Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-06-01
Talss aud Sketehes.
LOVE vs.. INDEPENDENCE.

laying down the letter he is reading.
You remember Tom Wallace ?"
"Ot course"
"Well, he's married; that's ALL"
"What ?"
Fact. Jack Briggs writes that he was
at the wedding. Very quiet affair too"
"But you don't say who he's married to.
That's the most astonishing thing
about it. You never could guess so I'll
tell you. Miss Fleetwood"
"Do you mean to say that Miss Emma
Fleetwood that was, is now Mrs. Tom
Wallace' shouted Joe. taking his feet
from the table.
so Jack Briggs says" replied Will
Marks, Joe Walkers associate medical
student.
The ways of man or women either
are past finding ont. declare" and Joe
gave vent to his feelings by bringing his
fist down on large copy of hospital re-
ports. 'Whv, he was the poorest man in
college"
Just So" put in VIII. "You know he
had only one suit OF clothes when he
came, and those were secondhand"
what an independent fellow he was"
Joe went on, as if talking to himself.
.'As proud as though he owned both sides
of Broadway. How he could ever have
submitted to be the poor husband OF a
| rich wife, is a mystery to me-"
Perhaps it was case of true love on
both sides"
Don't believe it; or if it was. Wallace
was just the man to sacrifice his feelings
TO his sterner ideas of independence.
'Do you think so ?" Well, they are
married, and we can't get around that"
"Ihars true but it don't remove the
strangeness OF the fact" and Joe gazed
absently into the waste-paper basket as
though thinking of something a good
ways removed from that article.
There is nothing that pleases us more
than romance out OF book covers. We
seize hold of it and make as much of it
as possible. If Miss Fleetwood had mar
ried rich, handsome man instead of the
man she had married. these
young disciples of Esculapius would
have regarded the event as inevita.
bic. But because, forsooth, she had mar
ried poor man, there must be hidden
story to account forit. Perhaps they were
not tar out of the way in thinking so.
Tom Wallace was the son of q village
doctor. Every one knows that the prac.
tice OF such profession while it is often
extensive is not often lucrative. So when
DR.. Wallace died he left an invalid wife.
his daughter May and his son Tom alone
in the world, and that is about all that he
did leave The invalid did not survive
her husband long.
Toms sister married New England
clergyman, and he was left to fight his
own way. A rather bitter fight he found
it TOO But if the father had not bequeath-
ed an estate TO his son he had implanted
IN him the desire for an education. This,
Iom was determined 10 have alta II events.
1t was at the same time that he acquired,
as naturally he would. habit of self-re-
lance and scorn of proffered aid that
amounted almost to disdain. He left out
OF the account the weary years of toll and
disappointment, and forgot what he might
have done in that time if he had had the
means. For at last by close planning.
scrbbling and giving up many things
that make our lives comfortable, he sue
ceeded in earning enough money to take
him through college with good manage
ment. He can live with bis sister, whose
home is near the college. Even his proud
soul does not refuse this offer which had
been open TO him ever since he made up
his mind to go.
..
alter Toms arrival, we see him settled
down as one of the family. "A homely
man, we say at first glance. But we
take that back the next moment. The
expressive grey eyes under the heavy eve
brows, and mouth of great energy make
US withdraw the assertion. Ii his clothes
are rusty and secondhand we forget it by
looking at the man within them. We have
"a M h.a Of ,,I,
and would rather have him by our side
in battle than the handsomest, best dress
ed man in the world.
Tom had been in college nearly a year
when, one morning, his sister said to him:
II M going to have company to tea,
Tom, and | want you to look your best"
81 can't change my looks, May, can P"
laughed Tom.
You know what mean you naughty
boy; and don't disparage your good looks.
I'm sure you ought to be thankful that
you have high forehead and Grecian
nose replied May. who lacked these
PARTICULARS and admired them all the more
in Tom.
Don't compliment me on my good
looks, May, because | haven't any" and
then seeing his sister about to object to
'hi'' hc auueu HdSliIy, uut L III CndnSe my
necktie and luxuriate in a pair of cuffs Ii
you want me to;' saying which Tom
strode off with his beloved Homer under
his arm.
"What dear brave boy he is, and
how well he bears bis poverty" thought
May, as she looked after him. "He de-
serves an unusually good wife, and hope
he'll find one. lwonder how he and Miss
Fleetwood will get along ?" (Parentheti-
caD The fact is. he ought to marry some
rich woman and then he would have time
and money to do all that he wished. But,
dear me! it would never do to mention il
to him in he world"
Tea time came and with il the company.
Not very numerous certanly-only Miss
Fleetwood and her father. Nevertheless,
as Tom came into the sitting room and
was introduced, he wished. for the first
time IN his life almost, that he was good
looking. He could not have told why IL
he had been asked. Miss Fleetwood was
not handsome as far as features went but
h.r -. L.