The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1876-11-16

AOOm ~ 6lO VIC VI aoo- a ACOCE'
. piece OF furniture, to outward view
bureau, but the Initiated frequenter o
Abers apartments nothing more o.
less than turn-up bedstead in which
the father himself slept aud 1t re
fiected its brightness upon the side
board, with its ornaments OF ware, ,
: few books, and the old-fashioneC
: Work-box, 30 many relics dear to Abe
and his daughter among others, ,
! tiny baby's shoe, once worn by tina
! boy (nOw dead) on whom Abel hsC
, lavisheI such q wealth OF paternal
love.
t'Wby, you're rather late, father
amt you ?" inquired the girl, starting
to her feet and giving old Abel such 9
sounding kiss that it might almost
have been heard on the pavement
outside, il anybody had been curiOu;
enough to listen. ''I've been home q
long time"
"Well, Polly, I've been to the saw
iDgs bank, and afterWard to Alder.
mRubury-you know where. It took
five pound ten I; and Mr.. Baker, jr.,
spoke so kindly that the time slipped
by, and twas o'clock before l knew
where L was, a most"
"Heaven bless Mr.. Baker for those
kind words !" responded Polly, giY'
ing her father g. yner hearty KISS as
she un wound tine wooden comforter
encirciiug his neck. Then, after q
pause, she asked "Does not that
make ninety pounds you have paid ?'i
"Yes, ninety pounds. It's q good
deal, ain't it All saved, too, by you
and me. Polly"
80, father, / don't do much to it.
II you weren't to deprive yourself oi
comforts, why, we shouldn't have
paid off twenty OF it,"
"Don't say that, Polly. II It was
not for your earnings how could put
my wages into the savings bank, as 1
do nearly every month ?"
"Well, papa dear, you know it's
only you I've got to live for" said
the girl archly.
"What's that you say ?'' replied old
Abel, highly pleased with his daugh-
ter's remark, but determined not to
be hoodwinked. "How about Tom
Smith Dye mean to say you don't
care for him ?"
"Hush Don't speak so loud"
Polly blushed, and looked half
frightened toward that corner OF the
room where the big bureau cast its
shadow.
"Why, there's nobody can hear"
ayes, father, the children might,
and children sometimes make lot of
mischief" observed that little wise.
acre, Polly. Then with q desperate
Intention Of changing the subject, she
said
"You must have great coat this
winter, or you are sure to have the
rheumstics, as you had 'em last year.
Oh, I saw q beauty in the HOrseferry
road to-night-so thick, with nice
warm lining inside, and the price only
eighteen shillings. Second hand, of
course, but almost as good as new"
''Oh, I think 1 can do without it
this year. Let's save the eighteen
shillings and send 1t to Mr.. Baker,
jt."
mo, l shsn't allow anything OF The
sort. I'm just as anxious as you to
pay our debts, but I'd rather work my
tingers to bones than that you should
suffer another year as you did last"
"And l. too" added strong, man.
ly voice, which seemed to issue from
Mr.. Webb's sleeping place.
Polly gave a shrek, then burst into
q ringing laugh, that seemed 10 fill
the room with Joyous harmony, like
the sound of bells upon q frosty
night and Abel, turning suddenly in
his chair, saw the burly form Of Tom
Smith emerge from the dusky cor
ner.
"Hallo, Tom :" shouted Abel. $50
you've been listening. Well, luckily,
you amt heard no secrets. 1 suppose
you are one of those children that
make mischief. as Polly says"
This retaliation upon his daughter
struck WebD as such an extraordinary
masterpiece of witticism, that he
fairly roared with laughter. By and
by Tom Smith roared too; and when
he had had his laughter out, finding
that AbeFs attention was still en-
crossed by the wOndrous joke, seized
the opportunity to throw his arms
around Polly's waist, at which the
damsel, who did not like being laugh
ed at, told the devoted lover to 'adone
and not be so silly"
"Well, what brings you here ?" in
quired Abel.
"Why, father, he saw me home,
and brought the cucum Der for a pres
ent."
"My stars, that's q beauty I'm
much obliged to you, Tom for there's
nothing like better. Some say cow
cumbers amt good, that you ought to
peel 'em nicely and then fling 'em
out the window but taken with
little OF the rind on, 8 bit OF Injun
and lots Of pepper, Idon't think there's
much harm In iem-leastWise they
don't harm me-" And apparently
cucumbers were thoroughly innocuous
to Mr.. Webb, who speedily drew his
chair up to the table, aud began to
ply his knife and fork with q will.
Mr.. Tom Smith considerably wait
ed until his old friend had completed
his repast, and then explained the OBJ
ject Of his visit. Polly, who was
busy clearing the supper table, want.
ed to leave the room, but her betrOth-
ed wouldn't hear OF such thing, and
by-and-by that gallant swain exercis- 1
ed his influence with such marked
success that all aglow with blushes,
she wss induced to take q seat upon
the foot stool between the two men,
Of whom it would be hard to say
which loved her best.
"You know, Mr. Webb, Polly and 1
have been counting long time, ligh
upon eighteen months, and were be-
ginning to think-that is, I am be-
ginning to think" this alteration in
response to protest from Polly "it's
about time we got married. 1 don't
like to see her wearing her young life
out IN our hot work rooms. My SAL
sry, as you know, is 1t present ESQ
year, and 1 live on the premises.
Now, 1 think il was 20 tell Lcost-
ring the facts of the case, and that
wanted to live away, he would give
me sl30. Now, amt that enough TO
get married on, and have you any OBJ
lection to Polly and 1 being married
at once ?"
Here Tom Smith paused, not be-
cause he had exhausted his subject,
but for the reason that he was out of
bresth.
Then, Polly took up the parable.
Sliding her stool to her fathers side,
and resting her head upon his knee,
she said tremblingly:
'tDOn't think daddy, dear, that my
being married will make any differ
eDce to you and me, for you are to
come and live with US, eh Tom ?n
Mr. Smith, thus appealed TO, vowed
that his father-in-law's residence with |
them was considered quite 3 settled
matter, IS in truth it was.
A tear stood in old Abel's eye, and !
his voice quivered with emotion as,
laying aside his pipe and taking his
daughters hand lovingly within his
own, said T:
"Tom Smith, knew you TO be a
true and honest fellow. There is no
man upon the face of the earth I
would more desire to call my sOn-in-
law but before I give my consent to !
your marriage I must tell you OF
something that may perhaps cause |
you to draw back
Tom was about to speak when Abel, !
In milling accents, resumed,
f1f you'd been content to wait 8
few years, what am going. TO tell |
you might never have been known 20 !
either Of you. I was still q young |
man when 1 first entered Baker & !
Bakers warehouse you, Polly, were
three years old, but your brother Sam |
was eleven or more, He used some