Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-07-04

morning words put II In a clearer light
since Il had been used as an argument
against Toms marrying. I knew that
mother had spoken honestly, believing
that such step would not be for his hap
| piness but was not he the best Judge OF
that? knew him, If reflection should
bring him round TO her opinion, to be per-
fectly capable of quietly sacrificing his
own wishes for my sake, who had not the
shadow of claim on him. so 1t must be
my part to prevent his own kindness be-
ing turned against him now. Still, IL was
not so easy to see how was to provide for
myself, in case it should become advisa-
BILE. What could l do? Draw and sing,
and play tolerably, but not in manner to
compete with the hosts that would be in
the field against me. Literature? I had
read so many stories whose heroines, with
n turn of the pen, dashed into wealth and
fame. That would be very nice, only--J
was not the least bit literary; had never
even kept journal, which is saying
great deal for girl in her teens. The "fine
arts" then, being out of the question for
me, what remained? There was some
clerkship or place in some family, and
there was VIII BROMLEY
| That may seem like going away from
the point, but it was not. I was matter-of-
fact, but could see we'll enough what was
going on right under my eyes, and had
pretty clear idea of what was bringing Will
to the house so often as he had taken 10
coming lately. There was a "situation,"
len, that would give me the home-life 1
| Ii ked best, and felt myself best suited for
but would it answer in other respects? 1
overcast the long seam l was sewing twice
over, was so busy trying to make up my
mind whether liked Will BROMLEY well
enough to pass my whole life with him
and even then l had not come TO any de-
cision, when 1 was called down stairs to
Lefty Walters.
Lefty was the prettiest, l think, of all my
| friends and certainly the livelest. Tom
called her the "tonic," and used to laugh
heartily at her bright speeches. 1 suppose
| it was this that-made mother fix on Lefty
as his choice. When I came into the sit
| ting room found a kind of cross examin-
alton going on. 1t was amusing TO any
body in the secret, as l 'ras, to watch moth
| er's artful way of continually bringing the
conversation round, as if by chance, to
| bear on what she wanted to know. But it
all amounted 10 nothing, either because
Lefty was too good fencer, or because she
had nothing to betray. Bat when Tom
came home, mother took care to mention
that Lefty had called.
"What, the ionic?" said Tom. "Too
| bad missed her,
"But for your choice being already
made" said mother, with a covert scrutiny
of his face, ~ dare say you might have as
m uch tonic as you liked.''
"But go on the homeopathic principle,
you know" answered Tom, with twink
| lie in his eye.
Alter that mothers belief in Letty's
outlines wavered. Her suspicious were
transferred from one to another of our ac-
| quaintances but always with the same un
satisfactory result.
at passes my comprehension" she said
to me, despairingly, one day. 81 am posi-
| tive could tell the right one by Toms
face in minute, and yet l have mention
ed every one we know.
"Perhaps it is somebody we don't know"
/ suggested "some friend of his we have
never seem"
"W hat ! a perfect stranger?' said moth
| er sharply. "Neyer talk TO me, child;
| Toms not capable of that!'
was silent, for did not want TO worry
her but that was my opinion all the same.
| That same evening-it was rather more
than week since Tom had hurled that
| thunderbolt at us-mother began about it
openly.
"When are you going to introduce your
wife TO us, Tom? I suppose you have
co me 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 quito so cheerfuly. "The fact is"
he con tinued, with a little hesitation, "there
there's rival in the case.'
"A rival?" repeated mother, with unfeel-
| ing briskness.
Eyes, young felow-younger by a
| good deal, than am," and Toms face as
sumed an absurdly doleful look. HE is
always there now. l confess I don't see
my way clear. I'm waiting orher 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.
There's something in that that never
occurred 20 me-" said Tom, his face bright
ening. Mother saw her mistake, and made
a counter move al once.
''But the ways of my time are oldfash-
ioned 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
/ am in the habit of seeing; but If this one
Is a stranger to me"-(here mother riveted
her eyes on Toms face oh, dear, my un-
fortunate words y If she is an entire strang-
er, cannot pretend to form any opinion of
her, of course"
"Of COURSE" repeated Tom, absently.
"Not that have any such idea," resum-
ed mother, growing warmer; ~ have said
and say again, that TO bring perfect strang-
er under this roof is not my opinion of you,
| Tom"
l felt mothers words like so many pins
and needles; for Tom was look ing medita-
lively across to me, and, though that was
just way of his. 1t seemed now as If he
were reading in my face that the opinion
was mine, and that was meddling in what
did not concern me. 1 felt myself for very
vexation, getting redder every moment till
1t grew intolerable.
at is so warm here" said for an ex-
use, turning toward the French window,
81 am going out to get breath of air."
l went ont into our Iii tile strip of garden
ground; Tom followed. thought should