Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-07-31

|
straightforward speech in which her
lover had risked his all Of hope.
| 9" He ought to do penace for the pref
ty way he manages his tongue. He's
altogether too calm to suit me-" And
Sophie shook her curly head meaning
| ly, holding her fan before her for q
screen. Did she forget what he had
been saying? L wonder if [ could
snore the way Uncle Jones used to in
church?" she solloquized. Wouldn't
it be fun? and wouldn't plague Harry,
if he thought had been sleeping while
he was talking?"
Sophie's blue eyes 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, chagrined. Human nature
could stand it no longer, and Sophie
gave vent to her mlrth in burst of tri-
umphant laughter.
"Y-ou little witch-you mischief
you spirit of evil" exclaimed the re-
lieved Harry as he sprang to her side
which made her scseam. "You de-
serve a shaking for your behavior!
Then lowering his voice he added,
gravely:
VIII you never have done torment
ing me? If you love me can you not
be generous enough to tell me so, and
If you do not, am not at least worthy
| of a candid refusal?
| Words sprang to Sophies lips that
would have done credit to her woman
y nature, for the whole depths of her
being was stirred and drawn toward him
as they never before had been toward
any man.
But she could not quite give up her
raillery then. She would go one step
farther from him ere she laid her hand
i'll his, and told him he was dear than
all the world beside. So she checked
the tender response that trembled on
her tongue and hinging off his grasp,
with knocking gesture and ringing
laugh, darted across the room to the
piano.
She seated herself, ran her fingers
gracefully over the keys, and broke out
in d wild, Brilliant defiant song, that
made her listeners ears tingle as he
stood watching her, and choking back
the indignant words that came crowd
ing to his lips for utterance.
"Sophie, listen to mel" he said at
length, as she paused from sheer ex-
haustion. "Is it generous-is it Just to
| trlf1e with me SOTO turn into ridicule
the emotion Of heart that offers to YOU
the most reverent affections? | have
loved you, because beneath this volatile
surface character of yours, thought |
saw truthfulness and simplicity, purity
OF soul, and warm current of tender.
wamany feelings that would bathe with
blessings the whole life of him whose
hand was SO fortunate as to touch its
secret springs. You are an heiress,
and only poor student; but if that is
the reason why you treat me so scOrn-
| fully, you are less the noble woman than
[ thought you"
Sophie's head was averted, and a
suspicious moisture glistened in her
eyes as Harry ceased speaking. All!
why is 1t that we sometimes hold our
highest happiness so lightly-carrying it
carelessly in our hands, as though it
were but dress, 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 coquet-
lsh 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 attention
to her. Mr.. Ainslee. The difference in
our doweries would no doubt be quite
an inducement, and possibly she might
consider your case more seriously than
[ have DONE"
Like an insulted prince, Harry Aims
lee stood up before her-the hot fiery
indignant blood dashed in fierce tor
rent over his face-hls arms crossed
tightly upon his breast, as if to keep
his heart from bursting with uprising
indignation-his lips compressed and
his dark eyes flashing. Sophie you
added one drop toe much to your cruel
sarcasm. You trespassed upon his for
bearance one little step, further than
you would dared, had you known his
proud and sensitive nature.
Not till he had gone-gone without
single word of expostulation, leaving
only grave goodbye" and the m en-
DRY Of his pale face to plead for him
did the thoughtless girl wake to reai-
zation of what she had done. Then a
| quick terrible fear shot through her
heart, and she would have given every
curl on her brown head 10 have him
beside her one short moment longer.
Pshaw! what am [ afraid of? He
will be back again within twenty-four
hours, and as importunate as ever" she
muttered to herself as the street door
closed after him; yet with sigh, that
was half a sob, followed the words, and
could Harry have seen the beautiful
pair of eyes that watched him so eager
ly as ne went along the street, or the
bright face that leaned away out through
the parted blinds with such a NistfuI
look, as he disappeared. it might have
been his turn to triumph. q
Tn spite of SOnhie'S Dronhecy tWantv