The Penn's Grove record., 1884-11-01
CHAT WILFUL CHILL

Are we arrived at Yictoria-Lon-
don -
The next stoppage will be Victoria
Station. You are in London Already
The question had been asked timidly,
with a French accent, by a girl near the
sunny window of a rdllway-carriage.
The ladies' who answered had cast many
a curious glance at her light travelling
costume. She wore a summer cotton
dress of pale blue and a simple straw
hat. There was something sweet and
winsome in her face, though the mouth,
like the lips of a spoiled child, decid-
edly limited possible fits Of wilfulneSs.
The energy Of an active will shone in
her dark eyes, though they had a softer
anxious look as the railway-journey
drew near to an end. Her hair was
dark aubuTn-reddish gold where it
caught the hight and the fairness ui
her face would have c%Ontented even
herself but for obstinate freckles that
nobody else ever saw. The two trou-
bles of this young travellers life had
been freckles and Pierre Brun.
Sophie Larique had just left a French
school. There, in the land where mar
ild-No dAE 81 bltGl dlAdlBCh W StlO pa
entS, she had often received N visiting
days not only her father, the old silver
smith from Paris, but with him his
partner, Pierre Brun, her destined bus
band. Old Larique, who was full of
Jokes and good humoT. had always
laughed at Sophie's objections.
Il want to choose for myself" she
would say.
"a pretty reason that for not wish
ing to marry Pierre, my wllful Sophiel"
her old father would laugh. Just be-
cause | Will, you WON'T But l know
your heart better than you do; | know
best, because | love you best. Have
you any more reasons to urge against
my choice, little one ?"
at would be some humdrum life over
the shop"
"What else would suit you, Sophie !?
Castles, titles, and adventures ?"
At this Sophie smiled life in a castle,
with a titled lover to woo and wed her
this mad been her dream all her life
or at least all her life till she met Lud-
wig H0lz. the art-student.
Amy more objections ?" her father
would ask and, if Sophie only blushed,
he would begin to joke and tease her
about Ludwig Holz, whom she had met
once when she had taken a fancy for
studying art at the Louvre too.
you need not laugh at poor Lud-
wigs romantic attachment" Sophie
would say at last, with a sigh. she is
of agood Bavarian family; he has sworn
fidelity"
And he will go back TO Munich and
marry ~ her father would finish.
He won't ~
Nonsense You will see I" Then,
kissing her, with loving persuasion,
while his white locks lay against her
auburn hair-"You will be happy if
you marry Pierre Brun. Why not ?"
''He only drones at work and says he
loves me-"
Then you shall come home next
week. / shall have a holiday soon, and
you shall have a wedding"
81 won't -
And with that, at the last interview
with her father IN vlsiting-day at
school Sophie had run out of the draw
ing-room.
Though still at school-for her freaks
and wilful ways had kept her back in
everything-she was past nineteen, and
her chief friend vas m of the teach
ers, Mademoiselle Melanie.
Just as Sophie had rushed In a tenn
per out of the drawing-room, MAIDEN
oiselle Melanie had met her, and asked
p%layfully-
"What is the matter nova IS it
the freckles or Pierre Bruu ?"
Don't laugh at mei' cried Sophie +;
then, with a stamp Of her little foot
''Take me home next week ; indeed he
shall not get me ! He shall not ~
If you will stop t~alkingtO yourself, y
SAID Mademolselle Melanie, 81 will tell
you something. Twas out on the beach
Just now, and | thought l saw you at
another of your freaks, perched on a
rock. 1t was your figure, your hair,
your face, even your eyes but''-slyly
-"as | drew near perceived that there
were no freckles-not evena microscope
could find them ; and the young lady
was very handsome. l had even called
your name, and l felt it so awkward
that | apologized and ran away. She Is
the girl from that lonely house far up
the coast. | declare, Sophie dear, If
you could only manage to be handsome,
you would be nearly as charming ~
SEQ away !" said Sophie, half laugh
ing, but like a child in a bad temper.
Later in the day Madame Dupln, the
old mistress of the school, shook her
lace cap sadly and shrugged her Shout
ders, az she heard worse and worse re-
ports of Sophie.
THAT wllful girl What can be done2
Her father Will take her home next
week, and she will be married, and We
shall have peace but somebody else
wontl Alas. it IS very sad ! Let her
be sent en- penitence to the MUSHROOM
till supper-time, to occupy herself with
the piano"
At ~supper-time no sound had been
heard. The mushroom was strewn
with keys, levers, little leather-coyered
hammers, every bit Of ivory ana wood
that made the, mechanism of the instru-
ment and even the case was in pieces.
Sophie was sitting in the middle build
ing a castle with all the bits.
II have been occupying myself with
the piano" she said (. 81 al put 1t to-
gether again, though perhaps not the
right way"
And this little outbreak MAS Inc last