Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-05-16
AUNT SOPHTE'S STORY
BY HORTENSIA,

do you know, Aunt Sophie, that
you have never told NE the romance of
your long ago? I came in just to hear
1t this evening" And a grave look
came into Georgia's merry blue eyes.
Miss Chester turned her glance from
the far-off dreamIand Of the opal sum
set to the little beauty who was kneeling
dalntlly before her, and a momentary
quIvering of her pale, but exquisitely
curved lips told of passing emotion.
How can you imagine that any TO-
nance IS connected with my past, Geor-
gia ?"
The young lady glanced up at her
aunt's deep, liquid, brown eyes, and
the heavy fold OF satiny dark hair that
the last sunbeams had changed to gold
en- Just then, and exclaimed with her
usual candor:
On, ! know it very well, Aunt
Sophie. Beautiful as you are-there.
don't deny it would give-wen, [
would give nay diamond set to Just have
such glorious eyes. Now, tell me why
you didn't marry"
Perhaps because my life did not
turn or the pivot of matrimony, little
one, replied Miss Chester, with grave
smile.
"Oh, Aunt Sophiel" expostulated
Georgia, poutingly.
Very well, Georgia, if it will crafty
you, you shall hear those pages from
my heart-book read. Although there is
nothing very extraordinary in the story
have to tell, perhaps you, my dear
niece, may profit by the lesson it
teaches.
My father died when I was still a
child, leaving me to the care of my
brother and my two elder sisters. Ny
father had all his children educated at
home, and would have followed the same
plan regarding myself if he had lived.
for he did not fancy the idea of sending
girls away from home to be educated.
But my brother thought differently, and
when | was II years of age, he placed
me iii young ladies boarding school in
another state. /"
-Four years passed, and among nv
friends at school there was one from
whom | had never been separate during
all that time, and to whom I was bound
by the warmest ties of friendship-Ber-
tia Grey. We were, Ill truth, almost
lnseparable. At last the vacation came
when she must return to her distant
home, and she entreated me to accom-
pany her. My brothers consent was
gained, and Bertha and I, in the pleni-
tude of our affection for each other, were
as happy as possible.
He came for us-Bertha's brother.
EIroyd Grey. It would be impossible,
Georgia, to describe him. His rare
charm was something indefnable. In
the seclusion in which [ had always
lived I had mingled but slightly with the
world. Every Sunday, In the st. Beth
old church, to which we were marshaled
by our preceptress, faint vision came
to my eyes OF the spledor and magnif-
cence of life outside the college walls,
but among all the faces had scanned so
curiously there had never been one to
compare with his. was but a foolish
child, perhaps, but when his deep voice
came TO me, rich, melodeous, exquis-
it6ly modulated, my very heart would
pause in It's throbbing, as if the wheels
of life had suddenly stopped. [ have
thought since that he understood and
exelted his strange power at will.
But / was quiet end reserved. and
resisted all his attempts to establish a
friendly intimacy with pertinacity of
which [ was ashamed, even then. Bertha
was my friend, my acknowledged friend,
and to her alone did cling, wishing not
for others. We arrived at Bertha's home,
and I was introduced to Mrs. Grey-a
tall, pale lady, who greeted me with such
loving kindness that the tears came I'M
hidden to my eyes.
81 can hardly tell how the next two
months passed. Swiftly, like an hour