New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-11
CHAPTER VI
AIITrLE DINNER AT CLIFTON LoD"H.

ing 7 had taken MY uncles niue h'u0 lOi ...i
fer and when I returned ana neaiu 'ii', N,0S
.l, - IA Oiled conld have pulled handful of
hair ont of nv head with vexatlon IL was week
80 I had set NV eyes on her. In vain had
oolod ont when nobody looking and hung
ohont the roads which thought she was bound 10
nass along whether riding OF driving or walking
70 no pnrpose. l say And then all on sudden she
calls and miss her!
However, smOthered my feelings. and asked IN
a collected voice the reason of her visit. III was
sonbie to whom put this question, and we were
alone
q She called to ask ms TO dinner"
aOh. indeed said I, Frightening up Whats
the date
Sophie named it az -,
SDd she bring any news?' said L "Anything
fresh going forward at Clifton Lodge"
9No she brought no news says Sophie.
aNothing about-young MorecombeT she'd tel
Won. wouldn't She if he had prOposedP
She'd tell me- believe, if she had accepted
him." she answered; but don't think she VIII ac-
cent him-at least, hope she won't"
plucked at my bit of mOustache-there was
not enouRh of il to desalorize my cOuntenance-
and said: "Mr. Hawke is very polite to invite me-
When | met him the other day L couldn't help
fancying that he eyed me rs if might be youth
that would admire his daughter; and suppose adj
miration for her in any other man than Dlr. More
lOmlle HoAooii c~-N~~
man
aTo be ouite candid, Jack" says Sophie, with an
Dir of reluctance in her gentle manner, " Florence
did not include you'll mean, she did not mention
your name. She asked mamma and papa and
Amelia and me.S
"Ohr' said l.
aBut il doesn't in the least signify" continued
She at was a pure oversight on her part. VI
course you'll gop
- Iart1h
What, 90 where am not asked Why, I'd rather
hang myself up by the neck until was dead, other
wise what mercy should | expect for my soul =
GNonsenselr said Sophie. You will go"
Upon my.wOrd L was angry so disappointed,
that was ungallant enough to wish that my a1ee-
Tomato cousin had been man, merely to ease my
mind by telling her l would see hereto. Cd
serving my temper and vexatiOn-and believe this
did more to open her kind eyes to the state Of my
heart than had | sat down and tndted volumes
about it-she dropped the subject and so did l. so
far as words went; but very well remember carry
ing il into the grounds, up into corner, into sum
ner arbor where armed with large pipe, L turned
Il over kicked it, ground it under heel, and, as l
actually endeayored to make myself believe, buried
the mutilated thing along with the mbeche sentl-
ment that had kept me feverish and foolish ever
since the hour at which / had first entered my
uncle's house.
of course l was unreasonable. What right
had I TO expect be included in the invitation
TO dine! who was that she should trouble
herself even to remember that such a person
existed when | was out of sightY And yet l
felt that it would have done me good to
have expended myself in an Irish riot for the sake
and pleasure of knocking anybody over the head
Was her nature perfidiousl Was all her talk about
Mr.. Morecombe being fool and the like, fudge 1t
was; | say feared il was, and ground my heel
into the soil of the summer aTbOT
Well. in this posture of mind was ] sitting,
smoking and writhing, when heard Sophie calling,
slack! Jack"
"Hallo" grumbled.
gWhere are you, Jack p she cried.
"Herer said /; and went out Of the arbor that
she might see me.
She came running along red with heat and radl-
ant with Measure and hourished little square OF
gray paper saw the gilt edge of its sparkle, and
observed that it bore tne creases Of cockcd-hat
note. -
she mt the letter into my hand Ii was as fragrant
as Jasmine: 1t was adorned with crest in blue and
gold and the crest embodied goose with its bill
cooked ND the paper was ribbed and thick, delight
ful In feel-a truly lovablc thing 10 handle. The
handwriting was clear and decisive: il might have
passed for a mans. Thus ran this missiye;
DEAREST SoPuIE,-When arrived home after
calling upon you it flashed upon me that had
omitted To ask you to bring your cousin. Mr. Jack
Srvmour next Thursday evening am sure can
NOT account for this foolish and most HRtRtentiORGt
omission unless put it down to my habit Of think
ing of vour family consisting Of four only. am
sorry TO say that poor Flora is 1e 1rS S9s
p S.-Do not let your cousin Know that forgot
him.
aThere.v said Sophie, as 1 looked up from the let
fer. YOU can pin that TO her photograph and keep
it,"
dark suspicion entered my mind. Had Sophie
written to ask her to invite me had She requested
her 70 write as if the afterthought were her own
Mo- it needed but very little reflection 10 that
there had not been time enough 20 admit OF such
stratagem. 1t was genuine letter and yet l would
not appear too well pleased either.
"How do you know that want to keep !" said
l. dangling the note.
aThen tear it up" said Sophie, with laugh of
bland defiance.
"That wouldn't be polite" replied II never
pct impulsiyely" and so saying, put 1T in my
pocket.
"Of course you viii join rs " said Sophie
"Why should |; don't you relish dignity in con-
nectonH She was not polite to forget me- and there
is really limit to forgiveness" said l., in mood
that still simmered, though admit that the fires
were drawn.
swell" said Sophie you have Florence's invita-
ton she cannot 40 more than ask you; although
believe would like women to go on their knees
TO them when they granted favors not to men,
tion receiriRg them; and am quite sure Jack that
you will do the thing that best pleases you :" and
she turned to leave me-
Her speech made painfully sarcastic by her
emphasis on the words granted and YoceiriRg; and
sarcasm in fat, afIectonate, amiable woman falls
on a mans intelligence like a box the ear falls On
the head. / seized her hand
Dear Sophie, I'm ass" l exclaimed. havo
allowed my feelings-her omission of my name, do
you see-the sort of liking she seemed to show for
fne-in fact ouQft IN have stopped in Ian6on