I see his love is making him
miserable, and so is yours, dear."
"Oh yes."
"So I took it on me to advise him. I have made him call on your father.
Fathers sometimes pooh-pooh their daughters' affections; but when the son
of Colonel Clifford comes with a formal proposal of marriage, Mr. Bartley
can not pooh-pooh _him_."
Mary clasped her hands, but said nothing.
Julia flowed on:
"And the next thing is to comfort you. You seem to want a good
cry, dear."
"Yes, I d--do."
"Then come here and take it."
No sooner said than done. Mary's head on Julia's shoulder, and Julia's
arm round Mary's waist.
"Are you better, dear?"
"Oh, so much."
"It is a comfort, isn't it? Well, now, listen to me. Fathers sometimes
delay a girl's happiness; but they don't often destroy it; they don't go
and break her heart as some mothers do. A mother that is resolved to have
her own way brings another man forward; fathers are too simple to see
that is the only way. And then a designing mother cajoles the poor girl
and deceives her, and does a number of things a man would call
villainies.
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