Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1873-07-10
TOMS WIFE.

he said, exactly as he might have said,
i think I'll take another cup of
coffee"
"Take a wife ?'' repeated mother,
by no means receiving the information
as TRANQUILITY as it had been given
What for?'
"Well, 1 dop't know" answered
Tom, thoughtfully. Its a notion I've
got in my head, somehow"
''Al nonsense!" said mother, sharp
ly.
DO you think SO ?'' said, Tom, ap-
parently doubtful, but not in the least
put out.
"Think so? 1 know it. What in
the world can you want of q wife?
After all these years we have lived so
comfortably together, to bring home
somebody to turn the house upside
down! And then, what's to become
of that poor child p
The poor child'-that was I-red-
dening at being brought into the argu
nent in this way, was about to speak
for herself when Tom interposed,
warmly:
I'm sure May knows I would new
er have any wife who would make it
less a home for her-don't you,
May p
"Of course" said l.
"And Pm sure she knows nothing
of the sort" persisted mother, "nOr
you either, Tom Dean. How can you
answer for What wife may take into
her head to do, once you get her fixed
here? You can't expect her to for
get, as you do, that May has no real
CAIN on you"
THAT | have no real claim on her,
| suppose you mean, ma m," Tom
put i'll for the second time, just as
was getting thoroughly uncomfortable
But, for all that, intend to keep her
that is,' added Tom, with one of
his short sighted blinks sideways at
me, las long as she'll stay with me,
eh, May? And whoever has anything
to say against that arrangement will
have to go out of my house to say it
not that I'm afraid of any such result
in this case-and, on the whole, Aunt
Anna, l should like to try the expert
ment"
Mother smiled grimly, but Tom was
so evidently bent on his experiment.
as he called it, that she gave up the
argument.
You can dance, if you're ready to
pay the piper" she said, shortly
And pray, how soon do you mean to
be married ?"
Toms face fell little at this Ques
ton.
"Well," said he, 81 can't say exact
ly. l suppose we shall have to be en-
gagged first"
"What!' said mother opening her
eyes; ''why you never mean to say,
Tom, you have not spoken to her
yeti"
Not yet" answered Tom cheerful
ly. "Time enough for that, you know,
after had spoken to YOU"
Mother, as minister's widow, was
not much given to the idle mirth that
is as the cracking of thorns under
pot, but now she leaned back and
laughed till the tears stood in her
eyes.
WELL" she said, eff it was anybody
else, should say he was cracked but
you never were like other people, and
you never will be, Tom Dean. But,
at least, you have fixed on the lady P;
"Oh, yes,'' answered Tom; "but. if
you will excuse me, Aunt Anna,
would rather not say anything about
her just yet; tor, if-if any thing
should happen, it wouldn't be pleasant
for either party, you know" With
which vailed allusion to his possible
rejection, Tom took his hat and left
the room.
Our household was rather queerly
put together. There was no particu-
lar reason why should have been one
of it at all for I was not really reIat
ed to Tom, nor even to "mother," as
L called her, though am sure we were
as dear to each other as any mother
and daughter could be. She was the
second wife of my father, who, like
most ministers, had been richer in
grace than goods, and had left us at
his death very little to live on. Then
it was that Tom Dean had come for
ward, and insisted On giving a home
to his aunt and me, whom he had
scarcely seen dozen times in his life
before. That was exactly like Tom
queer Tom Dean," as his friends
were fond of saying, ''who never did
anything like anybody else" l sup
pose, in spite of his clear head fol
business, there is no denying that he
was whimsical; but / am sure, when |
think of his unfailing generosity and
delicacy, l can't help wishing there
were few more such whimsical people
in the world. Naturally, at the time ]
am speaking of, my opinion had not
been asked; all had to do was to go
where mother went, and, while she
gave her energies to the housekeeping
l gave mine to growing up, which by
this time had pretty we'll accomplish
ed. But perhaps for that very reason
for one sees with different eyes a
twelve and eighteen-my position il
the house had already begun to seen
unsatisfactory to me; and the morn
! ing s words put it in a clearer light
since it had been used as an argument
against Toms marrying. l knew tha
n mother had spoken honestly, believing
that such step would not be for hi!
: happiness; but was not he the bes
e judge of that? l knew him, if refec
ton should bring him round to he
: opinion, to be perfectly capable of qui
e etly sacrificing his own wishes for my
sake, who had not the shadow Of
:, claim upon him; so it must be m
# part to prevent his own kindness be
It ing turned against him now. Still, i
: was not so easy to see how I was t
y provide for myself, in case it shoul
become advisable. What could I do
Draw and sing and play tolerably, bt
not in a manner to compete with tn