The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-08-04


suppose, in spite Of bis clear head
for business, there is no denying that
he was whimsical; but am sure, when
| think of his unfailing generosity and
delicacy, | cant help wishing there
were few more such whimsical people
in the world. Naturally, at the time ]
am speaking Of, my opinion had not
been asked; all | had to do was to go
whore mother went, and, while she
gave her energies to the housekeeping,
give nine to growing up, which by this
time had pretty well accomplished.
But perhaps for that very reason-for
one sees with different eyes at l2 and
lS-for my position in the house had
already begun to seem unsatisfactory
to me; and the mornings words put it
in a clearer light, since it bad been used
as an argument against Toms marrying.
| knew that mother had spoken honest.
ly, believing that such step would
not be for his happiness; but was he
not the best judge of that? / knew him,
if reflection should bring him round to
her opinion, to be perfectly capable Of
quietly sacrificing his own wishes foi
ely sake, who had not the shadow of a
main on him; SO it must he my part to
prevent his own kindness being turned
against him now. Still, it was not sc
easy to see how | was to provide for
myself in case it should become advis
able. What could l do? Draw and
sing and play tolerably, but not in O
manner to compete with the hosts that
would be in the fields against me. Lit
erature? ! had read SO many stories
whose heroines, with a turn of the pen,
dashed into wealth and fame That
would be very nice, only was no,
the least bit literary; had never even
kept journal, which is saying great
deal for a girl in her teens. The ''tine
arts, then, being out of the question
for me, what a remainder? There was
some clerkship, or place in some fam.
lily, and.--and there was Will Broom
ley
That may seem like going away from
the point, but it was not. was matter.
fact, but | could see well enough
what was going on right under my
eyes. and | had a pretty clear idea OF
what was bringing VIII to the house
so often as he had taken to coming late
ly. There WIS situation" then that
would give me the home lite / liked
best, and felt myself best suited for;
but--would it answer in other respectsl
l overcast the long seam l was sewing
twice over, l was SO busy trying to
make up my mind whether l liked Will
BROMLEY well enough to pass my
whole life with him; and even then |
had not come to any decision, when ]
was called down stairs to Lefty Wal.
ters.
Lefty was the prettiest, think, of all
my friends, and certainly the liveliest.
Tom called her "the tonic, and used
to laugh heartily at ber bright speeches
| suppose it was this that made mother
fix on Lefty as his choice. When !
came into the sitting room found a
kind of cross. examination going on. 1t
was amusing to anybody in the secret,
as / was, to watch mothers artful way
of continually bringing the conversation
round, AS if by chance, to bear on what
she wanted to know. But it all amount
ed to 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 Lefty had called.
"What, the tonic?" said Tom. "Too
bad | missed"
but for your choice being already
made" said mother, with covert
scrutiny of his face, 81 dare say you
might have as much of the tonic as you
liked
"But | go on the homeopathic princi
pile, you know answered Tom, with a
twinkle in his eye.
After that mothers belief in Letty's
guiltiness wavered. Her suspicious
were transferred from one to another
of our acquaintance, but always with
the same unsatisfactory result.
sit passes my comprehension" she
said to me desparingly one day. 81 am
positive could tell the right ore by
Toms face in a minute, and yet have
mentioned everybody we know"
'Perhaps it is somebody we don't
know" | suggested; ''some friend OF
his we have never seen.
What! perfect stranger?" said my
mother, sharply. "Never talk to me
child; Toms not capable of that"
| was silent, for did not want tc
worry her; but that was my opinion al
the same.
The same evening-it was rather
more than week since Tom had hurl
ed that thunderbolt of his at us--moth
er began about it openly,
"When are you going to introduce
your wife to US, Tomi suppose you
have come to an understanding by thi,
time
"Oh, there's no hurry" Tom said, a.
he had said before, but this time did
not speak quite so cheerfully. "Tht
fact is, he continued, "there--theres {
rival in the case"
"A rival! repeated mother, with un
feeling briskness.
"Yes, a young fellow--younger by 1
good deal than | am, and Toms face
assumed an absurdly doleful look, "H,
is always there now, confess | dom
see my way clear I'm waiting for hel
to make up her mind"
"And she's waiting, most likely, foI
you to make up yours said mother
forgetting in her propensity to right
matters, that she was playing the enc
my's game.
"Theres something in that that ncv
er occurred to me, said Tom, his face
Frightening, Mother saw her mistake
and made counter move at once.
"But the ways of my time are old
fashioned now; young ladies, nowadays
take matters into their own hands. |
she cares for you, you may be pretty
sure she wouldn't have waited till thiI
time to let you know it-that is, / judg,
by the girls | am in the habit of seeing
but if this one is a stranger to me
(here mother riveted her eyes on Tom
face; oh, dear, my unfortunate words