The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-09-09


"Will you go, and without replying 9'
Tom stormed.
"Why, my dear Tom," replied smiling
sweetly, "what strange dislike you seem
to have taken too poor Teddy. l was in
hopes you would like him as do, and take
him in Eben's place."
off he don't mind what he's about, I'll
kick him out of doors.'
The breakfast passed in absolute silence
AS we were passing the pantry on our way
to the parlor, we heard Teddy's voice, and
l made Tom stop to listen.
cts foine lookin girl you are, Sara
Ann, and I'd give you kiss, would in
dade, if your BIRTH didn't smell so of in
gions."
"Ingions indade, ard who axed you for
kiss ? No you'd 'spose I'd be wantin
one from the like of you when / can get
them from your betters ?''
"My betters land who do you call my
betters ?'
"Shure and isn't the master himself
that kisses me every blessed mornin' of
his life, and does he spake of ingions-not
much"
"The master Now it's jokin' you are,
Sara Ann do you 'spose I'm fool enough
to behave that ?'
Behave it or not, it's the blessed truth
I'm tellin' you Shure, if anything should
happen to the missus, it's not long I'd be
the servant here.'
"And it's kisses you, you say he does
well, it's quare crayturs you wimmeu are
anyway. Now men think it disgraceful to
kiss and tell, and here you boast of it.'
We wanted to hear no more, but Tom's
face was in blaze, and he took his hat
and left without word or look.
The next morning Teddy and manag-
ed to be in the same place on the stairs
where had seen Tom kiss Sara Ann, and
as he opened the door, Teddy kissed me
loud enough to be heard all over the house,
and then hurried away while went on to
the dining-room. Tom came in present
ly with an awful frown, which pretended
not to see, and held up my face to be kiss
ed, but he pushed me rudely from him.
"Why, Tom amt you going to kiss
me?"
"Do you think I'm blind, Mrs. Wilkins?
l saw that Teddy kiss you just now, and
it's not the first time either. Doyou think
I'll stand such doing ? No I'll break
every bone in the rascal's body, if l hang
1T, and you shall go home to your
mother till you learn to behave yourself"
"Now my dear Tom, where is the harm
in that 4? believe in imbibing sweetness
wherever find it; SO don't make noun
tain of a molehill." obil
You should have seen his face when he
heard me repeat his own words.
"Look here, JESSIE" he said at length,
"you've got the best Of me, though it was
hard way of giving me my lesson"
"Not more severe than the case required
Tom. Ionly made you put yourself in my
place."
Well, Jessie, if it filed you with such
intense disgust to see me kiss Sara Ann as
as it did me to see you kiss that confound-
ed Teddy don't wonder you were angry"
Well, we talked the matter over at
length, and agreed to dismiss both Teddy,
and Sara Ann, giving them months
wages instead of a warning.
l heard Sara Ann mutter to Teddy,
"shure and believe the misses SUSPECTS
the master is swate ON me.'
"Niver you fool yousself that way"
said Teddy; it's himself is sendin' US
away"
Well, at length they were off, and the
next day Eben came back and had a new
girl; but in all this time Tom had not
kissed me, and treated me almost with
aversion as though my sins were too great
for forgiveness.
While we were at dinner brother John
arrived. was a little curious to see if
Tom would recognize him. He looked at
him with a puzzled expression, but said
nothing but presently he became imme-
diately gay, and indeed almost brilliant
Later, when we were all alone, he took me
in his arms and kissed me, and whispered !:
"Well, Jessie, l see you have got Teddy
back after all Oh, If you knew the relief
it gave me to see you had not degraded
yourself"
80, you foolish Tom do you think l
could ever have dared to have descended
to that, even to give You much needed
lesson9 But see how inconsistent you
men are You have no forgiveness for the
least false step women makes, even when
she is only following your example to the
letter"