Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-30
TOMS WIFE.

"Well, | don't knew" answered Tom,
thoughtfully. ITS notion I've got in
my head, somehow"
"All nonsense !" said mother. sharply.
"Do you think so p said Tom, apparent
ly doubtful, but not in the least put out.
think so? l know it. What In the
world can you want of a wife ? After all
these years we have lived so comfortably
together. to bring home somebody to turn
the houss upside down And, then, what's
to become of that poor child?"
The "pocr child that was I-redden-
ing at being brought into the argument in
this way, was about to speak 70; herself,
when Tom interposed, warmly:
"Pm sure May knows l would never
have any wife who would make it less a
home for her-don't You, May ~
''Of course" said |.
"And I'm sure she knows nothing OF
the sort" persisted mother; "nor you
either. Tom Dean. How can you answer
for what wife may take it into her head
to do, once you get her fixed You can't
expect her to forget, as you do, that May
has nc real claim on you"
"That ] have no real claim on her, |
suppose you mean, ma'am," Tom put in
for the second time, just as was getting
thoroughly uncomfortable. "But, for all
that, / intend to keep her-that is, " added
Tom, with one of his shortsighted blinks
sideways at me, "as long as she shall stay
with me-sh, May? And whoever has
anything to say against that arrangement
will have to 60 ont of the house to say it
not that I'm afraid OF any such result in
this case-and, on the whole, Aunt Anne,
| should like to try the experiment.
la L. -
evidently bent on his " experiment." as he
called it, that sae gave up the argument.
You can dance if you're ready to pay
the piper" she said, shortly. "And, pray,
how coon do You mean to be married -
Toms face fell little at this question.
"Well, r" said he, 81 can't say exactly
suppose we shall have to be engaged first y
What?" ssid mother, opening her eyes
"why. you never mean to say, Tom, you
haven't spoken to her yet p
"Nos yet" answered Tom, cheerfully.
Time enough for that, you know, after l
had spoken to you"
Mother, as minister's widow, was not
much given to the idle mirth that is as the
cracking OF thOrns under pot, but nog
she leansd back and laug hed till the tears
stood in her eyes.
"Well," she said, eff it was nybody
else, l should say that you were cracked I;
but you never were like other people and
you never will he, Tom Dean. But, at
4 ast. you have fixed on the LADY,"
"On, yes" answered Tom; "but, if
you will excu.e me, Aunt Anne, L would
rather not say Anything about her just yet,
for, Tiff anything should happen, it
wouldn't be pleasant for either party, you
know" With which yelled ailuson to his
possible rejection, Tom took his hat and
left the room.
Our household was rather queeriy put
together. There was no particular reason
why | should have been of it at all, for
was not really related to Tom, nor even to
mother" as / called her, though we were
as dear to each other as any mother and
daughter could be. She was the second
wife of my father, who like most minis.
tiers, had been cher in grace than goods
and LETT IA at his death with very little &c
live on. Then it was that Tom Dan had
come forward, and insisted on giving
home to his aunt and to me, whom he mac
scarcely seen u dozen times in his life be
fore. That was Exactly like Tom" queer
Tom Dem, as his friends were fond Of
saying "who never did anything ike any.
body e.se." suppose, in spite Of his clear
head for business, there is no de.
nying that he was whimsical, but
am sure, when / think of his uufailing
generosity and delioacy, can't help wish,
ing there were few more such whimsical
people in the world. Naturally, at the
time | WAS speaking OF, my opinion had no.
been asked; all l had to do was to 90
where mother went, and while she gave her
energies TO the housekeeping, | gave mine
to growing up, which, by this time l had
pretty well accomplished. Butperhaps foI
that very reason-for one sees with differ.
ent eyes at ~ and lS-my position in the
house bad already begun to seem unsatis
factory to me and the mornings words put
it In clearer hghs, since it had been used
as an argument against Toms marrying.
knew that mother had spoken honestly, be-
HeviDg that such step would not be fol
his happiness; but was not he the best judge
of that ? | knew him, if reflection should
bring him round to her opinion, to be per.
fectly capable of quietly sacrificing his
own wishes for my sake, who had not the
shadow of claim on him so il must be
my part to prevent his own kindness being
turned against him now. Still, it was no,
easy to see how / was to provide for my,
self, in case it should become advisable
~ t4il GDtAAt w LA anu SibE anu play
toierably, but not in manner TO compete
with the hosts thst would be in the held
against me. Literature? | had read 81
many stories whose heroines, with a turr
of the pen, dashed into wealth and fame
That would be nice. only was not the
least little bit literary had never ever
kept journal, which is saying great dea
for girl in her teens. The " lice arts,
then, being out of the question for me
what remained There vas some clerk
ship, or place IN some family, and-anC
there was VIII Bro omlsy,
That may seem like going away from
tie point, but l. Was not, / was matter OF
fact, but | could sec well enough what wa;
goir on under nay eyes, and | had a pretty
clear idea of what was bringing VIII tx
the house so often as be had taken to com
ing lately. There was situation, then
that would give me the home life l liked
best, and felt mysclf best suited for but
would it answer as well in other respects
I overcast the long seam was sewing twict
over, l was so busy trying to make up my
mind whether | liked VIII BROMLEY wei
enough to pass my whole life with him
and even then / had not come to any decis
ion, when / was called down stairs to SEE
Lefty Walters.
Lefty was the prettiest, l think, of al
my friends, and certainly the iveliest
Tom called her the tonic" and used tx
laugh heartily at her bright speeches.
suppose it was this that made mother fl
on Lefty as his choice. When | came into
the sitting room, found kind of cross
examination going on. 1t was amusing te
nybody In the secret as / was, to watch
mothers artful way of continually bring,
ing the conversation round, as if by chance,
to bear on what she wanted to know. But
it all amounted 10 nothing, either because
Lefty was too good fencer, or because she
really had nothing to betray But, when
Tom came home. mother took care to men.
ton that Lettie had called.
"What, the tonic p said Tom. Too
bad missed her.
"Bus for your choice being already
made" said mother, With covert scrutiny
of his face, Il dare say You might have as
much OF the tonic as you liked"
So But l go on the homeopathic principle,
you know" answered Tom, with a twinkle
In his eye.
After that mothers belief in Letky's
guiltinesa wavered. Her suspicious were