Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-03-01

pleasure.
We ran up stairs side by side our feet
spatting sharply on the steps. When
we reached Our room Tom sat down and
hauled out newspaper, to which for
half an hour he paid strict attention. 1
got out my banjo and sang" kiss me
Quick 4aai ia
Presently Tom leaned back in his
chair and laughed loud and long; then
he read aloud the anecdote that had so
tickled him For my part | didn't think
it very funny at all. Iig M
Next morning | proposed a fishing
Tom said he had big headache; so /
went alone, leaving him smelling vigor-
ously of camphor bottle. In all my
life i had never before known him to
have the headache. ra
Pshaw, such a fishing as / had. Not
nibble did l get, The brook bubbled
lazily, and the wind hummed sleepily
away up in the white sycamore trees. A
little bit Of a bird with yellow wings and
red throat sat on swinging branch
and sang, "Chip-a-ree, Yictorine, all the
time, and tiny nest was hard by, Just
chuck full of young ones.
| staid by the brook an hour, thinking
how happy it would be to have a nest
like that little bird, with some one to sing
around it like a bee around flower.
Then ] wound up nay line and walked
toward town, while fainter and fainter
grew the voice of the red-throat, Chip
a-ree, Victorinel"
When / reached the foot Of the stair
way to our attic, / glanced over toward
the boarding house of Mrs Malone.
Some one came out of the door. 1t was
Tom. saw by the smile on his face
that his headache was not SO severe as it
had been.
| ran up to my room, put away my
fishing rod, and was singing, Bury me
under a pile of straw" when Tom came
in. / did not look up, but just picked
away at those strings with might and
main, the banjo fairly talking.
fUmphl" said Tom, taking a cigar and
raking a match on the wall. - Catch
any fsh2'
Tom sucked away at his cigar as if he
did not hear me.
How your headacheH' / added.
He looked at me sharply for second.
Then wagging his head, dolorously, he
replied
ibid ache awfully. Like to bursted "
Well, time ran on slowly and delicious
ly; but somehow i didn't enjoy it just as
| ought to. Tom and played funny
game. 1t was laughable. Whenever my
back was turned Tom was over at Mrs.
Malone's. Whenever Toms back was
turned | was there.
Now, then, loved Tom. I'd died
for him. Good old Toni I'll never have
another such friend. No, sir; his
likes not to be found at all.
Well, day after day Tom went over to
talk with Victorine, and day after day |
went to talk TO her. Day after day she
grew sweeter and prettier, day after day
Toms face grew sallower, and day after
day my face grew thinner.
Down in my heart j pitied Tom, and
just as deeply pitied myself. Some
times the good spirit in my heart plead
with me to give way and let Tom have
Victorine, but how could II He had
saved my life more than once; but what
was life before | saw her?
Filled with conflicting emotions, | sat
one evening alone in our room. Tom, 1
knew, was over at Mrs. Malone S.
Stronger than ever my good spirit was
arguing with me. was thinking how
happy Tom and l had been together
since our boyhood. Must | make him
wretched now2
While / was thinking Tom came in.
His face was yellow as saffron.
Med, said he, taking my hand in
both his, i have been talking with Vic
torine. and / have told her that she must
not think Of me any more. For your
sake, Ned, / have done this. Go to her,
Ned, and may you and she be happy
Tom voice was hollow and strange
like. a .s-
Nv heart leaped into my mouth. 1
couldn't say a word. just wrung Tom
hand like fury. loved him more than
ever-noble, generous Tom
| hardly knew anything till | was
knocking at Mrs. Malone's door. Vic
torine opened il herself, and it was her
own sweet voice that said : come in +
As followed that little fairy into the
parlor, something said to me, Tom,
Tom; poor Tom
Suddenly a resolve entered my breast.
[ would be generous. would plead for
him.
I own that my voice shook as ] began,
Miss Victorine," said /, you have
just had a conversation with my partner,
my friend: a.,
!" Yes, sir /"
"Will you let me plead for him2" |
faltered.
It's useless she replied rather
coldly.
"Then," said /, passionately, catching
up her pretty little white hand, let me
plead for myself |"
She snatched away her hand, and
stood bolt upright on the floor.
"Sir," said she, you and your friend
must be crazy / have treated you civ
ily, nothing more. love neither of
YOU, and have given you no reason TO
think do. ] told your friend this, and
asked him to tell you so. Good even
ing" SO saying, she sailed out Of the
room like a rose leaf in the wind.
l stood up in the middle Of the floor
awhile, then bolted out and went over
to our room, thinking a good deal as ]
went.
"Tom, Toni said ], rushing into the
room
/ was answered by as hateful a snore
as l ever heard. There lay Tom on the
bed fast asleep, with his boots on, and
aud his mouth open. Near him sat a
chair. and in the chair sat bottle, and
ON tie bottle we're the words. HO, for
Pixies Peaki That bottle had the
smell Of brandy.
Strange, there wasn't drop left for
me.
Tho motto of the Tuscaloosa (Ala.)