The Republican journal., 1873-07-03

suppose IL was TINS that made mother fix
on Lefty as his choice When came into
the sitting room, l found a kind of ex-
animation going on. 1t was amusing to
anybody in the secret, as | was, to watch
mothers artful way of continually bringing
the conversation round, as if by chance
to bear on what she wanted to know
But it all amounted to nothing. either
Lefty was too good a tencer, or because
| she really had nothing to betrav. But
when Tom came home mother took good
care to mention that Lefty had called.
"What, the tonic ?" said Tom Too
bad missed her"
But for your choice being already
| made" said mother with Il covert scrutiny
| on her face, 81 dare say you might have
| had as much tonic rs yon liked"
But 90 on the homeopathic principle
| you know" answered Tom with a twinkle
| in his eye.
After that mothers belief in Lefty Is
guiltiness wavered. Her suspicious We're
| transferred from one to another of her ac-
quaintance, but always with the same un-
| satisfactory result.
'1t passes my mprehension, she said
to M, desparngly, one day. II am
positive could tell the right one by Toms
| face in minute, and yet have mentioned
everybody we know"
''Perhapsitis somebody we don't know
| | suggested; "some friend Of his we have
| never seen"
"What,a perfect stranger 3'' said mother
| sharply. "never 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 q week since Tom had hurled that
thunderbolt at us mother began about
it openly.
"When are you going TO introduce yom
wife to us, Tom suppose YOU have
come to an understanding by this time pr
''Oh, there's no hurry" Tom said, as
he had said before; but this time he did
not speak quite so cheerluly. ''The fact
is he continued, with q little hesitation
'there-there's Il rival in the case"
"A riyal?' repeated mother with un-
feeling briskness.
| Eyes, a young tellow-younger by a
good deal than am" and Toms face as
sumed an absnrdly dolelul look. 'He is
always there now. confess | don't see
my way clear | am waiting for her to
make up her mind"
"And she's waiting most likely, for You
to make up yours" said mother in her
| propensity to right matters, not realizing
that she was playing the enenly's game.
| ''There's something in that that never
occurred to me-" said Tom, his tace
| frightening. Mother saw her mistake
and made a counter-move at once.
'But the ways of my time are old
| fashioned now. Young ladies, now-a-
! days, take matters into their own bands
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 Tom
face; oh, dear, my unfortunate words y
''it she is an entire stranger, cannot pre-
tend to form any opinion of hero course. >
''Of course repeated Tom abscnti,
| "Not that | have any such idea" re-
| sumed mother, growing warmer; Il have
said and say again, that to bring u per-
| feet stranger under this roof is not my
opinion of you, Tom
| l felt mothers words like pins and
needles, for Tom was looking meditatiyply
across at me, and though that was inst 4
way OF his, it seemed now as il he were
reading in my face that the opinion was
mine, and that | mas med,lling in what
did not concern me. | felt myself, ion
very veXation, getting redder every mo-
ment till it grew intolerable.
at is so warm here" said for an ex-
cuse, turning toward the French window.
81 am going out to get Il breath of air"
| | went out into our little strip of garden
| ground. Tom followed. thought
never should have a better opportunity to
say what | had IN my mind to say, 50
waited for him by the bench under the old
pear tree. "Sit down here, Tom, | said,
| "Ive something to say to you"
"Have you?" said Tom; that's odd, fo1
| I-Well never mind that Just yet. What
| is it, May?"
Tom" / said, still surer now he had
misjudged me, and more resolved to sci
him right, II want 4 place"
GA place ?" repeated Tom, puzzled, as
well he might be, by this sudden and in
| definite announcement ''what kind of a
| place ?"
81 don't know" l said, for indeed, my
| ideas were of the vaguest. II thought
|
| things. Now, pray, Tom" | went on
| quickly, "don't fancy that | am discon-
tented, or--or anything OF that sort; the
truth is ever since left off school have
wanted something to do, and have had
it in my mind to speak to you about it,
With this | looked at Tom fearing he
might be vexed; but he did not look
vexed, only preoccupied
81 do know Il place, as it happens" he
said, after n while, "oniy am not sure
how it will suit you
''That's soon seem" said |, "What is
it like2"
| "Well, it's sort ol-of general useful
| ness
"Why, it must be to rum errands,"
said, laughing. 'And where is it Tom ?"
| "Well," said Tom, hestating again,
| ''it's with me-"
elbow very nicei' exclaimed. GLOW
soon can | have ?''
"The sooner the better, SO sar as | am
concerned" said Tom, and with that he
| turned round and looked at me, | knew
somehow, in moment, what it was he
meant; and knew too, both that | could
not have passed all my life with VIII
| BROMLEY and why lcould not.
am sure Lefty Walters, who inter
rupted us just then, must have thought
my wits were wandering that evening,
and, indeed, they were; for was com
| pletely dazed with this sudden turn things
had taken. Tom, who had the advantage
of me there, took it quite coolly, and
laughed and talked with Lefty Just the
same as ever till she went away.
1t was pretty late when we went IN.
Mother sat where we had left her knitting
in the twilight.
"Wasn't that Lefty Walters with you 4
while ago." she said, as we came up.
I eyes," said | with confused feeling
of an explanation of something being
necessary; "she just came to bring the
new crochet-pattern she promised me-"
"H'mn' said mother as much as to say
that she had her own ideas rs to what
Lefty came for.
Tom had been wandering about the
room in an absent sort of fashion, taking
up and putting down in the wrong places
all the small things that came in his way
He came and took a seat by mother
became of a sudden very busy with the
plants in the window; for l knew he was
| trOiptr tn toll har