The Portland daily press., 1872-11-09
Tom Fosters Wife.

street, IN Uno SOluen OepUelHucr LHofuIuS,
when l saw my old friend Tom Foster, get
out of horse car few steps in advance of
me- I knew him in a moment, though we
had h rlly met since we were at Exeter
Academy together ten years before-room-
mates and blithe companions until we parted
I to 90 to Harvard and he to enter his ia
theirs store, the well-known house of Foster
& Co., Pearl street. He was merry, hearty,
practical fellow, clear-skinned and robust as
an Englishman, self-reiant and enterprising
as New Hampshire birth and Boston training
could make him. always liked him; but he
plunged into business and into study, and
so, without meaning it, we had almost lost
sight of each other. He was an only child,
and his parents spent their summers at their
homestead in Greenland, near Portsmouth,
and their winters in Boston.
AS 1 said, knew him in moment. He
had grown tall and stout, but the boy was
still in his face, and with flush of early
feeling sprang forward and caught him by
the arm.
''Tom, how are youp
He looked puzzled for a moment, and then,
bursting into laugh, he seized my hand in
his long grasp, and exclaimed:
'sWhy, John Ralston! Is this you? Where
did you come from? Pm glad to see you, my
boy. Why. haven't set eyes on you since
we made that trip to Nahant, in your Fresh
man year. The truth is, father was so poor
ly for long time then that had everything
to see to, aud felt as if the world was on my
shoulders. l did hear, though, abont your
college honors and your going to Germany;
and I've oIten thought of you lately and
wished to see you. Why, Jack, in spite of
my weight and your beard and broad Shout
ders, can't realize that ten years have gone
since we were at Exeter together. We must
talk over old times and new. When did you
oct hack and what are YOUR plans Pr
81 came yesterday, and shall stay in the
CITY On account of business matter, until
next Tuesday. Then am going home"
''Well, now, this is Saturday, and you can
do nothing after three O'Clock. Come and
spend Sunday with me in the country. want
to show you my WIFE,"
Your wife! Are you married, Tom?"
"Married nearly year, said he with
SMILE
'sYou don't look very solemn over it"
'tSolemn? It's the jolest thing ever did
in my life Meet me at the Eastern Depot at
four O. clock, and Pll tell you all about it on
the way down."
We parted at the Winter street corner-he
to go to his store, and l to the Parker House.
'How handsome Boston has grown"
said l. gancing at the fine buildings and the
Common, baautifulin the September sun.
eve think it nice town." he replied,
speaking with the moderate words and the
perfect assurance of the Bostonian, to whom
mis- city is the sum of all excellence and de-
light. Remember four O'clock" And he
disappeared in the crowd.
'.Tom married!' said to myself, as l
walked along. CT dare say its to his fathers
pretty ward, Clara Maitland. whom l saw
when I spent the day there, eleven years ago.
l remember what long curls she had and how
fond she seemed of i'm. Yes, dare say it's
to Clara. l hope, though, she hasn't grown
I'D into one of those. delicate young ladies,
good tor nothing but to display the
latest fashions, and waltz little,
and torture the piano. Better some
rosy, sturdy German Gretchen than poor
doll like them. 1t would be shame for
Tom. with his splendid physique and vigor-,
Gus brain, to be tied for life TO such wo-
manp' And chen, turning down School
street, my thoughts wandered off to blue
eyed girl had loved for many year~a girl
who was not satisfied with the small triumphs
of the croquet-ground, but who could send
an arrow straight home to the mark; and
climb the hills with me, her step light and
free as the deers in the glade below; and
hold steady oar in our boat ON the river;
aud swim ashore, it need should be; and
then, when walk or row was over, who could
sit down to lunch of cold meat and bread
and-butter with an appetite keen as young
Indians after days hunt: yes, and who
knew how to be efficient in the kitchen and
the rarest ornament of the parlor, How i'm
patient I was to see her, the bewitching
maiden whom a prince might have been
proud to marry. And again said to myself,
as / went up the Parker House steps: 81 do
hope Tom hasn't made fool of himself p
Four o'clock found me at the station; and
a moment later in walked Tom, carrying
basket filled with Jersey peaches. ''They
don't grow in Greenland" said he, tucking
the paper down over the fruit. "Come this
way" l followed him, and we had just
seated ourselves comfortably in the car when
the train moved off,
Now Ter the story, Tom,'' said I, as We
crossed the bridge and caught the breeze
cool from the sea. 'sBut can guess before
hand the girl you married. 1t was Clara
Maitland"
A shadow passed over Toms face. sClara
has been dead four years." said he. ''She in
herited consumption from her mother. We
did everything for her-took her to MINES
sofa and Florida; but it was no use. She
didn't live to see her eighteenth birthday"
"Poor Clara! She lovedyou dearly. Then
suppose you chose some Boston girl of your
acquaintance?''
Jack, you couldn't tell who Mrs. Tom
Foster was if you should try from now till
morning. | shall have to enlighten you,'
and, moving the basket to one ssde and set
ting himself in his seat he went on: "You
know / have the misfortune to be an only
child. After l was twenty-one, father and
mother began to talk about my marrying. /
have plenty of cousins, you know, and we
always had young ladies going in and out of
the house; but while Clara lived she was
company for me, and after she died was full
of business, and didn't trouble myself about
matrimony. To tell the truth, Jack, didn't
fancy the girls. Perhaps | was unfortunate
in my acquaintance but they seemed to me
all curls and fiounces and turbeows, and
would as soon have thought of marrying
fashion plate as one of these elaborate crea-
lures. 1 don't object to style; like 1t. But
you can see fine gowns and bonnet, any day
in the Washington street windows; and my
ideal of woman was one whose dress is her
least attraction
DO you reco'lect fathers former partner,
Adam Lane? He's clever old gentleman
and millionaire, and father has the greatest
liking and respect for him. He has two daugh-
ters-one married years ago; and the other.
much younger, father fixed upon as desra,
BILE wife for me. rather think the two fam
lilies had talked it over together; at any rate.