The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1873-08-20

Ous 0uO poEnupo lOI JudJ NSlJ IcdSOu
for one sees with different eyes at
twelve and eighteen-my companion
in the house had already begun to
seem unsatisfactory to me; and the
mornings words put it in a clearer
light, since it had been used as an ar
gument against Toms marrying.
knew that mother had spoken honest
ly, believing that such a step would
not be for his happiness; but was not
he the best judge Of that? l knew him
if reflection should bring him round
to her opinion, to be perfectly capa-
ble'of quietly sacrificing his own wishes
for my sake, who had not the shadow
of claim on him SO it must be my
part to prevent his own kindness be-
ing turned against him now. Still, it
was not so easy to see how | was to
provide for myself, in case it should
become advisable. What could do !?
Draw and sing and play tolerably, but
not in a manner to compete with the
hosts that would be in the field against
me. Literature? / had read so many
stories whose heroines, with turn of
the pen, dashed into wealth and fame.
That would be very nice, only-I was
not the least little bit literary; had
never even kept journal, which is
saying a great deal for a girl in her
teens. The fine arts, then, being out
of the question for me, what remain
ed? There was some clerkship, or a
place in some family, and-and there
was Will Broomly!
That may seem like going away
from the point, but it was not l was
matter-of. fact, but could see well
enough what was going on right under
my eyes, and had pretty clear idea
of what was bringing Will 10 the house
so often as he had taken to coming
lately. There was "situatiOn," then,
that would give me the home life l
liked best and felt myself better suited
for but would it answer in other re-
spets? / overcast the long seam 1 was
sewing twice over, l was so busy try
ing to make up mind whether l liked
Will Broomly we'll enough to pass my
whole life with him, and even then ]
had not come to any decision, when ]
was called down stairs to Lefty Wal.
ters.
Lefty was the prettiest, / think, o.
all my friends, and certainly the livli'
est. Tom called her "the tonic," and
used to laugh heartily at her bright
speeches. l suppose it was this that
made mother fix on Lefty as his choice
When l came into the the sitting room
I found kind of cross examination
going on. 1t was amusing to anybody
in the secret, as | was, to watch moth
er's artful way Of continually bring
ing the conversation round, as if by
chance, to bear on what she wanted to
know. But it all amounted to moth.
ing, either because Lefty was too good
a fencer or because she really had
nothing to betray. But, when Toul
came home, mother took care to men
tion that Lefty had called.
"What, the tonic?" said Tom. "Toc
bad 1 missed her."
"But for your choice being already
made" said mother, with a cover
scrutiny of his face, 81 dare say yor
might have as much of the tonic at
you liked"
"But I go on the homeopathic prin
ciple, you know" answered Tom, with
a twinkle in his eye.
After that, mothers belief in Lefty
outlines wavered. Her suspicious
were transferred from one to anothe
of our acquaintance, but always will
the same unsatisfactory result.
at passes my comprehension" she
said to me, desparingly, one day. "l
am positive / could not tell the righ
one by Toms face in a minute, anc
yet have mentioned, everybody w
know"
Perhaps it is somebody we dom
KNOW" l suggested; "some friend o
his we have never seen."
"What, a perfect stranger 2" said
mother, sharply. "Never talk to me
child; Toms net capable of that"
/ was silent, for l did not want tC
worry her; but that was my opinion
all the same.
The same evening-it was rather
more than a week since Tom had hurl
ed that thurderbolt of his 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 continued, with lit
tie hesitation, "there-there's a rival
in the case."
ga rival ?" ren.atad mother. with