Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-11-20

| lace, Il QaTe say you HiShI he''S -" 'AiNo''
tonic as you liked"
"But 20 on the homeopathic principle,
YOU know" answered Tom, with twinkle IN
his eye. -.
| After that mothers belief in Letty's guilt
ness wavered. Her suspicious we're transfer
red from one to another of our acquaintance,
but always with the same unsatisfactory re-
suit.
at passes my comprehension" she said to
me, despairingly, one day. IL am positive
could tell the right one by Toms face In
minute, and yet have mentioned everybody
we know" =,
"Perhaps it is somebody we don't know,
| 7 suggested "some friend of his we have new
er seen."
"What! perfect stranger?" said mother
sharply. Never talk to me, child; Toms not
capable of that"
T was silent, for did not want to worry
her; but that was my opinion all the time.
The same evening-it was rather more than
a week since Tom had hurled that thunder
bolt at us-mother began about it openly.
"When are you going to introduce your
wife to us, Tom? suppose you have come
to an understanding by this time? .
"Oh there's no hurry" Tom said, as he had
said before; but this time he did not speak
quite so cheerfully. "The fact is," he con-
tinued, with little hesitation, 'there-there's
rival in the case."
"A rival ?" repeated mother with unfeeling
briskness.
"Yes, young fellow-younger by good
deal, than am" and Toms face assumed an
absurdly doleful look. "He is always there
now. | confess I don't see my way clear.
I'm waiting for her to make up her mind"
"And she's waiting, most likely, for you to
make up yours" said mother, forgetting in
her propensity to right matters, that she was
playing the enemy's game.
"Theres something in that that never oc-
Cured to mt" said Tom, his face frightening.
Mother saw her mistake, and made counter
move at once
"But the ways of my time are old-fashoned
now. Young ladies, nowadays, take matters
into their own hands. If she cared for you,
you may be pretty sure she wouldn't have
waited till this time to let you know it-that
is, Judge by the girls I am in the habit OF
seeing; but if this one is stranger to me-
(here mother riveted her eyes on Toms face !;
oh dear, my unfortunate words y "as she is
an entire stranger, cannot pretend to form
any opinion of her, of course"
'sOf course" repeated Tom, absently.
"Not that I have any such idea" resumed
mother, growing warmer; 81 have said, and
say again, that to bring a perfect stranger
under this roof is not my opinion OF you,
Tom"
l felt mothers words like so many pins and
needles for Tom was looking meditatively
across to me, and, though that was just way
of his, it seemed now as if he were reading in
nv face that the opinion was mine, and that
I was meddling in what did not concern me.
I felt myself, for very vexation, getting redder
every moment till it grew intolerable.
"It is so warm here" said, for an excuse,
turning toward the French window. 81 am
going out to get breath of air.
went out into our little strip Of garden
ground Tom followed. l thought should
never have better opportunity to say what
had in my mind to say, so | waited for him
by the bench under the old pear tree. "Sit
down here, Tom," 1 said, "Ive something to
say to you" =, Wy,
"Have you?" said Tom ;"that's odd. What
is it, May?"
"Tom,' said, still surer now he had mis-
Judged me, and more resolved to set him right,
II want place"
"A place." repeated Tom, puzzled, as we'll
he might be, by this sudden and indefinite an
nouncement; "what kind Of a place?"
81 don't know" said, for indeed, my ideas
were of the vaguest 81 thought you might
know, being in the way of those things. Now,
pray Tom," l went on, quickly, "don't fancy
| am discontented, or-anything Of that sort !;
the truth is, ever since l left off school have
wanted something to do, and have had it in
my mind to speak to you about ii"
With this l looked at Tom, fearing he might
be vexed but he did not look vexed only
pre6ccupied.
81 do know a place, as it happens" he said,
after while, "only am not sure how 1t
would suit you"
"That's soon seen" said |. "What is it
like?"
"Well, it's sort of-of general useful
ness"
"Well. it must be to run errands," I said,
laughing. "And where is it, Tom p
"Well," said Tom, hesitating again, cts
with me- The sooner the better, so far as
am concerned" and with that he turned round
and looked at me. l knew somehow, in mo-
ment, what it was he meant; and knew, too,
that could not have passed all my life with
Will BROMLEY, and auhy | could not.
am sure Lefty Walters, who interrupted
us just then, must have thought my wits we're
wandering that evening, and, indeed, they
we're; for was completely dazed with the
sudden turn things had taken. But Tom
who had the advantage Of me there, took it
quite coolly, and laughed and talked with
Lefty Just the same as ever till she went away.
1t was pretty late when we went in. Moth
er sat where we had left her, knitting in the
twilight.
WASN'T that Lefty Walters with you a
while ago." she said, as we came up.
"Yes," said 1, with confused feeling of an
explanation of something being necessary !;
''she just came to bring the new crochet-pat-
tern she promised ME"
Him !" said mother, as much as to say
that she had her own ideas as to what Lefty
came for.
Tom had been wandering about the room
in an absent sort of fashion, taking up and
putting down in the wrong places all the
small objects that fell in his way. He came
up and took seat by mother. | became of
sudden very busy with the plants in the
window; for knew he was going to tell her.
"Wish me JOY, Aunt Annie" said he. "lts
all settled"
"Settled, is it ?" said mother, in anything
but a Joyful tone $50 it's as l suspected all
along. Well, you have my best wishes, Tom !;
perhaps you may be happy together, after all, !,