Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-10-06
A. WOMAN'S CAPRICES.

when they are making love. A friend is
aluxury, a husband ditto I suppose;
but that intermittent class of beings de-
nominated lover, are terrible bores. It
does very we'll for a woman to blush and
look frustrated now and then, when oc-
casions make it desirable; but to see a
man with his face as red as ripe cherry,
and a real parcel of strong -mindedness,
self-reliance and masculine dignity, done
up in broadcloth and starched linen,quak-
ing from the top of his shirt collar, his
mouth dry, and his tongue twisted into
commissions in the 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 cushion of a luxuriant arm
chair, and playing v it'll small ivory fan
which lay upon her lap.
cit also seems so strange, not to say
tiresome," she continued. with a ru 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 is the most heartless,
ones self or ones companion, to hear him
come plump down on the subject OF
matrimony as though that was the legiti-
mate course Of every insipid acquaintance!
For my part never had lover (here
Sophie futtered her fan and looked
pleased, for she had more than one) that
/ wasn't sick of after he proposed. There
was Capt. Morris-I thought him the
~ 4ho Io1, ~ oe
my acquaintances, until he went on his
knees to me and swore he should die if I
didn't take pity on him. Somehow he
always looked like fright to me after
ward. 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 ad.
jectives and how the poorfeIlow blushed,
pulled and perspired! He called me an
admirable creature and hiccoughed in
the middle of 'adm1rable!' Horrors!
have hated him ever since. Then there
was"
Here Sophie started. She heard the
door-bell ring. With a nervous spring
she stood before her morton, smoothing
down her brown hair with haste truly
comical.
cit 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 servant
entered to announce Mr.. Harry Ainslee,
she was back in her old seat by the win
dow, rocking and playing with her fan,
apparently as unconcerned and listless as
though that name had not sent quicker
thrill to ner heart, or the betcaying GRIM
son all over her pretty face.
"Tell him 1 will be down presently
she said,
The girl disappeared, and Sophie flung
open the window that the cool, fresh air
might Ian away the extra rosiness from
her complexion. Then She went again to
the mirror, and after composing her
bright, eager, happy face into an express
sion of occurrences, descended to the par
lor. A smile broke over her features,
and she reached 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 a further
corner of the room.
It was very evident that something
was wrong with Sophie; that she had
made up her mind either not to be pleas
ed or not to please. Could it be that she
had foreseen what was coming?--that a
presentiment Of that visit and its result
had dictated the merry speeches in her
chamber? Be that as it may a half hour
had not elapsed before Harry Ainslees
hand and fortune (Which latter, blythe
way, was nothing wonderfully were in the
same place where Capt. Morris and DR..
Wilkins had been before them.
1.-THE first man ever heard say such
things without making fool Of himself"
muttered Sophie, emphatically from be-
hind her fan, as she sat, blushed and
evidently graft Sed, yet without design
ing any reply to the gallant, straightfor-
ward speech, in which her lover had
risked his all of hope.
'sHe ought to do penance for the pretty
way he managed his tongue. He's alto
gether 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? 81
wonder if 1 could snore the way Uncle
Jones used to in church?" she solilo-
quized. "Wouldn't 1t be fun9 and
wouldn't it plague Harry, if he thought I
had been asleep while he was alking?"
Sophie's blue eye danced with sup
pressed merriment as she gave two or
three hearty breathings, and followed
them up with nasal explosion worthy Of
an orthodox deacon. 1t was we'll done
and Electrically done--and poor Harry
sprung bolt upright, surprised, mortified,
chargrined. Humane nature could stand
it no longer, and Sophie gave vent to her
mirth in a burst Of triumphant laughter.
"You little witch--you mischief-you
spirit of evil" exclaimed the relieved
Harry as he sprang to her side and caugh1
her by the arm with grip which made
her scream. you deserve a shaking Tor
your behavior" Taen lowering his Voice
he added, gravely:
'Will you never have done tormentinp
me? If you love me can you not be gen
erous enough to tell me so, and if YOU do
not, am ! not at least worthy of candid
refusai2''
Words sprang to Sophies lips that
would have done credit to her womanly