Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1872-10-31
TOM AND I.

Tom was my brother, and be was boy !!
To M ears, that tells the whole story; but
for the satisfaction of those happier and less
experienced than myself, for the enlighten-
ment, in particular, of that friend who main
tains the superiority of masculine to feminine
juveniles. I shall give a blief sketch of the
tribulations of my childhood.
don't suppose Tom was much worse than
most healthy, active boys, and know he
wasn't bit better He was terrible little
tvrant, but tyranny is inherent in this mascu-
line character. believe. Some one says.
"The boy is father to the man. cont
believe it. l won't believe it. If did, 1
would make up my mind, once and forever,
TO be an old maid to the end of my days
But then, there's John never mind about
that don't suppose John could have been
like other boys though that's just what
Marion Seward thinks of our Tom now.
Tom and I were provokingly near Of an
age, and to make matters worse, I was the
older not much over year, to be sure,
but of course I felt a little natural superiority
on that ground, which made Toms tyranny
all the harder to bear. You see, in the very
nature of things my rights must have been
trampled upon at all early age When had
arrived at the maturity of fourteen months,
was forced to vaCate the cradle, and my
mothers arms and breast were opened to re-
ceive the invader while | was consigned to
the tender mercieS Cf frowzy-headed nurse
girl. who cOnsoled me with sugar until my
stomach, if not my temper, was permanently
soured. Of course l do not remember all
this, but subsequent investigation has taught
me the precise state of affairs at the early
period of which ! write. They tell me my
father was disappointed because l was not
boy, and have never quite recovered from
the feeling of humiliation with which first
heard OF it. 4 remOrsaful consciousness of
having committed an irreparable blunder has
haunted NE ever since
Well Tom and I grew in stature, and our
noise increased 1t has always been an un
solved problem to me why was invariably
compelled to yield everything to Tom, because
he was the Younger, and why I never receiv-
ed any Of the corresponding privileges that
are usually accorded to the elder because
there was so little difference in our ages that
the most we shared equally. The only solu-
ton ever found was in the fact so constant
" set before me that L" Tom was a boy"
we'll remember game of checkers played
by Tom and on nv tenth birthday Tom
would be nine in few mon ths. and we were
dolefully ignorant Of arithmetic, having
spert most of our valuable time in the pursuit
of pleasure, both in the school-room and else
where Tom made a careless move, which
gave me an opportunity to jIEop three of his
men. I improved ii eagerly That a girl
should gain such an advantage over him was
too much for Tom s temper, so he roared out
THAT aint't fair.
Yes. tits, replied don't you re-
member you did it Yesterday ?"
Don't care if did, faint fair. and you
shan't do it," was the reply, with hateful
emphasis on the term L" YOU"
"But. Tom" urged mildly, trying hard
to retain nv dignity, Z" 1 am two years the
oldest. and ought to know"
" No you amt two years the Oldest was
the response.
"Ain't ten o. urged.
Yes
And YOU eight ?
Yes"
- Well, uluUlp pnduIly, uOn elgnJ from
ten leave two ?
" You amt two years the Oldest ANYWAY.
and you shan't jump me, " persisted Tom.
{" shall ask mother, | cried, certain that
nv statement must be upheld in that quarter.
and caring much more for the superior age
than the checkers. l opened the hitchen
door and rushed out. " Mother =! | cried,
Mother. amt two years older than Tom -
Now. made this appeal at very unfortu-
nate time Bridget had left the day before
in n rage occasioned by Tom having wound
up long list of prosecutions by chasing her
with a caterpillar Mother was therefore
unusually burdened with work, and at this
particular moment she was bending over the
stove. in all the heat and hurry of baking
dav. frying doughnuts. | suppose the hot
lard spattered on 20 her hands as she fished
after the brown cakes. Ihave since had GER
tain experiences of my own in frying dough
nuts that lead me to regard my mothers
impatience on this occasion with great chari-
ty. She did not answer my question. and to
attract her attention / gently pulled the
skirt OF her dress. repeating, 4" Mother,
mother, amt l two years older than Tom p
No, she amt, is she, mother? She
thinks cause it's her birthday she can cheat
ne, and do all sorts of things, ''roared Tom
from the other room.
Intent on gaining my point, l twitched
mothers dress again, repeating, " Amt
mother Ma amt I ?"
L.