The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-06-04

t,.' -, sylst n 80. -. -. -,
ty was too good a, fencer, Or be-
cause she really had nothing to be-.
tray But, when Tom came home,
mother took, care to mention that
Lefty had called. ~%ae 8.
What. the tonic p said Tom.
FToo bad I missed her. y,,e
But. for your choice being al
ready made said mother, with q
covert scrutiny Of his face, i dare
say you might have as much Of the
tonic as you liked. -.
Butt go, on the. homeopathic
principle, you know. answered
Tom. with a twinkle in his eye.
After that, mothers belief in
Letty's outlines wavered. Her
suspicious were transferred from
one to another of her acqnaintan-
ces, but always with the same un-
satisfactory result.
at passes my comprehension"
she said to me, despairingly, one
day. Il am positive i. could tell
the right oneby Toms face in a
minute, and yet I have mentioned
everybody we know
Perhaps it is somebody we don't
know [ suggested; some friend
of his we have never seen.
What! a;perfect stranger? said
mother, sharply. Never talk to.
me, child; Toms not capable OF
that
7 was silent, for [ did not want
to worry her; but that was my
opinion all the same. ;tst
The same evening-itwas rather
more than ;aweek since. Tom hurl-
ed that thunderbolt Of his at us
mother began about it openly:
when are you going to intro
duce your wife to us, Tom? |
suppose you have come to an un-
derstanding 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. Tho fact is,' he con
tinued, with a little hesitation.
[ sthere-thcre's a rival in the, case.
"A rival? repeated mother. with
:5nnfeeling briskness.
yes, a young fellow-younger
by good deal than [ am. and
Toms face assumed an absurdly
doleful look. He is always there
now. I confess I don't see my
way clear; I'm waiting for her to
make up her mind. .
sAnd she's waiting, most likely.
for YOU to make up yours, said
mother, forgetting in her propensi-
ty to right matters, that she was
!. playing the enemy's game.
There's something in that that
never occurred to me- said Tom,
Ibis face Frightening. Mother saw
lher mistake, and made a counter
!, move at once. -
But the ways ofamy time are old
fashioned now; young ladies, now.
a-days, take matters into their own
hand. IF she cared for you, yon
may be pretty sure she would mot
thave waited till tl.is time to etyou
know it-that is, [ judge by the
girls am in the habit of seeing;
but if this one is q stranger to me
:, -'Chere mother riyetcd her eyes
on Toms face; oh, dear, my unfor-
: tllnate words y eff. she is an entire
stranger, / cannot pretend to- form
opinion of her. of course
"Of course" repeated Tom, alb
sently. ..s ,
ssNot that have any such idea,"
resumed mother. growing warmer
Il have said, and | say again, that
to bring a perfect, stranger under
:. this roof is not my opinion of you
Tom" ...-
Ifelt mothers words like So many
pins and needles: for Tom was
looking meditatively y across at me
/ and. though that was just a way o.
, his, it seemed now as if ne were
+ reading in my face that the opinion
! was mine, and that I had been med
). ding in what did not concern me
+ / felt myself, for very vexatlon
getting :redder every moment, til
' it grew 3intolerable.
/, ut is so warm here" 7 said, fo1
! an excuse, turning toward thu
French window. 81 am going te
I get breath of air. 4,
/ went ont into our little strip 0
+ garden-ground; Tom followed.
a thought I should never have a bet
. ter opportunity to say what | ha(
, it in my mind to say, so / waited
a for him by the bench under tn
4 old pear-tree. "Sit down here
Tom,h I said, eve something t.
Y say to yon.' >,
: "TTave you ?" said Tom; athat'
odd, for T. Well, never mind thai
: lust vet. What is it, May?"
u "Tom," 7 said, still surer now h
a. had misjudged me, and more re
: solved to set him right, L want
~ ~ place 80
4 "A place. repeated Tom, pm;
+ zled, as well he might be, by tn
It sndden and indefinite announce
% mont .wh,t kind of place?