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Page 46
"And so he asked you first, eh, Charley?"
"Yes."
"And you would not have him? What for Charley?"
"I did not like Julius, and I did like some one else."
"Oh! Oh! Who is the some one else?"
"Guess, Harry. He is very like you, very: fair and tall, with clear,
candid, happy blue eyes; and brown hair curling close over his head. In
the folds and in the fields he is a master. His heart is gentle to all,
and full of love for me. He has spirit, dint, [Dint, energy.]
ambition, enterprise; and can work twenty hours out of the twenty-four
to carry out his own plans. He is a right good fellow, Harry."
"A North-country man?"
"Certainly. Do you think I would marry a stranger?"
"Cumberland born?"
"Who else?"
"Then it is Steve Latrigg, eh? Well, Charley, you might go farther, and
fare worse. I don't think he is worthy of you."
"Oh, but I do!"
"Very few men are worthy of you."
"Only Steve. I want you to like Steve. Harry."
"Certainly. Seat-Sandal folks and Up-Hill folks are always thick
friends. And Steve and I were boy chums. He is a fine fellow, and no
mistake. I am glad he is to be my brother. I asked mother about him;
and she said he was in Yorkshire, learning how to spin and weave wool--a
queer thing, Charley."
"Not at all. He may just as well spin his own fleeces as sell them to
Yorkshiremen to spin." Then they talked awhile of Stephen's plans, and
Harry appeared to be much impressed with them. "It is a pity father does
not join him, Charley," he said. "Every one is doing something of the
kind now. Land and sheep do not make money fast enough for the wants of
our present life. The income of the estate is no larger than it was in
grandfather's time; but the expenses are much greater, although we do
not keep up the same extravagant style. I need money, too, need it very
much; but I see plainly that father has none to spare. Julius will press
him very close."
"What has Julius to do with father's money?"
"Father must, in honor, pay Sophia's portion. Unfortunately, when the
fellow was here last, father told him that he had put away from the
estate one hundred pounds a year for each of his girls. Under this
promise, Sophia's right with interest will be near three thousand
pounds, exclusive of her share in the money grandmother left you. I am
sorry to say that I have had something to do with making it hard for
father to meet these obligations. And Julius wants the money paid at the
marriage. Father, too, feels very much as I feel, and would rather throw
it into the sea than give it to him; only _noblesse oblige_."
The subject evidently irritated Harry beyond endurance, and he suddenly
changed it by taking from his pocket an ivory miniature. He gave it to
Charlotte, and watched her face with a glow of pleasant expectation.
"Why, Harry!" she cried, "does so lovely a woman really exist?"
He nodded happily, and answered in a voice full of emotion, "And she
loves me."
"It is the countenance of an angel."
"And she loves me. I am not worthy to touch the hem of her garment,
Charley, but she loves me." Then Charlotte lifted the pictured face to
her lips. Their confidence was complete; and they did not think it
necessary to talk it over, or to exact promises of secrecy from each
other.
The next day Harry returned to his regiment, and Sophia's affairs began
to receive the attention which their important crisis demanded. In those
days it was customary for girls to make their own wedding outfit, and
there was no sewing-machine to help them. "Mine is the first marriage in
the family," Sophia said, "and I think there ought to be a great deal of
interest felt in it." And there was. Grandmother Sandal's awmries were
opened for old laces and fine cambric, and petticoats and spencers of
silks wonderful in quality and color, and guiltless of any admixture of
less precious material. There were whole sets of many garments to make,
and tucking and frilling and stitching were then slow processes. Agnes
Bulteel came to assist; but the work promised to be so tedious, that the
marriage-day was postponed until July.
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