Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-11-20
The Sturp Teller.
TOMS WIFE.

we nau Just uuIslieu VI Ao'i' A.
down the egg.spoon he had been playing with
and looked across at mother.
"Aunt Annie, l think I'll take wife" ne
said, exactlyas he might have said. Il think
III take another cup of coffee"
"Take wife" repeated mother, by nc
means receiving the information as TRANQUILITY
as it had been given. "What for?"
"Well, don't know" answered Tom,
thoughtfully. "It's notion I've got in my
head, somehow"
"All nonsense I! said mother, sharply.
"Do YOU think so ?" said Tom, apparently
doubtful, but not in the least put out
"Think so ? know it. What in the world
can YOU want of a wife? After all these years
we have lived so comfortably together, to
bring home somebody to turn the house up.
side down! And then what is to become OF
that poor child?"
The poor child-that was I-reddening at
being brought into the argument in this way,
was about to speak for herself, when Tom in
terposed warmly:
"I'm sure May knows I would never have
any wife who would make it less home tor
her-don't you, May?"
"Of course" said I.
"And I'm sure she knows nothing of the
SORT" persisted mother, "nor you either, 1om
Dean. How can you answer for what wife
NAV take it into her head to do, once you get
her fixed here? You can't expect her to for
get, as you do, that May has no real claim on
you"
"That have no real claim on her, l sup
pose YOU mean, ma am" Tom put in for the
second time, Just as I was getting thoroughly
uncomfortable. "But, for all that, intend to
keep her-that u.s." added Tom, with one of
his short-sight blnks sideways at me, "as long
as she'll stay with me, eh, May? And who
ever has anything to say against the arrange
ment will have to 60 out Of my house to say
it-not that I'm afraid of any such result in
this case-and, on the whole, Aunt Annie, |
should like to try the experiment"
Mother smiled grimly, but Tom was so evl,
IDENTIFY 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. "And, pray, how
soon do you mean to be married p
Toms face fell little at this question.
"Well," said he, IL can't say, exactly. l
suppose we shall have to be engaged first"
"Whatw said mother, opening her eyes;
"why, you never mean to say, Tom, you
haven't spoken to her yet?'
"Not yet," answered Tom, cheerfully.
"Time enough for that, you know, after had
spoken to you"
Mother, as a 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.
"Weli," she said, elf it was anybody else, I
should say he was cracked but you never were
like other people, and you never will be, Tom
Dean. But, at least you have fixed on the
lady,"
"Oh! yes" answered Tom "but, if you
will excuse me, Aunt Annie, would rather
not say anything about her, just yet; for, if
anything should happen, it wouldn't be pleas
ant for either party, you know" With this
yelled allusion to his possible rejection, Tom
took his hat and left the room.
Our household was rather queerly put to-
gether. There was no particular reason why
I should have been of it at all for was not
really related to Tom, nor even to "mother,"
as called her, though am sure we were as
dear to each other as mother and daughter
could be. She was the second wife OF my
father, who, like most ministers, had been
richer in grace than in goods, and had lett US
at his death with very little to live on. Then
it was that Tom Dean had come forward, and
insisted on giving a home to his aunt and me,
whom he had scarcely seen dozen times in
his life before. That was exactly like Tom
"queer Tom Deau," as his friends were fond
of saying, "who never did anything like any
body else" suppose, in spite of his clear
head for business, there was no denying he was
whimsical; but am sure, when | think OF
his unfailing generosity and delicacy, | can't
help wishing there were a few more such
whimsical people in the world. Naturally, at
the time I am speaking of, my opinion had
not been asked; all had to do was to 60
where mother went, and while she gave her
energies to the housekeeping, gave mine to
growing up, which by this time had pretty
we'll accomplished But perhaps for that
very reason-for one sees with different eyes
at twelve and eighteen-my position III the
house began to seem unsatisfactory to me !;
and the words that morning had put it in a
clearer light since it had been used as an ar
gument against Toms marrying | knew
mother had spoken honestly, believing that
such a step would not be for his happiness
but was not he the best judge of that? |
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 shadow of claim on him
so it must be my part to prevent his kindness
being turned against him now. Still, it was
not 80 easy to see how I was to provide for
myself, in case it should become advisable.
What could 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? l had read SO
many stories whose heroines, with turn OF
the pen, dashed into wealth and fame. That
would be very nice, onl VI was not the least
bit literary l had never even kept journal,
which is saying great deal for girl in her
teens. The "Gne arts" then, being out of the
question for me, what remained? There was
some clerkship, or a place in some family
and There was Will BROMLEY!
That may seem like going away from the
point, but it was not. l was matter-of'fact
but could see well enoug n 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 to coming late.
lv. There was situation" then, that would
Give me the home-lfe liked best and felt my
self best suited for; but would it answer in
other respects? overcast the long seam
was sewing twice over, l was so busy trying
to make up my mind whether liked Wlll
BROMLEY we'll enough to pass my whole lie
with him and even then / had not come tc
,,lon T ,poc "a He'd down stairs