Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-05-27
CHAPTER ".
STILL ABOUT MISFORTUNE.

Percivsl ca lie upon Sophia that afternoon,
and, for some wise reason, Mrs. Barbara Tenn
pie allowed him to see her alone. Indeed, the
little woman was never other than kind to
her dau, hters, and, being sure that Sophias
madness could not last, she resolved not to
seem tyrannical. So she let the boy and girl
have It all to themselves
Percival, impulsive in his wretchedness,
told Sophia everything in breath. He was
stout-hearted enough to hide his grief pretty
well, and he hastily assumed, as kind Of pos
tulate of the whole conversation, that Sophia
would think of nothing but of giving him up.
Thus he raised in her light sweet petulance,
which caused her II, leave his dark illusion
unscattered for while.
II shall go out to Australia again, and be-
gin life," he said with a manful air.
She could not look at him, or she would
have been in his arms, so she stood half
turned from him with downcast eyes, and he,
watching her, felt his heart sink. He had
family hoped for other things.
"Yes, shall 60 out to Australia again, he
repeated, SO sadly that Sophia could hardly
even for an instant hold herself back. ut ia
fine climate" he added, trying to seem un-
concerned again.
"You will meet some girl out there" she
answered in the very exultation of her hy-
pocrisy, ''and you will like her very we'll"
u shall never love any one again." he said
gravely; and his voice grew unsteady at the
last word. "Only you," he added, in yet
more shaking voice. That bit of unsteadi-
ness finished Sophia off. ~
"Never dol" she cried-"never do. ask
nothing more of you; and then go round and
round the world, and shall wait here faith
fully till you come back
So her little bit of deceit was over, and sbe
was sobbing in his arms, telling him that he
was ten thousand times dearer to her nov,
because she could show her love to him; and
that no other man should ever call her
his own, with twenty other Of those silly
speeches made on such occasions; some of
which, as declaring the nobler impulses of
the heart that God has made, will be remem-
bered, doubt not, when ten thousand human
frailties are blotted out of the book Of his
remembrance And Percival, holding the
lovely girl in his arms, felt how little he had
lost, and how much he had gained in that
very loss; and he realized something of the
truth Of Him who knew the human heart, and
said that there are times when, in the very
loss Of life, we find life anew-life which can
not perish and which cannot be defiled.
Therel They spoke no more, not another
sentence for many minutes, but stood folded
in each others arms, mingling tears, enrap-
tured, exchanging by thousand fond pres
sures, heart against heart, emotions, vows,
protestations, which the narrow channels Of
speech can never convey.
"You are all the world to me-" he said at
last.
aAll the world, am II" she answered softly
70 Percy, Percyp
@And you will 60 on loving me, Sophi ~"
"For ever and ever"
"Better or worse-richer or poorerg"
Eyes, till death us do part nothing else
shall-never, Percyp
So Invent on, silence and speech alternating
wise woman, but somewhat doubt the
astuteness Of her policy on that particular
afternoon.