Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-07-15
CHAPTER VII.

Yes. hut tears like those-albeit their grief
a deem and pure-are ready to sparkle when
the next CLEAN of sunshine comes. Sophia
awoke next morning with dancing heart
She did not see Perclval again unat nlgnt'
but sent him little note asking him to come
early to her the following morning. And no
sooner was he in the room than she flew to
him and kissed him, with pride and delight
on every feature.
HWhat are you going to doi" she asked.
SGoing back to Australia, as l told you"
he answered. "But, Sophia, you are too
9ood-far too good-to offer to wait for me.
/ am no. going to be success in life, am
afraid"
10, am going to earn my bread myself
Sophia cried, clapping her hands You keep
yourself; PH keep myself"
GEarn your breadi" exclaimed PerclvaL
HHow do you mean to do it"
GGive dancing lessons, dear" she answered.
"Look herep
And with a "tra, la, la" on. her lips, she
began to turn and whirl about the room,
down and up, the picture Of honest delight
And Percival locked ON in wonder, which
at every motion of her figure kept turning
into love.
HDancing lessons!n he exclaimed. "Where
will you get pupilsl"
dHere Is my first she retorts, taking him
M as she goes by. "Now, sir"
4Really, Sophia, what is all this forP
tFor twelve thousand pounds, you clumsy
boy! There you are on my toe!"
@Twelve thousand pounds, SophiaP
"Twelve thousand pounds, Mr.. Percival
Brent am worth twelve thousand pounds"
Now she stops and looks him full in the face
GBy the way, can you tell me how Mrs
Lapigan Isl"
Percival turned very red at this amazing
question; but there was no outlines in his
face as he replied:
allow do YOU know Mrs. LaniganF
aHow do uou know herr" Sophia asked
smartly. "Iknow her through the newspa-
Der She was out driving with q friend OF
mine and got split Somebody said it was the
horses having had too much champagne-the
Newspaper said that"
Percival muttered something under his
breath which sounded very like some brief
And emphatic remark about the newspaper,
and caused Sophia to lift her finger
1Piease, not before me" she said. mo
colonial language before me. l am not Bes-
sic Warren"
Iheard in the hotel last night" Percival said
with gravity and reflection "Tell me, Sophia,
have there been any stories going about
here not to my credits"
ERather," she answered, now serious her.
self. Don't mind them"
"Iet me tell you the whole truth about
that affair."" he said. II was driving with
Mrs. Lanigan. The fact was was one OF a
large party in the country that day, and the
carriage which was to take Mrs Lanigan
back to the theatre had an accident, and the
friend at whose house she was asked me to
drive her in his gig, and / did, and we came
to grief. I believe, Sophia, had too much
champagne, and that is the truth of it. We
had rather too merry an afternoon meal l
drank too much wine, Iconfess"
@Naughty boy! But tell me-did you sit
next to Mrs. Lanigan at lunch|
"No; at the far end of the table,"
@There," Sophia said twice over, putting a
kiss between the two words-"there, forgive
you the champagne"
She forgave him; but the hot fellow would
not SO easily forgive the slanderous folk who
had made free with his name. And if l were
to tell how he searched the slander out, and
faced Mrs Hands, and faced John Done, to
whom she referred him, and how John Done
turned very pale, and declared that Mrs
Hands had taken up i'll earnest what he had
said in Jest, and how to exculpate himself
John Done made all his family quarrel for
ever with Mrs. Hands, and how Mrs Hands
by the transaction lost fifty dinners and about
one hundred lunches annually for the re-
mainder of her life-an this, if 1 were to tell,
would fill more pages than can compute in
moment and time and space press, and
must and shall soon make an end. So.we go
back to Sophia and her PercivaL
He will not consent to marry her as poor
man. He will 60 back to Australia and
make his fortune. Note, reader, how she
manages him
HOh, very well" cries she, tossing her head
angrily. "Of course I can't say WfU yo,'
MARRY meT three times running. You must
do as you please"
She walks from him to the window, and
looks out, quite in pet.
"You know what mean," explains he. He
has followed her. "You know quite well
What mean"
"Well, if do, then you need say no more
about it."
And she turns her back on him.
II only say can't marry you as poor
man."
"Very we'll; don't marry me, then"
"But don't want you to speak in thai
way"
"And don't want you to speak at ALL
"Sophia, you need not be SO ill-natured.
She turns on him, making ready to tell fill
the second, which this time was a sizab!e one
without any mistake.
70, / know what it is; you have some othel
woman out in Australia whom you want tt
marry, and this is all pretense"
"Want to marry some other woman out il
Australia" Percival cried, aghast at th'
Thought "Another woman Why, Sophia
look herep
He sinks at her feet, and then he presses he
handkerchief to his Gps-not her hand-hum
bly, signifying that anything about her
dear to him. And she, though not ill-pleaset
to see how artistically she has brought hin
to her feet, bites her lip, tosses her head
looks angry still. Then releasing her hand
kerchief from his grasp, and putting it to he
eyes
II know this" she says "1f you really lc
followed me, you would not let this miserabl
tno-mo-money stand in our wayp
And quite overcome with grief, she plunge
into her pocket handkerchief, and is lost t
his view
He will have her OUT she will not come
He will dry her eyes; she does not want t
have them dried He will make her sto
crying; she cries all the more. At last h
sinks at her feet.
"Listen, Sophy; will do anything yo
please Twill make no trouble about any
thing. will marry or not, just as you like
IL you only will stop crying. can't bear
see you cry; can't, indeed"
20, you dear old stupid!" she cries, unvei
ing herself at the moment; and there she il