o.
much longer.
lyon are a tickle, faithless jade !" erie
; Ephraim, agony.
"God forgive you, dear ~ she said, an
wept silently.
Then he tried to comfort her. Then sh
put her arm around his neck, and assure
him she yielded to constralnt, but he
heart could never forget him; she wa
more unhappy than he, and always shoul
' be.