The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-10-09

ng any reply to the gallant, straiehtfor-s
ward speech, in which her lover had
srisked his all Of hope.
ne ought to do penance for the pretty
way ne managed his tongue. III ,s alto
gether too calm to suit me. And Sophie
s I Is |. her curly head meaningly, holding
Der ran 20 before her for q screen. Did she
forget what ne had been saying? s.s .I
wonder If I could snore the way Uncle
Jones q used to in church2n she solilo-9
5quized Wouldn't it be fung and
wouldn't It plague Harry, il he thought j
had been asleep whilo he was alking2,
s'cphie's blue eye danced with sup
pressed meTriment as she gave two or,
three hearty breathings, and followed
them UP with q nasal explosion worthy Of
an orthodox deacon. It was we'll done
and theatrically done and poor Harry
sprung bolt upright, surprised, mortified,
5chargrined. Humane nature could stand
# no longer, and Sophie gave vent to her
mIrthin burst Of triumphant laughter.
You little witch--you rnischief3you
spirit Of eyil!'' exclaimed the relieved
Harry as ne sprang to her side and caught.
her3 by the arm with q grip which made
her scream. You deserve shaking for
ypur beaaviorp Then lowering his Voice
he added, gravely:
viii you never have done tormenting
met It you love me can you not be gen.
erous enough to tell me SO, and If YOU do
not, am I not at least worthy Of candid
refusal2'' 4' a 4
Words sprang to Sophie's lips that
would have done credit to hcr. womanly
nature, for the whole depth Of her being
was stirred and drawn toward him as they
! never never before had been toward any man.
But she could not quite give up her
ralllery then. She would go one step
farther from him ere she laid her hand
/ IN his, and tell him he was dearer to her
than all the world besides. So she check
ed tho tender response that trembled on
4 her tongue and finging off his grasp,
with knocking gesture and q ringing
laugh, darted across the room to the
piano. .3 .'..
So she seated herself, ran her fingers
gracefully over the keys, and broke out
in q wild, brilliant, defiant song, that
made her listeners ears Jingle as he stood
watching her, and choking back the in
dignant words that came crowding to his
lips for utterance. s5.a.
Sophie, listen to me Is said at
length, as she paused from sheer exhaus-
ton. us it genereus-is it just to trife
with me soto turn into ridicule the
emotion of heart that offers to you the
most reverent afections2 I have loved
you, because beneath this volatile surface
character of yours, I thought I saw
truthfulness and simplicity, purity Of
soul. and a warm current Of tender,
womanly feelings that would battle with
blessings the whole life of him whose
hand was so fortunate as to touch its Sc
cret springs. You are an heiresa, and
only a poor student; but it that is the
reason why you treat me SO scornfuliy.
you are less the noble womann that
thought yeu.""
Sophie's head was averted, and sus-
picious moisture glstened in her eyes as
Harry ceased speaking. All! why is it
that we sometimes hold our highest hap
piness SO lightly--carrying it carelessly
in our hands, as though it were but dross,
stalking IT all upon an idle caprice.
Then she turned her countenance to-
ward him again, the same hooking light
was in her eyes, the same coquettish
smile breathed from her lips.
Speaking OF heiresses," 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
doWrles would no doubt be quite an in
ducement, and possibly she might con-
slider Your case more seriously than 7
have done.'S''
Like an insulted prince, Harry Aims
lee stood up before her--the hot fiery in
dlgnant blood dashed in q fierce torrent
over his face his arms crossed tightly
upon his breast, as if to keep his heart
from bursting with uprising indignation
Ibis lips compressed and his dark eyes
flashing.
Not till he had gone gone without a
single word of explanation, leaving only
grave goodbye" and the memory Of
his pale face to plead for him--did the
thoughtless girl wake to realization of
what she had done Then Quick, ter
AAOAo tCoA oitoo lu1OuSu ucI uedTt, aQQ Sne
would have given every curl on her
brown head to have him beside her one
short moment longer.
"Pshaw what am I afraid off He
will be back again within twenty. four
hours and as importunate as ever she
muttcrred to herself, as the street door
closed after him; yet with sigh that
was half q sob, followed the words, and
could Harry have seen the beautiful pair
OF eyes that watched him so eagerly as he
went along the street, or the bright face
that leaned away out through the parted
blinds with such wistfuI look as he dis
appeared, it might have been his turn to
triumph.
In spite Of Sophie's prophecy, twenty
four hours did not bring back Harry.
Days matured into weeks and still he
did not come, nor in all that time did she
meet him. And now she began to think
herself quite a martyr, and acted accord
ingly. In fact, she did almost what any
heroine would have done under the cir
cumstances grew pale and interesting.
Mariana began tie suggest the delicacies
TO tempt Sophie's palate. eThe poor
dear child was getting so thin.' In vain
SOPHIE DrOtestnd that sha had 80 a,,,,.