Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-09-03
Toms Wife.

lux Miluf dui luuhtA aNlur5 AZ HiNNANis
Aunt Anne, think LII take q wife, "
he said, exactly as he might have said, /
think I'll take another cup of coffee
take a wlel" repeated mother, by no
means receiving the information as tran
quilly as it had been given. "What fort"
"Well, | don't know" answered Tom,
thoughtfully. " It's a notion I've got in
my head somehow"
"All nonsense 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 wife, After all
these years we have lived so comfortably
together, to bring home somebody to turn
the house upside down And then, what's
to become Of that poor child?"
The "poor child that was l-reddon-
ing at being brought into the argument in
this way, was about to speak for herself
when Tom interposed warmly
"lm sure May knows | would never
have any wife who would make it less o
home for her--don't you, May %
"Of course" | said.
"And I'm sure she knows nothing Of the
sort" persisted mother, "nor you either,
Tom Dean. How can you answer for what
a wife may take into her head to do, once
you get her fixed here2 You can't 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 thor
oughly uncomfortable. But, for all that,
intend to keep her-that is" added Tom,
with one of his short-sighted blinks side
ways at me, "as long as she'll stay with
me, eh, May And whoever has anything
to say against that arrangement will have
to go out Of my house to say it--not that
I'm afraid Of any such result in this case
and, on the whole Aunt Anne, | should
like to try the experiment
Mother smiled grimy, but Tom was so
evidently bent on his experiment" as he
called it, that she gave up the argument.
"You can dance, if you are ready to pay
the piper" she said shortly. And, pray.
how soon do you mean to be married ?"
Toms face fell a little at this question.
"Well," said he, " can't say exactly.
| 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
mnch given to the idle mirth that is as the
cracking of thorns under pot, but now she
leaned back and laughed ill 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, and you never
will be, Tom Dean. But, at least, you
have fixed on the ady2"
Oh, yes" answered Tom "but, il
you will excuse me, Aunt Anne, | would
rather not say any thing about her just
: yet for if--if any thing should happen
it wouldn't be pleasant for either party
you know" With which yelled allusior
to his possible rejection, Tom took his hat
and left the room.
Our household was rather queerly pu
together. There was no particular reasor
why should have been of it at all, for
was not really related to Tom, nor even tt
MOTHER" as | called her, though | an
sure we were as dear to each other as any
! mother and daughter could be. She wa
' the second wife of my father, who, lik'
e most ministers, had been richer in grac,
G than 10 goods, and had left US at his deatl
t with very little to live oD. Then it wa
f that Tom Dean had come forward, and in
s sisted on giving a home to his aunt and t.
a me, whom he had scarcely seen a dozei
u times in his life before That was exaotl,
5 like Tom queer Tom Dean as hi
}, friends were fond of saying, who neye
J. did any thing like anybody else" | sup
IS pose, in spite Of his clear head for bust
,, ness, there is no denying that he was whim
i steal but | am sure, when | think Of hi
= unfailing generosity and delicacy, | can
y help wishing there were a few more sue
Il whimsical people in the world. Naturally
;, at the time am speaking Of, my opinio
d had not been asked all had to do was t
e 90 where mother went, and, while she CAV
IS her energies to the house keeping, Civ
5 mine to growing up, which by this time
is had pretty well accomplished. But perhap
!. for that very reason-for one sees with dill
# ferent eyes at twelve and eighteen--my pc
IS siton in the house had already begun
l. seem unsatisfactory to me and the morn
% iDg's words put it in clearer light, sine
i il had been used as an argument agans
!. Toms marrying. knew that mother ha
7. spoken honestly, believing that such ste
n would not be for his happiness but wa
h not he the best Judge of that ? kne'
IT him, if reflection should bring him round
ID her opinion, to be perfectly capable Q
e quietly sacrificing his own wishes for m
Il sake, who had not the shadow of a claiI
rs on him T: so it must be my part TO prever
d his own kindness being turned against hiI
e now. Still, it was not so easy to see ho'
lie | was to provide for myself in case
s, should become advisable. What could
8, dot Draw and sing gand play tolerably, bu
/. not in a manner to compete with the hosl
le that would be in the field against me, Lii
sr erature2 had read so many stories who's
ii heroines, with turn Of the pen. dashe
Of into wealth and fame. That would be yer
y nice, only-l was not the least little bit III
c. erary had never even kept journa
Y, which is saying a great deal for girl
or her teens. The fine arts, then, being OF
Of of the question for me, what remained
IS There was some clerkship, or a place
some family, and--and there was Wi
Broomly