The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-10-31
A Wornan's caprices.

sMen are never so awkward, never
so ungracefui, never so disagreeable
as when they are making love. A
friend is luxury, husband ditto. /
suppose but that Intermittent class oi
beings denominated 'lover,' are terri
BILE bores. 1t does very well for q
woman to blush and look illustrated
now and then, when occasions make
it deairable; but to see man with his
face as red as a ripe cherry, and real
parcel of strong-mindedness, self-re-
lance and masculine dignity, done up
in brOadcloth and starched linen,
quaking from the top of his shirt col
lar, his mouth dry, and his tongue
twisted into commissions In tine vain
attempt to say something sweet-O
gracious!'
So said saucy Sophie Lynn aloud to
herself as she sat swinging, backward
and forward before the window, half
buried in the cushions of a luxuriant
arm chair, and playing with small
ivory fan which lay upon her lap.
'It also seems SO strange, not to say
tiresome,' she continued, with run
ming musical laugh 'after one has
waltzed and sung, quoted poetry and
talked nonsense with anybody till one
is puzzled to know which of the two
i~ the most heartless, ones self or
ones companion. to hear him come
plump down on the subject Of matri-
rimony as though that was the legiti.
mate course of every insipid acqualnt-
ance! For my part L never had a
lover (here Sophie fiuttered her fan
and looked pleased. for she had more
than one) that wasn't sick of after he
proposed. There was Capt. Norris
1 thought him the handsomest man in
the whole circle of my acquaintances,
until he went on his knees to me and
swore he should die if l didn't take
pity on him. Somehow he always
looked like fright to me afterward.
Then there was DR.. Wilkins, he was
really agreeable, and people said very
learned! I was delighted with him
for while; but he spoiled it all with
that offer of his-what long winded
adiectives! and how the poor fellow
blushed, pulled and perspired! He
called me an admirable creature and
hiccoughed in the middle of admirable.
Horrors! have hated him ever since.
Then there was
Here Sophie started. She heard the
door -beel ring. With nervous spring
she stood before her mirror, smooth
ing down her brown hair with haste
truly comical.
'It won't do to seem interested she
said, as she took finishing survey OF
her person in the glass, and shook out
with her plump jeweled fingers, the
folds of her airy muslin dress.
The moment afterward when serv.
ant entered and announced Mr.. Harry
Ainslee, she was back in her old seat
by the window. rocking and playing
with her fan, apparently as uncon-
cerned and listless as though that name
had not sent a quicker thrill to her
heart, or the betraying crimson all
over her pretty face.
'Tell him will be down presently,
she said.
The girl disappeared, and Sophie
flung open the window that the cool,
fresh air might fan away the extra
rosiness from her complexion. Then
she went again to the mirror.and after
composing her bright, eager, happy
face into an expression Of occurrences
descended to the parlor. A smile
broke over her features, and she reach
ed out both hands to the guest; but as
if suddenly recollecting herself, she
drew them back again. and, with a
formal bow of recognition she passed
him and seated herself in further
corner of the room.
1t was very evident that something
was wrong with Sophie; that she had
made up her mind either not to be
pleased or not to please. Could it be
that she had foreseen what was COM
ing ?-that a presentiment of that visit
and its result had dictated the merry
speeches in her chamber Be that as it
may half hour had not elapsed be-
fore Harry Ainslee's hand and fortune
(Which latter, by the way, was nothing
wonderfully were in the same place
where Capt. Morris and DR.. wilkins
had been before them.
sThe first man l ever heard say such
things without making fool of him.
SELF muttered Sophie, emphatically
from behind her fan, as she sat, blush
ed and evidently gratified, yet without
deigning any reply to the gallant,
straightforward speech, in which her
lover had risked his all of hope.
'He ought to do penance for the
pretty way he managed his tongue.
He's altogether too calm to suit me.
And Sophie shook her curly head
meaningly, holding her fan before
her for a screen. Did she forget what
he had been saying? L wonder if l
could snore the way Uncle Jones used
10 ia church? 2 she soliloquized.
Wouldn't it be fun and wouldn't it
plague Harry, if he thought l had been
asleep while he was talkingT
Sophie's blue eye danced with sup