The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1875-06-03
BLESsEDNEsS: :
Single, BOubIe, ana Triple.

BLESSEDNESS:
Single, BOubIe, and Triple.
'T will never marry, never" said
William Blake to his father q pa
tient, weary looking old man, with
grey hair streaking across his bowed
head. He answered, refiectiyely,-
"Well, i think you're right there
are men that can manage women,
but your mother has been too much
for me.D
sit seems half selfish in me to go
off and leave you alone with her but
what can one do, with WORK that
wants planning, aud that continual
seolding in ones ears ?p
L.sIts the crying fits that master me,
though" said Mr.. Blake, ewhen she
sits snif-sniifling into her apron I;
looking at me that reprOachful, till
Pm half brought to believe that 1
have committed murder, or some
thing in my sleep"
81 sometimes think, do You know,
father, that in thoseitimes it is that
she Is sorry for her temper, is,-in
IactI repentlng."
'It's an awfully unpleasant, unfair
kind of penitence, then but l don't
know, she's been buzzing in my ears
50 long, that l get fairly bothered
sometimes, and don't feel clear about
anything"
fPi ten you what you must do
when she gets past bearing; just
Come ofto me It won't be fair, you
know"
$50 will, my boy +; so I will"
Accordingly, the next morning,
when Mrs. Blake began the day with
prophetic Indications OF being what
she called upset." her husband pre-
pared to escape, greatly to her dis
pleasure. She had resented Will's
removal and "setting up for himself; )"
but then, as Mr.. Blake remarked,
"she conldn't be any erosser than she
was BEFORE" so he departed in COM
parative comfort. rfs
Wiips room was poor little place.
He was not earning much as yet, and
he said, anything does for ones self"
with desOlate air that somewhat
cOntKadicted his philosophy of loneli-
ness still, his work improved won-
derfully, aud in that he was always
happy. Will was designer of mould
iiIes. tliJ iuaiIEiI
Mr.. Blake found him busily stitch
ing at sn old coat.
Turned tailor, Will ?" he asked.
'"Tisn't work enough for q tailor,
and am afraid my bungllng would
not pass for one, either. tried glue,
but somehow it wouldn't answer, and
one must keep ones self decent look
ing. l am going after orders, by and
by"
"Women is of some use, arter all, IL
they wasn't such unreasonable crea-
lures" said the father, with an in
voluntary glance at the table, which
looked rather like the wreck of a
kitchen, heaped up, as it was, with
little of everything.
Will was accustomed to have all his
tools round him in his work, and so
had gradually gathered the household
together TN the same
fashion.
1--WE will have break fast presently
he said sit would have been ready
before, only while 1 was gone for
loaf the kettle boiled over"
at won't do that this time" said
Mr.. Blake, lifting the tilted vessel
from the fire
"Why ?n
"See !U
Then they both laughed Will had
forgotten to put in the water.
But the blunders were soon reme-
died (; there was no Que to seOld over
them.
Father and son were chatting pleas
artiy over the end OF their meal,
when a young voice was heard on the
landing outside, calling, "Willie, Will
lie.D
"Made friends. already ?'' asked
Mr.. Blake, looking up, surprised.
"No, it is somebody that lodges
overhead, her little brother had run
off down stairs. He seems to give
her a deal of trouble, but she never
speaks any sharper than that"
= "DOn't she now? It's wonderful
pleasant sounding voice." III
By and by it seemed that the cul-
prit was hunted up the stairs home
Rgain a merry hunt, with much
laughing on both sides, and, as they
passed Willis door, a quieter "Willie,
Willie."
Mr.. Blake looked strangely reflec-
tive. "I haven't heard anybody say
willie in just that cooling, careful
way, not since my sister that died
she was just like mother to me it's
a terrible long while ago."
HThese two are much the same.
They live alone she minds him and
keeps him, and sends him to school,"
"You seem to know all about her,
WILL"
"All am likely to know. I have
not seen her. There are no strangers
like fellow dodgers, and she is not the
kind of girl to meet one on the stairs,
accidentally, for the purpose.
That was how your mother and l
got acquainted"
1'I did not know that, father.u
Will spoke with an air OF regretful
apology that was understood and ac-
cepted, but silently
Dreamily, in the hush of old mem
ories. the father walked away to mis-
work.
Will sat down before the window,
to finish some drawings, but the thick
square pencil made idle marks, while
the eyes that should have guided it
Sought the only bit of nature within
IsighT-the strip of changing sky be-
tween the housetops. Many a bold
design had come from those sweeping
cloud kaleidoscopes. None came now.
Will was musing. How could q man
work, with that sweetly jmperi0us
"Willie, Willie" ringing 10 his ears
| It was a worse distraction than his
mothers scOlding, for he could not be
sure that he really wanted to forget
tnis. -+-f
'I am glad have never seen her,"
he said, with long breath that did
not sound like cOntsnE Then he
tried to say, "Willie," in her tones,
and, as look of impatient disgust
marked his consciousness OF failure,
he put on his cap and went out.
| 9 The haunting voice became u pres
ence, all too soon. As Will came
home she met him in the passage a
little, swift gliding figure, with soft
dark eyes set in pale, fair face.
f'Not bit like mother" he thought,
with curious feeling of satisfaction !;
but as she passed, he saw that her
Eeyes were humid with fear and grief.
"What is the matter ?' he asked,
involuntarily.
| seWiIIie cholera the doctor Z"
she answered, rushing by, into the
street that was wet with stormy
rain. -r.. ..s
HStay 1. can go faster," cried Win
following her. "You go back to your
brother" She obeyed at once with
the quick doeility Of 9 gentle intelii-
gence and he thought again, mother
would have talked for an hour.n
The doeteF came soon, but not soon
| enough. Willie was very i'll.
Bravely the little fellow struggled,
but the foe was too strong for him.
"Strange,t the doctor muttered inn
1 patiently !; "the last cases are so often
the worst. I thought it was oyer for
this year, ---F
a week before another lOdger in the
same house, gluttouOus man, had
made himself i'll feasting on mussles
and plums and beer he recovered,
but the poison thus brought into the
house fastened on the weakest there.
rhe child died. There was nothing
more TO be done for him. All at once,
for the first time In his little life,
Willie wanted-nOtEing not even
sister. She went about her necessary
work with an oppressive, beWildering