The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-06-02
CHAPTER III
EGERroS DooLITTLE GIVES MS ToIc
SEVERE MEASURES

your poor old worldly motherI'
CHAPTER III
EGERroS DooIITTtE GIVES MS VOICE FOR
SEVERE MEASURES.
When Mrs Barbara Temple was ushered
into Caroline's drawing room, she caught
sight of the young husband and wife sitting
side by side on sofa Her coming was evil
IDENTIFY unexpected, and Egerton, ejneulating
MY gracious. dashed out into conserva-
tory adjoining the drawing room, while
Caroline. composing herself, met her mother
with Just the smallest signs of momentary CON
fusion The little woman glanced at two
love birds perched side by side in a cage
which hung over the conservatory threshold,
and then she recalled Sibyl sitting in her
lonely splendor.
~For some things our little Pilpay re
marked privately, for some things a young
fool is better than an old sage. But these are
only the etceteras of life; Sibyl has secured
the grand thing, after all, and more Of it
than Car. Life is pretty equal"
Caroline, my dear girl she said after
few casual words, Il have come this morning
to consult you on a matter of the greatest inn
portance. know your good sense, and the
energy with which YOU can act when you
have decided what IS right to be done II it
was not for you, Caroline. and your tact and
Judgment should be in despair"
With this insinuating preface she told the
story of Prendergasts proposal; and after
expanding in the most glowing style in praises
Of his person, character and estate, she turned
to the dismal topic of Sophias infatuation for
that penniless Australian boy.
@For this whim, this caprice, this idea,
llaI II.
will actually sacrifice man who is not only
a man of family and fortune, but whose char
acter is of the very pattern she most PROCESSES
to admire. protest, Caroline, it viii drive
me Wild
at certainly is unfortunate" Car said
"And unless you cooperate with me, work
with me, and work hard and wisely, too,
Sophia will lose the best chance in life she
ever can have. | can do nothing without
your assistance, dear
Il shall do all in my power, mamma Car
oline replied; "but you must tell me what
you wish.
at was on my tongue, dear girl. You
must have a conversation with Sophia-let it
seem accidental-and say you have heard
about Prendergast Praise him little; but
that is not your particular point. Set before
Sophy my delight at the idea of the mar
riage; the happiness it will give me; how
miserable shall be if it goes off. Sophia is
an affectionate girl, and 1 believe would do
a very great deal simply to show her love
to me. Now, you must put before her
strongly my feelings and hopes; for, indeed,
dear, if Prendergast does not marry her ]
shall die of vexation- Now 90 over and over
this matter with Sophia. You know, Car,
she is not like you-clear-headed, of sound
&c %,A
and firm to carry out her ideas. She is soft,
yielding, tender-hearted. If l were you
should coax her a little, kiss her, be tender
with her; all that will tell with Sophia Now
know, my love, have given you difficult
task to perform, and nothing but my knowl-
edge of your tact would have encouraged me
TO ask you to undertake it. But you viii do
it, and do it well Sophia will marry Prem
dergast, and the praise of the affair will be
yours
The little mother had not said one syllable
about Cars clevepess which was unmerited:
but however asfute that young lady might
be, she was like an osier wand in the skilled
hands ef her mother. With wonderful enthu-
siasm Car took up the scheme, and not less
wonderful was the simple obedience with
which she resolved to follow out the directions
ventive as she was in herself, she yet learned
her mothers words by heart as faithfully as
if she had been getting up scene in play.
She did not insert word Of her own; and
the more she showed her readiness to follow
her mothers instructions implicitly, the more
did that unrivaled student of human nature
land her q1ickness, her resource, her capacity
for maneuver and benevolent stratagem
Presently Egerton looked in from the con
servatory giggling and blushing.
II have heard all you have been saying T.
Carry he said aTwasnt listening, hope
Couldn't help it If it was, the other doc
being locked o, Mrs. Temple, do you know
really think you must be clever woman
really think you must be. You seem T.
know everything and to manage everybody
quite agree with you about instiiling thing
into Sophia's mind Impress upon her.
here Egerton teapotted himself and with out
stretched hand began to spout fuently-@in
press upon her the tremendous Importance c
marriage. Tell her that marriage is the sor
Of thing that must be done, you know
You can assure her from me that it is tn
mendously important And you can tel be
t that my experience Is that It isn't 50 much mat
4 ter whom you marry as the thing itself D
{ that, and the rest VIII follow. OF course
was not speaking Of myself quite. you know
I not altogether: for Garry is such tremel
$ dously nice girl that don't hardly know ths
I could have found another wife who woul
have made me 50 happy-at least, not wifi
out great deal Of trouble, you know. b
mean you are TO impress on Sophia that.
, a general way, II does not much matter who
you msrry. And then, if she won't see it.
vel, scarcely know what to adyises II
streaulnow became intermittent, and Egertc
. began to show symptoms Of wandering in h
, mind Il was reading some book late
about a girl that wol1d not marry somebod,
snd what her parents did was, they shut b
IN In some tower somewhere and kept b
!, on bread and water. But you see you ha'
no tower az the Beeches Still you mig
Try the bread and water. It IS 1onderf
, what diet does
. OF few our elderly little venns once NOR
charioted hither and thither On the erran
md the mischief OF love. She knitted h
browz. she made her little glove finger ii
: meet, she set a reflective mouth, and th
she eonned over the state Of her plans
I sSiby1 Is to place before her the comfoI
and the advantages Of wealth; Sibyl VIII
z it well Archibald Goldmore IS to press du
! upon her, and take her on the ground Of t
!, fifth co1nmandme1t 7 ran sse him now
slow. solemn, parsonic- o. If had tirns
lauzh over II, I should And Caroline "
Z work on her feelings that win come b
from Car, who has not much feeling Of
own, because Sophia win reason: We'll,
Car thinks 50, there mnst be something IN
: Interest, obedience. affection Yet, Il B 1
bad And there Is more to coma Soph
2 Sophia, / shah marry you, without TOW
or bread and water, eitheri Simply By ta
= 1nuw-1s1r tart
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