Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-06-10
CHAPTER vn


TEE STAGE MANAGER FINBHEs HER DAYS
WORK
By what complicated mechanism MrsL Bar
bara Temple arranged all that happened on
this day Unjust not tell The description Of
her Successive articles would AL a volume
Enough to say that she had settled the
speeches, the times, the persons, the places in
every particular; the day was, indeed, occu-
pied with the production Of the drama Of the
spider and the fy, and the powerful effects,
the incidents, the plots, the traps in the
stage, the rising and falling of the curtain,
all were done at the instance of that re-
nowned dramatic authoress and stage man
ager, Mrs. Barbara Temple Having said
this, shall without another syllable of ex-
PLANTATION tell you what happened. All that
need be said, and this only for explanation,
is that she contrived without any suspicious
condolences to bring each Of her subordin-
ates into contact with Sophia between
morning and evening of one day, and that
the day when-still by her arrangement
Prendergast was to make his proposal If /
were to follow all the windings of this day,
the shiftings of scene from place to place, it
would be very tedious; and after ALL what is
my object? First, to declare the foresight
and contrivance of our little mother; and
secondly, TO show how poor Sophia was en-
vironed with motives all impelling her to
break faith with Percival Brent These ends
can be fully attained by the simple record of
certain fragments of dialogue which bore
upon the great event of that memorable day.
sIBYL AND soPHIA-MoNEY VS.. LOVE.
believe me, Sophy, marriage is lottery;
/ 7 f
much difference"
Sibyl said this after the Slention of young
Brent's name She was reclining on sofa,
looking very beautiful, but cold, proud and
with plain tokens Of disappointment amidst
all her disdain.
al can't believe that, Sophia replied aYou
did not always think SO yourself"
II was not married then" Sibyl answered;
II am now"
1t was on the tip of Sophia's tongue to say :
"If girl of twenty-five marries man of
| fifty three, is her view Of marriage to be
taken as the true ones"
| Sophia did not mean, you may be sure, to
ask this home -thrusting question in any taunt-
ing way, but quietly and reasonably. She
felt, however, that such question must be
hurtful to her sisters feelings, and said moth
| ing at all. This led Sibyl to believe that her
argument was taking effect
Sophia" she said, in stern way alto
gether her own, "marry Prendergast He is
wealthy, good looking, and his tastes are like
yours. Now ask yourself, are you not more
likely to be happy with such a man, more
likely to have your own way and please your
self, than with young Percivall Percival
may forget you. If he remembers you, he
may be unable to marry you If he ma1Ties
you, he may disappoint you as husband
Just consider the number of chances which
have all to come right before you have any
certainty with himl And here is man Of
whom every one of your friends approves,
and whom you admit you respect yourself,
making you an offer which / call splendid
one Oh, Sophy, you can't refuse himl If
you did, Sibyl said, growing more and more
convinced even by her own argument, ayou
would be silly beyond expression You won't
disappoint us all, Sophy; you can't-I know
you can'tp
| II. ARCHIBALD GoLDMoRE AND SOPHIA
| PRUDENCE vs. LOVE
"My dear Sophia" Goldmore said, taking
her hand and speaking to her in grave,
fatherly way, and with intentions that were
unmistakably kind, II wish to say few
words to you about my friend Prendergast"
Poor Sophia turned red and pale almost in
the same instant. A lecture from Sibyi was
| n trjfIa comma rod to fhio tNs