The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-07-01
BEAUTY'S SECRET
BY ALAN MUIR.
Author of "Vauity Hardware" Golden
Girls" Etc.

HAh," Fercival remarks with a sigh, 'it is
no use can never stand against you"
Sophia thinks she understands this, and
sighs, too, family, bushes about the thou
sandth part of a tint, droops her head about
the millonth part Of an inch. He sees ALL
"What a stormy dayp he says next.
Every stormy"
"And vet it does not seem dull, not in
here, does it" Artful young mani he low
cred his voice toward the end of the sentence,
as if the very walls must not hear, but she
only
"Oh, no; it does not seem a bit dull in
here" she responds. There is a regular
lovers way of saying the same thing to
and fro; the simpletons mean to intimate
their entire oneness in all things, spoken or
thought.
Sophia looked very lovely just at that mo-
ment, with the fear that is joy lowering over
her, casting lights on her eyes, fiushes on her
cheek, and making her every slightest mo
tion tender and gentle. He feels that now
he is full in the sway of the whirlpool; on
and on he will be borne until he has told
her all
Something very singular happened to me
in Australia" Percival says, bending nearer
to her; Something l am half afraid to
speak of"
Here he stops.
"Tell me about it," she whispers oh, so low,
SO deliciously She meant: Anything you
say will be sweet to hear-especially what
you are going to say.
at was something so strange, so unforeseen!
One of those things which happen we cannot
tell how, leading to we cannot tell what"
He stopped again Again she murmured
one of those sentences which women never
speak but to one ear only, unbaring their
hearts
"Tell me about it."
"While was in Australia I fell in love
with girl, who is the queen of my heart,
and shall be till die"
Her posture never changed, not by the
movement Of finger; and l do not think thu
sharpest watcher would have seen quiver
of her eyelid or tremor of her lip But the
life went from her face and eye, and the
fear that is joy vanished, leaving behind the
fear that is fear indeed.
"Are the girls-the girls-in Australia.
very plettys" she inquired, in a death-like
voice.
The next moment she would be in his
arms; the next moment his kiss would have
dropped in a burning seal on her lips the
next moment she would have been his, de-
clared SO by signs which even her modesty
could not have hidden. Alas, how short is
the space allotted to whispering bllshing
love in this rough worldl Just then the
dining room door opened and in rushed little
Mr.. Brent, roaring with laughter, stamping
on the floor, choking, rubbing his hands,
And Mrs. Barbara Temple followed laugh
ing but not in his fashion
"And then, cried the parson between his
rapturous bursts, "then, without another
word, down sat the dean, looking so import
ant, so dignifed, so reproving- like an
angry turkey cock, | assure you Mrs. Tenn
pie. Down he sat ON his new hat-crash it
was stove in-his new hat! And up he
jumps again, and exclaims; Bless me, my
hatr"
Rosy with his boisterous mirth he went up
and down, not knowing what he had done,
though quick-eyed Mrs. Temple suspected,
and would have withdrawn. Percival
looked inexpressibly discounted. Who should
make the next move9 Il was Sophia.
"Good to have merry heart, Mr.. Brent"
she said smiling at him in way which
showed-he told his son as they went home
that she at least enjoyed the story. And she
darted from the room. But Percival could
not see her face before she was gone.
Fixed he Stood poor baffled young fellow;
the arms dropped at his side which were to
have been wound about the girl he loved; his
face blank, his heart full of vexation,
Meanwhile the little rector fell into chair,
and sent up peal after peal of most obstrep-
erous mirth
"The dean was new, and the hat was new
When he sat down we heard the crash
When he got up no one living could have
told which looked more dismal, his face or
his hat Bless me, my hatr l hear him say
ing it now, Mrs. Temple. The finest sight l
ever saw. Percival, Percival, ,ohy don't you
1aughp