Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-06-04

E8Et day q fresh invitation cane from tie
friend at whose house thsy had first mst-iugt
3 hasty party, the note said.
aha little Ms Temple said to herself,
q hasty partyi Got up ct the instigaton Of
Prendergast, / dare swear. Sherwood and
be are such friends. II Prendergast does not
AXE Sophia down to dinner, / am much mis-
aken."
He did. And be proved q genial com
panion, with plenty Of talk Of the quieter
sort. He could interest cultivated women,
being artistic and literary, without being a
pedant or a bore-that, at least, was his
friends opinion Of him.
@Dont you think Mr.. Prendergast very
entertainingf" the mother asked as they
drove home.
@Very," Sophia replied, emphatically.
The little woman nearly skipped of her seat
for triumph
During these early days Mrs. Temple coulI
never quite make out whether or not Sophia
perceived that this promising Mr.. Prendergast
was in love with her. In love he clearly was,
but his manner was so unObtrusive, and his
general conversation 50 lively, that even
Sophia might not have detected what was
plain to the watching eyes Of her mother. 1t
was a nice point for Mrs. Temple to settle.
Sophia evidently enjoyed their new friends
society, and as she was no coquette--not as
much as she ought to be, her mother used to
say-she must either have forgotten one lover
or not recognized the other. Which was the
fact Mrs. Temple longed to know. Some
times she thought Sophia was in reality pre-
occupied, and only assumed a vivacity to
cover her want Of interest. At other times,
and more frequently, Mrs. Temple felt con-
WINGED that she was truly pleased with Prem
dergast, and would, after a decent interval,
confess her satisfaction.
At last an evening anne when Prendergast,
calling in upon the Temples, found the
mother and daughter at home, and, after a
title conversation, music happened to be
mentioned, at which Mrs. Barbara made the
most casual remark about Sophia having
sung a particular song the night before.
Prendergast asked if he might hear it, and
Sophia, consenting, with a listless air sat
down to the piano and sang. Prendergast
praised the song, asked for another and an
other, and Sophia complied in the same list
less way. She sang well, but her eyes had a
kind of far-off look, very suggestive Of
Australia. The little mother, however,
could not see Sophia's face; Prendergast's she
saw, and it told her a great deal. At last
Sophia began, "Oft in the Silly Night" and
now mo doubt because the theme touched
herr she sang with great expression and ten
~1erness, and her admirer stood over her,
radiant with love and admiration.
20, that | could see her!' murmured Mrs.
Barbara. Sic scanned Sophia eagerly when
the song was finished, but her expression said
neither "yes7 nor mo-" Shortly after,
Prendergast bid them good night, and re-
strained, as his manner usually was, he now,
either through accident or with design, let
Sophia know the state of his heart. Mrs.
Barbara Temple saw a flush come out on her
daughters pale face as she withdrew her
hand from his.
"Now we shall see," thought the little
woman. Every prettily he managed it, too
| observed nothing"
She resolved not to ask Sophia any ques-
ton until next morning; but after she had
retired a little while, curiosity got the better
of her, and in her dainty dressing gown she
crossed owe to her daughters room, and
tapping gently at the door stepped in
She aw-not what she expected. Sophia
va ~" ~ :" - e sIao3 ~ M s ~ ner
hlalu, nor gone - sieep; ne poor grl was
enter. The little woman stood a moment
irTesoiute, then vanished from the room with
KIND OF mop she scarcely liked the prospect
OF c~onTronIlng the serious lace which she
knew would rise to greet her from between
those uPItted hands;
lsnan go 10 pea, sne sac, when she re-
galheu ner wv room, ana 1 snail ak 10
oophla III Ule morning.
one SAT down, however,, ana rel INTO a
muse, anu a look Oh unwontea gravity ruled
her Iace anu features Ior a Time; frooaply
sne was recalllnS paSt scenes; lorGWo or three
Glnes sne shooK her nead WIN a kind OF re-
necclve saaness, uhIl sne was reused by the
seconu Snnne WHICH hao SOUNDED since she
iasG SAT u9wn;
wohger II oopny Is up she muir
over, and, finding the door ajar as she left it,