Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-12-22

pdUcIudl KISS.
"Marry Prendergast, Sophia" Goldmore
continued, repeating unawares his w1fes con-
else counsel. "You are Of course free from
all engagement to young Percival Brent.
Remember, have not word to say Of that
young fellow but praise. Under the aus
picious circumstances Of your original en-
gagement I considered it a happy event.
And even when he left England, thought
perhaps things might turn out well for you
both. Since then have".here he reflected
on the interview with Mrs. Temple and her
charges to him-"since then I have thought
things over, Sophia, and feel you ought to
be-prudenf."
aPrudent!" "prudent!" 1t was the word
that had been rung in the poor girls ears
until she was ready to scream at the sound OF
it.
"And besides, Sophia" Goldmore con-
tinued, "your mother wishes it. l am far
from saying that any girl is bound to con-
slider even her parents in matter 80 nearly
concerning her personal happiness; but,
Sophia, when the man is so very desirable,
and when parents will is so very strongly
expressed, I think a dutiful character like
yours will-will weigh the matter, Sophiap
Sophia was really broken down now and
sobbing piteously; and Goldmore, who would
not have wounded her without cause on any
consideration, judged that these tears were
shed over the final wrench from Percival
Brent.
"You are naturally agitated, dear girl, he
went on, in his threSsyllable style of speech.
"You are a sympathetic nature, and you
regret your late engagement You are one
Al ,h1 a oIrrYor
YOUR dealings with our sex-more delicate
perhaps than most of US deserve. But, now
that the thing is done, every hour your sor-
row will diminish and your future will grow
brighter. Don't cry any more, Sophia; you
are acting prudently, and you have obeyed
your parent"
III. CAROLINE AND SoPHIA-LovE VS.. LOVE
"Mind, Sophy,"'Car said. "if Prendergast
was an elderly man, like Goldmore, would
not have had you marry him, not if he could
have heeled your toots with diamonds Don't
you see how dull Sibyl is! 1t is nothing in
the world but that she is tired of that old fel-
low. Now you may not think Egerton very
clever or witty, but assure you he Is a CAPT.
tai husband, and have grown fonder Of him
than could have believed would not see
YOU 50 mopel as Sibyl, not if mamma were
to 20 on her knees to lis. But really, Sophia,
Prendergast is more tn IN pa sable; he Is very
agreeab e."
"Well, but Icing agreeable Goes not make
you love man," Sophia ventured to say.
"No," Car answered readily; "bat when
mans character is such as you approve, and
when his position and prospects are good, and
when he i, agreeable in addition you ara
safer in marrying him-safer, do You hear,
Sophy9-than you would be in marrying af-
ter the most romantic OF courtships."
Sophia was silent before Cars reasonable
assertion.
Besides, Sophy"-now she came to her
special appeal-"mamma is quite in terror
lest you should refuse Prendergast. She has
taken such fancy to him. With his serious
WAYS one would hardly have expected that;
but so it is Prendergast will be making
mamma saint one Of these days If he enters
the family-he has such an influence over her.
1t was not altogether fair to Car to hold
out such motive to her sister, She well
knew how Sophia bewailed. her mothers in
fatuated worldliness; and how, in her gentle,
daughterlike way, she was always trying to
make her mother less Of pagan and
mocker. This one sentence Of Cars told
more with Sophia than all that had been
said to her before. She was in that melan-
choly mood when women, and men, too, often
make lifelong sacrifices at the bidding OF
religion What if Prendergast did really
make her mother in her last days better
and q wiser woman! She sighed, and looked
up at Car receptively. .--..-ss-
"No doubt of it," Car said, in kind Of re-
ply to her sisters glance. Mamma will be
the happiest woman in England if you marry
him. And she has been kind mother to US,
and we ought to please her if we can. And,
besides, as said, he may really be useful 10
mamma, she thinks so much of him."
Divided was Sophia's heart, and her loyal
will was shaken when she left her sister. Who
could stand such a succession Of argument
and appeall or, if we choose to bring in new
metaphor, what citadel could resist such
number of battering rams, managed by that
eminent pagan military engineer, Mrs. Bar
bara Temple2 Yes; Sophia was feeling the
weakness of her sex: "IJaint," II yield."
~. EGERToN AND soPHIA-1DIoCY VS.. LOVE
As with sad steps she was walking down
the avenue, she was startled by the appari-
ton of Egerton, who suddenly appeared,
peeping over the top of a holly bush. He
glanced apprehensively round, like paid
assassin in tragedy, and then, coming round
the holly bush with long secret Tarquin
strides, he advanced to Sophia's side.
"Come here" he said, in an awful whisper
And he returned behind the holly bush as
be came forth. Sophia did not know what to
think; but waving his manner in her esti-
mate of the position, she came to the conclu-
sion that he had got hedgehog, or some
other natural curiosity which he wished her
20 inspect: so she followed him No sooner
was she at his side than with three or four
more furtive glances, he stopped to her ear,
and in q whisper of the profoundest caution
said;
sophia" take my advice, and 60 and get
married It's an awfuny nice thing YoL
may take it from me that 1t Is not so much
matter whom you marry as the thing it.
self. Do that, and all the rest will follow.
Don't let out to any one that told you"
And then, with an air Of secrecy which
was frightfully suggestive, and the same
long and ghostly strides, he made for the
house, leaving her to resume her path as best
she might.
v. THE REV ANTHONY BRENT AND SOPHIA
-DEsPoNDENCY VS.. LOVE
"Miss Temple" the clergyman said, with
melancholy air, not the least feigned, al
though, by casting gloom over his conver-
sation, it greatly furthered Mrs. Barbara
Temples ends, "times have changed, changed
indeed. had letter from my son two days
ago."
How that good little heart leaped to hear
It! Percival! he seemed near her once again,
and she would be strengthened now.
"How is Percival?" she asked gently.
SPretty well" the rector replied; "tolerably
well. may say. But he writes in bad spirits.
Little wonder; his prospects are very uncer-
tain. l don't think he will ever return to
England"
HE meant to come back when he left"
poor Sophia said, turning sick at heart after
her little gush of pleasure.
"That know" the rector answered, in the
same downcast tone. "But his intention will
change, if it has not changed already. Per-
cival has to face life of struggle. I was
very glad to find that you and he had quite
broken off from each other"
"We wanted to act prudently," the poor
girl said O, how delighted she would have
been had the rector, in the remotest way, rec
ognized that an understanding existed be-
tween them!
ut was prudent" he continued ITO you
such thing could only have meant bondage
and disappointment; and to him - well,
Sophia, greatly as like you, don't really
think Percival would have been so likely to
prosper had he been still engaged to you"
~ could not bear the thought of injuring
~ fbo