The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-06-17

should like to try the experiment"
Mother smiled grinly, 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. Sand
pray how soon do you mean to be mar
ried?" Gfu
Toms face fell little at this question.
Well,n said he, 81 can say exactly.
suppose we shall have to be engaged
first .t,t
What"' said mother, opening her
eyes; "why you never mean to say, Tom,
you haven't spoken to her yet 9'' rt..
"Not yet" answered Tom, cheerfully.
"Time enough for that, you know, after
I 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. s-.1 5ial. r,,.,
Well" she said, elf it was anybody
else I should say he was cracked; but you
never were like other people, and you new
er will be, Tom Dean. But, at least, you
have fixed on the lady ?'' i1te al
ooh, yes" answered Tom, " but, if you
will excuse me, Aunt Anne, would rather
not say anything about her just yet; for
if-if anything should happen it wouldn't
be pleasant to either party, you know"
With which yelled allusion to his possi-
BILE rejection Tom took his hat and left the
room. t''0' ""
Our household was rather queerly put
together. There was no particular reason
why should have be en- of 1t at all; for 1
was not really related to Tom, nor even to
mother" as called her, though I am
sure we were as dear to one another as any
mother and daughter could be. She was
the second wife of my father, who, like
ministers, had been richer in grace than in
goods, and had left us at his death with
very little to live on. Then it was that
Tom Dean had come forward and insisted
on giving home to his aunt and to me,
whom he had scarcely seen q dozen times
in his life before. That was exactly like
Tom queer Tom Dean as his friends
were fond Of saying, "who never did any
thing like anbody else" suppose, in
spite Of his clear head for business, there
is no denying that he was whimsical, but 1
am sure, when think Of his unfailing
generosity and delicacy, can't help wish
ing there were a 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 en-
ergies to the housekeeping, give mine to
growing up, which by this time had pret-
ty well accomplished. But perhaps for
that very reason--for one sees with differ
ent eyes at twelve and eighteen-my posi-
tion In the house had already begun to
seem unsatisfactory to me; and the morn
ing's words put it in, clearer light, since it
had been used as an argument against
Toms marrying. / knew that mother had
spoken honestly, believing that such a step
would not be for his happiness; but was
not he the best judge of thatP knew him,
if reflection should bring him round to her
opinion, to be perfectly capable 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 being turned against him now,
Still, 1t 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 man.
ner 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
Il was not in the least little bit literary
! had never even kept a journal, which is
saying a great deal for girl in her teens,
The " fine arts then, being out of the
question for me, what remained ? There
was some clerlship, or place in some
family, and-and there was Will Broom
/ ieyi
That may seem like going away from
the point, but 1t was not. was matter Of
fact, but could see well enough what was
going on right under my eyes, and had a
pretty clear idea Of what was bringing win
to the house so often as he had taken IA
coming lately, There was situation, .
then, that would give me the home life
liked best and felt myself best suited for
but would It answer in other respectsP
overcast the long seam ] was sewing twice
over, was so busy trying to make up my