Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-02-07
TOMS REVENGE.
BY MAY CARLETON.


herl And hope she may die miserable,
disappointed, cantankerous old maidl'
striding up and down the floor, his face
flaming, his eyes flashing, HE very coat-tail
quiyering with rage-a Bengal tiger, robb-
ed Of her young, could not have looked a
much moro ferocious object. And yet
ferociiy was not natural TO Tom Maxwell
handsome Tom, whose years was only
two and.twenty, and who was hot-headed
aud Grey, aud impetuous as il Is Ia the
nature of two.and twenty 20 be, but by no
means innately savage. Bv< S6tnd just
been Tilted Tilted in cold bl@, 2s.spd
down he strobe, grinding hisfecl 0'!lhdic.
lively, and Illuminating anathema MARIANA
thas against his fair decciyer.
Tho miserable. heartless jill The do
ceilful, shameless coquettcl' burst out Ton,
furiously she gave mo every encourage.
ment that woman could give, until she
drew mo on by her abomiaable wles TO
make fool Of myself aud then she turns
round aud smile aud weeps, aud Is very
sorry mimicing tho feminine information,
and never dreamed Of such thing, and
will be very happy TO DO my friend; but
for anything further OH dear, Mr.. Max
we'll, pray don't think Of itl' Confound
her and the whole troacLerous sex TO which
she beong.l But I'm not done with her
yeti I'll have revenge as sure Us my name
is Tom MAXWELL
AS howg asked lazy voice from the
sofa. She's a woman, you know. Being
a woman, you can't very we'll call her out
and shoot her, or horsewhip her, or even
knock her down. A fellow may feel like
that-l often have myself after being jilt.
ed but still II can't be did. It's an absurd
law, allow, this polite exemption Of wo-
mankind from condign and just punish.
ment; but II IL too late In the day for chaps
like you aud to so tilt against popular
prejudices.'
II was long speech for Paul Warden,
who was far too indolent generally to get
beyond monosyllabes. lie lay stretched
at full length on the sofa languidy smok-
ing the browncst oil meerschaums, and
dreamily watching the smoke curl and
wreath around his head. A handsome
fellow, very handsomc-ive years Toms
senior, and remarkably clever in his pro-
iession, the law, when not too lazy to ex-
ereise 1t.
Tom Maxwell paused in his excited
siriding TO look In astonishment at the
speaker.
You jiItedr he said. You! You, Paul
Warden, the irresistible!
Even so, mon and Like measeI and
mumps, aud tooth cutting. ~ 7cyfsthing
a man has to 90 through, willy nilly. I've
been Tilted aud heart-broken some half.
dozeu times more or less, aud here | am
to night not ha' penny the worse for it,
SO go it, Tom, my boyl The more you
rant aud rave now, the sooner the pain
will be over. It's nothing when you're
used to it. BY the way, turning his in
dolent eyes slowly, is she pretty, Tomg'
of courser said Tom Indignantly.
What do you think am? Pretty She's
beautiful, glowing, fascinating Oh, War
denl il drives me mad to think Of itp
She's all my fancy painted her-she's
lovely, she's divinel' quoted Mr. Warden;
hut her heart, il is another's, aud il never
- What's her name, TomY
Fanny Summers. If you had been in
this place four-and twenty hours, you
would have no need to ask Half the men
in town are spooney about her..
Fanny Ali very bad omen. Never
know a Fanny yet who wasn't natural
born nirll What's the style--dark or fair,
belle Blonde, or joiie brunette?'
Brunette; dark, bright, and sparkling,
saucy, piquant, irresistiblel oh cried
Tom, with dismal groan sinking into a
chair, 1T is too bad, TOO bad y bc treated
sol'
so it is, my poor Toni She deserves
tho bastinade, the wicked wiichl The
bastinade not being practicable, let US
think Of something else, She deserves
punishment, aud she shall have il: paid
back in her own coin, and with interest,
too. Eh? Well?
For Tom had started up in his chair,
violently excited and red in the face.
The very thingV cried Tom, with sort
Of yell. Il have itl She shall be paid in
her own coin, and III have most glorious
revenge. if you'll only help me, PAUL.
To my last breath, Tom; only don't
make so much noise! Hand me the match
box, my pipes gone out. Now, what is
it?'
paul, they call you irresisii5Ie- wo.
men do
DO they? Very polite of them. Wel?'
well, being irresistible. why can't you
make love to Fanny Summers talk her
into desperate attachment to you, and
then treat her as she has treated me-jilt
her?'
Paul Warden opened his large, dreamy
eyes to their widest, and fixed thom on his
excited young friend.
DO you mean it, Tom?'
'NeVer meant anything more in my life,
Paul
But supposing could do it; supposing
| am the irresistible conqueror you gallant
ly make me out supposing could talk
the charming Fanny into that deplorable
attachment-it seems mean, doesn't it?'
'Mean!' exclaimed poor Tom, smarting
under sense of his own recent wrong;
and what do yeu call her conduct to meP
It's poor rule that won't work both
waysl Let her have it herself, hot and
strong, see how she likes it-she's earned
it richly. You can do it, know, Paul;
you have a way with you among women.
/ don't understand it myself, but see it
takes. You can do it, and you're no friend
Of mine, Paul Warden if you dou't.'
DO it, My dear fellow, what wouldn't