The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1872-06-20

'You remember my deceased hus.
band"' inquired the lady, tremulous-
ly.
u do, madame"
"Now we're coming 70 it-snme
question Of will, said Tom to him
self?'
"Was I a good wife to him ."
- n, madame, he best knew how
"And eouId-could another love me
do you think?r
Think ~ was the exaggerated an
swer Of the rash Thomas. II do not
think, but know it."
"Oh, happiness-dear Tom ~ and
the widow enciTcled his neck with
her plump arms, and her bIushing
face on his shoulder. "Then could
you-wOuld you-marry me? Its leap
year you know"
"Bless my soul Mrs. Moulson,
madame, you're mad" exclaimed
Tom, staggering beneath the weight
of his stout and helpless burden.
"Oh non she said, leaning still
more heavily; "Only happy, Tom"
"But-this Is too much. Sit down
there, will you ~ and he bundled the
tender creature unceremOniously into
the chair. ~ say you are mad"
81 say I am nOt,n said the lady,
positively. "YOu see, Tom"
"DOn't call me Toni won't stand
'Dear me? it's you that are mad,
know. Come now, be reasonable.
YO1 can't refuse me you know, for
it's leap year"
'rThe deuce I can'tr said Tom de-
| family. 81 say, you had better get
out of this. for it's carrying a joke
/ little too far"
"It's no joke atall, )" said the widow,
beginning to sob. "YOu unkind,
cruel man! oh! oh!'
"Oh, for the Lords sake, do stop!
Do you want to have all the neighbors
in here? Do come to reason" said
Tom implOringly.
az loo owe youw said the lady.
HOh goodness ~ said Tom.
"YOu treat me with rudeness and
contemplate you, sir? With rude
ness and contempt! Oh, very WELL"
and the lady made q summary move
ment to the door. every wellr
"What shall I do? Mrs. MOulsOn,
do stop one moment. Oh mercy on
me! Don't you know, ma'am, that I
am already engaged?"
"Ha," calculated his fair prosecutor.
"Why, yes p' said Tom, catching at
spar of hope. 'TO Mary Field"
'Oh, bah You'll never marry her
after dallying with her so many years.
I'Il have you yeti" and a wicked
gleam shOne in her black eyes.
'But the day is all fixed, and it's
it's next month and you see"
"Why couldn't you tell me that at
once? ? Fixed-is it? You declare to
that %
"Well-yes--"
"Then see that you stand to itr'
and she bounced off. "NeXt month,
remember! oh, won't tell all about
you though ~
And down the street went Mrs.
Mercy, shaking behind her veil with
laughter, to betake herself to Miss
Betsy and Miss Minerva, and impart
to them the grand success of the open
ing scene in their little stratagem.
There was a moderate intermissiOn, |
during which our hero tried to COM
pose his shattered nerves and then a |
single drop was given by the knock
er.
Tom, still discomposed, and with
vague presentiment that the day was
not yet over for him, went himself to |
the door, and beheld Miss Betsy Park
ins, dressed up in her very best, and
with her blandest expression.
She edged herself in, for Tom seemed
inclined to shut the door unceremon-
iously in her face and, taking q seat,
and in her brightest little manner:
you've a cheerful place here, Mr..
Tom"
Half beguiled by her harmless ap-
pearance, Tom answered that he had.
"And pretty tidy, considering"
"But Pm thinking now, Mr.. Tom,
how much more tidy and cheerful it
might be. You've never thought of
yet-eh, nOw?'
''Oh yes In fact"
az thought so. Now then, Mr..
Tom, you see, Pm a lone kind of
body,' and she screwed up one eye,
and beamed benevOlently upon him
with the other, "and always had a
fancy for young folks. And some
one, a sort of mOtherly, how would il
DO for you and me to set up together? ?
Come now, you had better consider
it. Any way, you wouldn't like to
refuse me, as it's leap year."
"Eh ~ said Tom, rather stupefied.
"Why, it being leap year, a man
sn't permitted in law to refuse a
woman who comes trusUfully and {
offering herself" and
,he giggled with mingled mOdesty
md glee.
fsI declare, L don't know what you
III mean It's plot, a vile wicked
blot! Now, listen u' and he thunder I
I'd, in a voice loud enough to awaken (
IN Egyptian mummy, 81 am engag- t
ID ! engaged % he rOared again, shak- '
ng her by the arm. $50 go aud tell
t to everybody; and l mean to be |
married next week, too! Now take |
Yourself off from here J" and he hoist 5
ed her from the chair, and gave her |
push toward the door. {
"Well, 1 declare you needn't be 50
mighty violent. 1 haven't insulted I
you, Mr.. Tom, anyway. Oh, dear! {
10 the widows done the business for
yOu-has she?"
t'Don't talk to me of your internal !
Yidows!" said Tom, almost beside
himself. "pm going to marry Mary I
Field. Now do you understand? Go
md tell it, tell every one the day is {
ixed-next week. Co." and he
waved his arm majesticallY in the !
direction of the door. s
"Well, you might at least have
old me politely! Pm glad for one, l
hat amt the happy woman. You {
nay tell Mary that L wish her joy of [
ler-jackanapes. Fare you well, and I
,etter manners to you next time" and
he departed with a queer little smile {
md courtesy.
Snow then" said Tom, "there's
lot a minute to lose, for those gossip s
ng old she-dragons will have the {
tory over the whole town in less than I
10 time. Marry any of them? Ugh! |
4 Mary cares one atom for me she'll I
lame the day at once"
And he began buttOning his coat,
md setting himself in order, to en-
orce his eloquence with all the per- {
onal attractions he could assume.
''ThOmas Rathburn :" said voice {
It the open window.
He turued and confronted Miss {
Minerva Williams, and then was re-
learsed pretty much the same scene 9
IS on the former occasions, except (
hat those were mild in comparison 6
o this. In vain he protested that he {
vas going to marry Mary Field next
month, next week, next day.
Miss Minerva only smiled grimly,