Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-05-04

took me and father out rowing. Tom,
your mother saved my life."
Saved your lifel" echoed Tom,
who never in all his life heard of his
mothers doing anything before.
Tom, stupid and staring, was hur-
ried off in search OF the missing gar
ments. And meanwhile his mother
betook herself to making 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 va
rious articles of apparel, the two were
quietly slipping their tea together at
the old round table.
He did not return alone, however.
Following him came a tall, gray head
ed gentleman.
Here's fatherlv cried the girl.
springing forward. "Oh, father, this
good lady has saved my lifel'
Lady! The widow Minton wanted
to kiss the beautiful rosy lips that
pronounced the word"
"Well, my DEAR" said the old gen.
tleman, good -humoredly pinching the
plump cheek, "she has done it very
thoroughly. You certainly don't look
very near death just now"
Whereat the story, with due en-
largement and Variations, was told
him with pretty pout.
The father smiled, but also he fur
lively wiped away 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 as
full Of pranks as any dozen"
Bella playfully put her hand over
his mouth, Il won't have my charac-
ter traduced where they have been
so good to me-" she cried. "And, oh,
father, isn't this beautiful place
such view of the water! moan to
come down here every day and do
my sketching."
@I am afraid" said the sire, shaking
his head, "that this good lady will
have cause to wish she had thrown
you overheard"
"Oh. no, father. she likes me, and L
like her. And 1 have fallen in love
with Tom long ago, you know"
Tom blushed painfully. Some
thing strange and new stirred in his
mind. Compliments did not sweeten
his thoughts as they did his mothers,
for Tom had never seen better days,
and felt as il he were being made a
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 darllly brooding. or went OH
sileri itly to his fishing.
One morning Belle and her father
departed. Belle kissed the withered
cheek 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.
Il may have seen my best days.
said she, "but 1 haven't come down
to that yet. And if needed any re-
ward, have IL now," she added, as
she felt the hot bloom mhntling in
the cheek that Belle had kissed.
Long after the two had left, Tom
went about with cloud on his face,
and i'm his ears were ringing these
mocking words: I'm in love with
Tom" A disgust for his fishing life
and for himself and for all his miser
able surroundings OF poverty filled
the lads heart with an unwonted Bit
terness.
Mother" said he one day, as he
sat darkly brooding over the hearth,
you said you were born lady; why
didn't you make a gentleman of me?"
Il hadn't any money left when you
! came" said the widow briefly.
"Then it's money that makes peo-
pie gentlemen and ladies'"
Il don't know" said the widow,
puzzled" they somehow mostly have
it,"
One day Tom came and told her he
was going to sea. There had been a
mar down looking for hands, and he
had taken Tom gladly, for Tom was
a handy fellow at almost any kind OF
sea craft, and would soon make a
good seaman.
"And you must bide here patiently
till come back, mother; for il there's
better days anywhere, 1 shall bring
'em back with me, sure"
After that the sea looked bluer and
colder than ever, and the solitary
woman lived a sort of hermit's life.
No CHEEKY voice OF gossipiny neigh
bors lightened the dreary cabin, no
children prattled about her, and only
Belle, the bright, blithe hearted lassie
seemed to remember to cheer her
with a letter now and then. Belle
was away now, visiting some distant
friends. but in her kindly heart she
kept corner, it seemed, for the poor
old woman who had saved her life.
Three years-four-p away,
and daily OF summer evening you
might have seen the widow sitting in
her doorway, eager and hollow-eyed,
looking out for some possible ship
that might be Toms. Tom was not
a good correspondent, but occasion
ally up at the little postoffice a wan
dering epistle waited her trembling
hand. She was growing very old
and feeble now; but Tom was getting
up in the world, Tom was first mate
of his ship, Tom was a success, Tom
was a gentleman, and, OIL above all
things, Tom was coming homel
Not every one watches in vain,