The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-12-31

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old round table.
He did not return alone, however.
Following him came tall gray headed
gentleman.
'.Here's father" cried the girl.
springing forward. sob. father, this
good lady has saved my life"
Lady. The widow Minton wanted to
kiss the beautiful rosy lips that pro-
nounced the words.
"Well, my dear" said the old gen
tleman, good-humoredly pinching the
plump cheek, "she has done il very
thoroughly. You certainly don't look
like death just now
Whereat the story, with due enlarge
ment and variation, was told him with
a pretty pout.
The father smiled, but also he fur
lively wiped away a tear.
"Well, madam, " said he courteous
", ..accept my cordial thanks for look
ing after my little madcap Belle She's
my only child, You see, and a full of
pranks as any dozen"
Belle playfully put her hand over his
mouth. 81 won't have my character
traduced where they've been 50 good To
me-" she cried. ''And, oh, father, isn't
this beautiful place-such view Of
the water. mean To come down here
every day and do my sketching"
sim afraid" said the sire, shaking
his head, - that this good lady will have
cause to wish she had thrown YOU over
board"
"Oh no, father; she likes me, and
like her. And I've fallen in love with
Tom long ago, YOU know
Tom blushed painfully. Something
strange and new stirred in his mind.
Compliments did not sweefen his
thoughts as they did his mothers, for
Tom had never seen better days, and
felt as il he was being made n Jest Of
A week passed, during which the
young girl strolled almost daily TO the
cabin. When she was there Tom seldom
entered the house. He had grown shy
and sulky; he sat on the shore darkly
brooding, or went off silentlyto his fish /
ing.
One morning Belle and her father de 1
parted. Belle kissed the withered cheek 4
of her friend, and that was all. For I
when mention had been made Of help 4
ing her substantially, the widow had I
drawn herself sharply up, all the lady
shining in her eve.
- may have seen my best days"
she said, but | haven't come down to
that yet And if | needed any reward.
I've had il now she added, A. she felt
the soft blood mantling in the cheek
that Belle had kissed
Long after the two had left. Tom
went about with q cloud on his face.
and in his ears were ringing those
hooking words, "I'm in love with
Tom" A disgust for his fishing life
ings of poverty filled the lads heart
with an unwonted bitterness.
Mother. T" said he one day, As be "a:
darkly brooding over the hearth. "vOu
said YOU were a born lady: why didn't
you make a gentleman Of me?-
81 hadn't any money left when YOU
came. said the widow. briefly.
Then its money that makes peo-
pie gentlemen and ladies'
~ don't KNOW said the widow.
puzzled "they somehow mostly have
Il. "a
One day Tom came and told Ter he
was going to sea. There had been
man down looking for hands. and DE-
had taken Tom gladly. for Tom was
handy fellow AZ almost any kind of sea
craft, and would soon make good ca I
man.
"And yOn must just bidc here patient
IN till | come back, mother: for II .
there's better days anywhere. shall ;
bring em with me, be sure
~. -. -.a f..l.I If.,.. Z F,
colder than ever, and the solitary wom- (;
an lived a sort If hermit's life. No |
CHEEKY voice Of gossiping neighbor |
Iighiened the drearv cabin, no children [
prattled about her; and only Belle, the I
bright. blithe-hcarted lassie. seemed to 4
to cheer her with letter {
now and then. Belle was away now Wis {
ting some distant friends, bat ia her /
kindly heart she kept corner. Il seem ,
"a. for the poor old woman who had {
saved her life. S
Three yearS-four-pasSed away, and 2
daily Of summer afternoon YOU might !
have seen the widow sitting in her door J
way, eager and hollow-eycd, looking I
Dut for some possible ship that might I
be Toms. Tom wa. not a good cor :
NNt OCCASIONALLY w ~ INT
little Posi-ofiice wandering epistlc /
waited her trembling hand. She was !
growing very old and feeble now; but
Tom was getting up in the world, Tom
vas first mate Of his ship. Tom was a
success, Tom. was gentleman, and oh.
above all things. Tom was coming
nome!
Not every one watches in vain. though /,
We may not always be looking in the I,
light direction. 1t was SO with the !,
widow A. she sat one day, with strain |,
NO eve gazing on far-off sun-lit sails, |
md seeing how some II them lowered !,
~ III, .....L- =