The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-07-10
CHAPTER III.


Nor was poor Sophie 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 III wishers snd well
wishers sometime are equals in making us
uneasy And thus il vas with Sophia for
while she was shut up with her mother in the
sick house various persc rs found opportunity
o disturb her with counsel Or warning. The
interchangeable 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 a friend
NY dear Sophia this energetic dame
said, q hear that Brent is coming home
bankrupt, they say; character and cash both
cone | should like to see you comfortably
settled before that tiue, aud in a position TO
treat him as he deserves Now, while your
mother is stil living. and able to be COM
forted, settle yourself, Sophia, settle Your
self. My dear, I know one young man. at
least, who would be at your feet in an hour
after the time told him there a hope
=
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 a 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-
ing heard that Perciva was returning, Ven
tured to advise Sophia on the whole sub
iect.
at is not his being a little wild, Sophia
that ! would so much object to, he said
ave 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 il 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; hut it was the time for
the equinoctial gales, and the weather got
unsettled and that stopped It; and then got
engaged to Caroline, and She was such ire
mendously fine girl that she steadied me. |
don't want TO find fault with Percival Brent,
| who is not half bad fellow, / think. But
you are not the woman for him, Sophia, that
is where it is-you are not the woman for
! him. In every case woman ought to be
the woman for man. A man of Percivafs
sort ought to be engaged to a woman with q
whip In her lnnd. Some of us-1 mean the
fellows with 'go'-want to be Influenced, and
| things to be brought to bear on US, and We
want forcihle feminine character about us
and the rest of it, and in such cases there is
nothing like a woman with whip in heI
| hand
More soIcrrn and weishty words were adj
dressed TO the roor heart-sick girl. Goidmor'
no sooner heard that Percival WIS coming
back than he became sincerely alarmed fel
Sophia's future.
Il tremble Tor that girl, )" be said to his wifi
one morning, kind, impossible, virtuous a
she is. | wish she would accept Prender
CAST, who is as much in love with her as ever
and to whom fortune will make no difference
/ fear-I very greatly feor-that Sophia vii
be very poor at her mothers death Every
thing points that way. But she is the sweet
est of girls" he added in tones Of solemn ap
prevail; @she is a sister you may well b
proud of. and she shall never want brethe