Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-03-15

days. to see her worn-out gown don.
ned so handsomely by the bright las
sic.
"Thev have seen better days, tht
clothes, miss, and Til not deny thai
they've been i'm good company in
their time; but they're not fit for a
lady now
Her companion laughed, a pretty
mischievous laugh. She read the
weakness of her rescuer, and treated
ii tenderly.
"Whatever lady has worn is III
. for lady to wear" she said, and
forthwith wrapped herself. smiling,
in the old gray shawl.
And at that moment Tom, with his
red shirt cleaning in the setting sun,
and a string Of fish on his shoulder,
stood in the doorway.
lie stopped when he saw the guest
: standing upon the hcarthstone, a
bright fire behind her, and the kettle
boiling cheerily. She nodded to him
familiarly. Tom thought he must be
, dreaming.
Tom and are acquainted she
! said.
"Are you?" responded the aston
ished widow.
"Yes," said the girl. "Ive watched
Tom many time walking along the
shore with his red shirt, and once he
: took me and father out rowing. Tom.
yonr mother saved my life"
! "Saved your life!'' echoed Tom,
3 who never in his life heard OF his
!, mothers doing anything before.
Tom, stupid and staring, was hur-
tied off in search of the missing gar
ments. And meanwhile his mother
betook herself to making a cup of tea
for her protege. 1t was wonderful
how little warmth Of human feeling
had reused this woman to life and
activity again.
/ When Tom returned, laden with
various articles of apparel, the two
were quietly slipping their tea to-
gether at the old round table.
i He did not return alone. however.
Following him came tall, gray
headed gentleman.
"Here's father!' cried the girl.
springing forward. "Oh. father, this
good lady has saved my life :"
Lady The widow Minton wanted
to kiss the beautiful rosy lips that
I pronounced The words.
"Well, my dear" said the old gem
tleman. good-hnmoredly pinching
! the plump cheek. ''She has done il
very thoroughly. You certainly
don't look very near death just now"
! Whercat the story, with due en-
largement and variations, was told
him with pretty poni.
The father smiled. but also he fur
lively wiped away u tear
"Well, madam" said he. courteous
ly, "acccpt my cordial thanks for
looking after my little madcap Belle.
She's my only child, you see, and as
full Of pranks as any dozen.
Belle playfully put her hand over
his mouth, 81 won't have my charac-
ter traduced where they have been so
good to me-" she cried.' "And oh.
fsther, isn't this a beautiful place
such a view Of the water! mean to
come down here every day and do
/ my sketching."
his head. sthai this good lady will
have cause to wish She had thrown
you overheard
ooh. no. father she likes me. aud
like her. And I've fallen in love with
Tom long ago, yOu know
Tom blnshed painfully. Something
strange and new stirred in his mind.
Compliments did not swcelen his
thoughts as they did his mothers. for
4 Tom had never seen better days, and
felt as if he were being made a jest
of.
A week passed. during which The
young girl strolIed almost daily to the
cabin. When she was there Tom sell
dom entered the honsr. liz had
J grown shy and snlky; he sal on the
shore darkly brooding, or Went of
; silently to his fishing.
One morning Belle and her father
departed. Belle kissed the withered
!. check of her friend, and that was all.
. For when mention had been made of
, helping substantially, the widow had
! drawn herself sharply up. all the
lady shining in her eye.
II may have seen my best days.
, said She "but haven't come down to
that yet. And if l needed any re-
ward, | have il nnw." she added, as
she felt the hot blood mantling in
. tblt tuCCh tllitt 1btllc Ilsttk hlSStu.
Long after the two had left, Tom
went about with cloud on his face.
. and in his ears were ringing these
|. mockimg words: I'm in love with
Tom" A disgust for his fishing life
, and for himself and for all their mis-
: cradle surroundings of poverty filled
the lads heart with an nnwonted
/. bitterness.
"Mother.' said he one day, as he
sat darkly brooding over the hearth,
| ''you said you were a bOru lady !;
5 why didn't you make gentleman
5 of me 7"
2 Il hadn't any money letl when YOU
) came" said the widow briefly.
"Then its money that makes peo-
. Pile gentlemen and ladies'"
e II don't know" said the widow.
h puzzled, "they somehow mostly have
, il.
c One day Tom came and told her
IA he was going to sea. There had
1 been a man down looking for hands,
and he took Tom gladly, for Tom
a was handy fellow at almost any
Q kind OF sea craft and would soon
4 make good seaman.
anu Nbtl bldC mere
l. till come back, mother: for.if there's
/ better days anywhere, shall bring
9 EN- with me, sure.
i Aiier that the sea looked bluer and
s colder than ever, and the solitary
Y woman lived a sort Of herniit's life,
o No checry voice OF gossiping neigh
g bor lightened the dreary cabin. nc
4 children praitled about her, and on.
Q " Belle. the bright, blithe-hcarted
h lassic, seemed 10 remember 10 cheer
her with a letter now and then
Il Belle was away now, visiting somi
A distant friends, but IN her kindly
a heart she kept q corner, II seemed
|. FOR the poor old woman who had
d saved her life.
Three years--ionr-passcd away
l. and daily OF a Summer afternoon 70,
II light have seen the widow sitting
a in her doorway, eager and hollow
r eyed, looking out for some possibl,
T. ship that might be Toms. Tom wa
IL not a good correspondent, hut occa
1t sionally up al the little Post Office
K wandering epistle awaited her trem
0. bling hand. She was growing yer.
~ old and feeble now; but Tom wa
l. getting up in tho world, Tom wa
q, first mate OF his ship, Tom was ;
Ii success, lom was a gentleman, am
= oh. above all things. Tom was com
le ing home.
l. Not every one waits in vail, ,thoug|
il we may always ba looking in tn
" right direction. It Waa4 10 with tn
Ip widow. A che sat one day, wit
Il, straiuing eye gazing on far.off sun.li
ly satls, and seeing how some, alas, too
g, wing farther land farther away. tn
G, doorway darkened suddenly. ther
y came rushing in upon her. as ii drol
as ped from the clouds. plump. dark
eyed, rosy checked lady. who fun
ie herself into the arms of the waiche
ri with a cry Of JOY.
,e "Oh, mother F. she exclaimed. In
III snbbing, half laughing-"oh. mother
le don't you know me. Why. I'm Tom
wife, and I've brought the Captai