The Van Buren press., 1873-08-05
Toms Wife

We had Just finished breakfast, Tom
laid down the egg spoon he had been
playing with, and looked across at his
mother.
Aunt Anne, | think I'll take wife -
he said exactly as he might have said
think I'll take another cup Of coffee.
Take a wite2' repeated mother by
no means receiving the information as
TRANQUILITY as it had been given. What
for p
well, don't know" answered Tom,
thoughtfully. It's notion I've got in
my head, somehow.
al nonsense' ~ said mother, sharply.
" DO you think so ~ said Tom, appar
emily doubtful, but not in the least put
out.
Think so? know it. What in The
world can you want Of n wife ? After all
these years we have lived so comfortably
together, to bring home somebody to
turn tho house upside down, And,then,
what's to become Of that poor child? p
The poor child that was red
dening at being brought INTO the argu-
mcnt in this way, was about to speak for
herself when Tom mterposed, warmly:
I'm sure May knows | would never
have any wife who would make it less a
home for her-don't you, May -
"Of course said l.
"And I'm sure she knows nothing Of
the sort pei sisted mother, "nor you
either, Tom Dean How can yoa an
swcr for what wife may take it into her
head to do, once you get her fixed here
You cant expect her to forget, as you
do, that May has no real claim on you.
That | have no real claim on her, |
suppose you mean, ma'am, Tom put IN
for the second time, just as / was getting
thoroughly uncomfortable But, for
all that | intend to keep hcr-that is,
added Tom, with one Of his short sight.
ed blinks sideways at me, las long as
she'll stay with me, ell, May? And who
ever has anything to say against that ar
rangcment will have to go out OF my
house to say it--not that I'm afraid Of
anv such result in this case and, on the
whole, Aunt Anne, should like to try
the experiment.
Mother smiled grimly, but Tom was
so evidently bent on his experiment,
as he called it, that she gave up the ar
gument.
You can dance, if you're ready TO
pay the piper, " she said, shortly. And'
pray, how soon do you mean to DO mar
ricd p
Toms face fell a little at this question.
"Well, said he, " | cant say exactly.
| suppose we shall have to be engaged
first
What said mother, opening her
eyes; "why, you never mean 70 say
Tom, you haven't spoken to her yotF
"Not yet, " answered Tom, cheerfully
Time enough for that, you know, after
| had spoken to you.
Mother, as minister's widow, snot
much given to idle mirth that Is as tae
cracking of thorns under pot but now
she leaned back and laughed till the tears
stood in her eyes.
"Well, " she said if it was anybody
else, ! should say he was cracked; but
YOU never were like other people, ana
You never will be, Tom Dean. But at
least. YOU have fixed on the lady 2
"Oh, yes" answered Tom; "but II
you will excuse me, Aunt Anne, would
rather not say anything about her just
vet. for, if-if anything should happen
il wouldn't be pleasant for either party
Won know" With which vciled allusion
to his possible rejection, Tom took his
hat, and left tho room.
Our household was rather qucerly puI
together There is no practical reason
why | should have been of 1t ut all; Tor
was not really related to Tom, nor even
TO mother, 4" as called her, though /
am sure we were as dear to each othei as
any mother and daughter could be- sue
was tho second wife Of my father who
ike most ministers, had been richer III
Grace than in goods, and bad lelt US al
his death with very little to live on lhen
il was that Tom Dean had conc forward
and insisted on giving home 10 ms
amt and to me, whom he had scarcely
seen a dozen times in his life before
That WAS exactly like rom-" queer 1 ON
Dean. +" rs his friends were ford OF say
ina who never did anything like any
! ii. ia. 90 auppnSc, in slltc pl ms