The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-06-23
CHAPTER III.
SOPHIA HAS THREE couNsELoRs.


Nor was poor Sophia left alone with her
sorrow. We have all friends in this world
some who wish us well, and some who wish us
nothing of the kind. Ill wishers and well
wishers sometimes are equals in making us
uneasy. And thus it was with Sophia, for
while she was shut up with her mother in the
sick house various persons found opportunity
to disturb her with counsel or warning. The
indefatigable Mrs. Hands, who had fully
made up her mind that the young woman
must and should marry young John Done,
managed to work her way into the house
several times Sophia now feared and hated
the widow in equal parts, although she could
not deny that, in telling her the truth about
Percival, she had acted the part of friend.
my dear Sophia" this energetic dame
said, Il hear that Brent is coming home
bankrupt, they say; character and cash boti
gonel should like to see you comfortably
settled before that time, and in a position to
treat him as he deserves Now, while your
mother is still living, and able to be com
forted, settle yourself, Sophia, settle your
self. Ny dear, know young man, at
least, who would be at your feet in an hour
after the time told him there was hope
that you would change your mind and say
yes know the young man.
"Thank you,' Sophia replied, hastily.
Her cheeks were on fire at the bare idea of
seeing Percival again. Il shall stay with
mamma to the last; and / am not going to
marry any one"
Certainly not man who has treated you
badly" the widow said. resolved to pledge
Sophia to this much, at least.
Il am not going to marry anybody" Sophia
repeated, tartly.
She had another counselor. Egerton, hav-
i,,rr fha4
tured to advise Sophia on the whole sub
ject.
"It is not his being a little wild, Sophia,
that l would so much object to- he said.
"We are all that sometimes. / mean all
young fellows, not girls, though / said we ;
had what we call an affair with Miss John
son at that glove shop myself many years
ago, and it went SO far that once or twice we
were ON the point of going out walking to-
gether, and all that sort of thing-you know
what / mean, Sophia; but it was the time for
the equinoctia1 gales, and the weather got
unsettled and that stopped it; and then / got
engaged to Caroline, and she was such a tire
mendously fine girl that she steadied ME. [
don't want to find fault with Percival Brent.
who is not half a bad fellow, / think But
you are not the woman for him, Sophia, that
is where it is-you are not the woman for
The woman for man A man Of Percivals
sort ought to be engaged to woman with a
whip in her hand. Some of us-I mean the
fellows with 'go'-want to be influenced, and
things to be brought to bear On us. and we
want forcible feminine character about US.
and the rest of it, and In such cases there is
nothing like q woman with whip in her
hand"
More solemn and weighty words were ad-
dressed TO the poor heart-sick girl. Goldmore
no sooner heard that Percival was coming
back than he became sincerely alarmed for
Sophia's future.
II tremble for that GIRL he said to his wife
one morning, "kind, impressible, virtuous as
she is. / wish she would accept Prender-
gast, who is as mich in love with her as ever,
and to whom fortune will make no difference.
/ fear-I very greatly fear-that Sophia win
be very poor at her mothers death Every
thing points that way. But she is the sweet
est of girls, , be added in tones of solemn ap-
proval: she is a sister you may well be
proud of, and she shall never want brother
while i live, Sibyl- She shall live here if she
viii make this house her home.-
Il don't know that Sophy would care to live
here Sibyl answered curtly sShe is fanci-
full and quixotic. Perhaps she viii marry
Perciva1 Brent after all
sNot after his improper behavior Gold
plore remarked, with the solemn morality of
q Great Briton.
Sibyl laughed little Women forgive
that sometimes she said
Accordingly Goldmore, in fear of some
thing which he could not quite define to him.
self, resolved to give Sophia the benefit of his
intentions were undoubted, and his words
fhfSS<s Of man who ekuayrS
sDon't be deceived by that soft forgiving
heart of yours into marrying profigate,
Sophia he said "A young man may fan
into many errors and come out of them, and
be as good as ever, but profigate aerer re-
turns to the state of his youth. He may seem
respectable, but he is never truly restored
He has lost that which he can never regain.
There win always be hardness and a coarse
ness about him, and he may any hour relapse
| into evil ways Such men make pretense
of reforming when they want to marry, and
perhaps even believe themselves reformed;
but Sophia, profigate can no more reform
and be what once he was than man who
| has lost an eye can see again as perfectly Is
when be had two. Be firm, Sophia. Be true
| to yourself. Hear nothing the young man
says
| Poor Sophia began to cry.
| Il am not saying this thoughtless1y, my
dear girl Goldmore continued, taking her
hand Il admire a young woman who loves
| man and win make sacrifice for him, and
| I may take the liberty Of assuring you.
| Sophia so great Is my interest IN you), that
| / had resolved, had the young man been hon
| orable, that no little difficulty Of q pecuniary
| kind should have stood in your way. But
| now, Sophia Goldmore aid with all the
magnate upon him once more, Il must inter
n . -