The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-05-29
CHAPTER II.
CAROLINE AND sIBYL MARRIED.

CAROLINE AND SlBNL MARRIED.
And so the third Miss Temple was engaged.
Mamma made no objection She did, indeed,
when business came TO lie talked, remark
to Mr.. Brent that her daughters fortune
would not be large, and that she hoped he
would be able 10 provide handsomely for his
son At this he waved his hand in a conf
| dent way, nodded and said That shall be
all right He did not at that time enter
into any particulars, but Mrs. Temple, from
what she knew Of him, was quite satisfied
with this assurance and the matter dropped.
1t was soon known to the whole town that
Sophia Temple was engaged to Percival
Brent, and the announcement little relieved
our disappointment at the mysterious disap-
pearance of the rector's Irritation with the
| widow. Indeed, some of us started the
hypothesis that what we superficial investi-
gators had mistaken for a Irritation was in
reality nothing more than the settling of the
preliminaries of the present affair We said
| it must have been very pleasant for the two
| seniors to make the arrangements in that
snug way; and thus we explained the little
intimacy between them.
Pleasant was the early courtship of this
happy pair The very skies smiled on it
L =
Day followed day in the softest beauty
Mornings crisp with frost, soft, balmy Moons,
evenings with red skies and frosty air again.
Their love making was full of satisfaction.
Sophia found him an ingenious young fellow,
with real enthusiasm, full of active resolu-
tons for life. True, she found it hard to be
very warm over geology; but his general no
ton of living to use and honor delighted her
think she would have been better pleased
had he talked of getting into parliament or
entering the church, rather than of achieving
triumphs at the British association an insti-
tuition which at that time Dad not emerged
from the age of weakness and scorn Still,
she was fully satisfied with him, and gave
him all her love. And he, for his part-it
could not be otberwise-was entranced with
her. Warmth purity, tenderness, principle
| all the finer parts Of character were hers;
| taste and no lack of humor, ready speech,
lively fancy. As to her face, he worshiped
it. He always said that her face was beauti-
| full, because it was the image of her mind.
| Why narrate lovers raptures! They were all
in all to each other these happy days of early
spring.
| In March the two weddings came off; first
Cars, and then Sibyls. Egerton DoolittIe
had made a special request that the two
should be celebrated ON the same day; but to
his request the great Goldmore declined to
comply possibly q lurking suspicion that the
thing might look ludicrous led him to say no.
Accordingly, we married Caroline and Eyer
ton first; and q pleasant wedding it was,
everything being done in most elegant style;
| and little Mrs. Barbara Temple looked not q
day more than forty. And Rector Brent
between the occasion, the champagne and
his own amorous disposition, cast so many
glances at her, and these 90 warm, that it
seemed as II he was being captivated anew.
Car, must say, looked splendid that morn
ing; flashing with wit, fire in her eyes, and
her attire faultless She wore bridal dress
If brocaded satin, and her head-dress, which
was somewhat original-those girls had
tasteful way Of being slightly out of the com
mon-pleased all the ladies; the men, / be-
lieve, looked more at the head which carried
1t. Her veil, streaming over her superb
shoulders, made her dress complete, and
We oil pronounced her a lovely bride. She
went through the service without any ner-
vousness; indeed, i thought with slight
audacity, as II she would challenge anyone