Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-07-13

bly, but not in manner to compete
with the hosts that would be IN the field
against me- Literature? l had read
so many stories whose heroines, with
turn of the pen, dashed into wealth and
fame. That would be very nice,-only
was not the least bit literary; I had
never even kept journal which is
saying a good deal for a girl in her
teens. The "fne arts" then, being out
of the question for me, what remained?
There wrs some clerkship, or a place
in some family. and-there was Will
Bromley.
That may seem like going away from
the point, but it was not. 1t was mat
ter-of-fact, but could see well enough
wat was going on right under my
eyes, and had a pretty clear idea
what was bringing Will to the honse
so often as he had taken to coming
lately. There was Situation" then,
that would give me the home life |
liked best, and felt myself best suited
or; but-would it answer in other re-
spects? I overcast the .ong seam I was
sewing twice over, was so busy trying
to make up my mind whether 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
Walters.
Lefty was the prettiest, l think, of
all my friends, and certainly the liveli-
est. Tom called her ''the tonic" and
used to laugh heartily at her bright
speeches. [ suppose it was this that
made mother fix on Lefty as his
choice. When I came into the sitting
room l found q kind of cross-examina-
ton going on. 1t was amusing to any
body in the secret, as was, to watch
the mothers artful way of continually
bringing the conversation round, as If
by chance, TO bear Oh what she wanted
to know. But it allmUunted to moth
ing either because Lefty was too good
g 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 her"
'But for your choice being alreday
made" said mother, with a covert scru-
tiny of his face, 81 dare say you might
have as much of the tonic as you liked"
"BUt 60 on the homeopathic princi-
pie, you know, answered Tom, with a
twinkle in his eye.
After that mothers belief in Lefty 8
outlines wavered. He suspicious were
transferred from one to another of our
acquaintance, but always with the same
unsatisfactory result.
cit passes my comprehension" she
said to me despairingly, one day. 81 am
positive | could tell the right one by
Toms face IN minute, and yet [ have
mentioned everybody we know"
'Perhaps it is somebody we don't
know" I suggested; "Some friend oil
his We have never SEEN,
"What! a perfect stranger?" said
mother, sharply. ''Never talk to me,
child; Toms not capable of tbatI'
I was silent, for did not want to wor-
ry her; but that was my opinion all the
same.
The same evening-it was rather
more than week since Tom had hurled
that thunder bolt of his at us-mother
began about it openly.
when are you going to introduce
your wife to us, Tom2 l suppose you
have come to an understanding by this
time.,'
"Oh, there's no hurry" Tom said, as
he had said before: but this time he did
not speak quite so cheerefully. "The
fact is" he continued, with little hest.
tation, "there-there's a rival in the
case"
GA rival" repeated mother, with un,
feeling briskness.
eyes, 8 young fellow-younger by q
good deal than / am" and Toms face
assumed doleful look. "He is al
ways there now. I confess | don't see
my way clear | am waiting for her to
make up her mind"
"And she's waiting, most likely fol
you to make up yours" said mother,
forgetting in her propensity to right
motters, that she was playing the enc,
my's name.
'There's something in that that never
occurred to me-" said Tom, his face
Frightening. Mother saw her mistake
and made 81 counter move at once.
"But the ways of my time are old
fashioned now young ladies, nova.
Gays take matters into their own hands
If she cared for you, you may be pretty
sure she wouldn't have waited until this
time to let you know it-that is, | Judge
by the girls | am in the habit Of see.
ing; but if this one is a stranger to
me" (here mother riveted her eyes
on Toms face oh, dear, my unfortu-
nate words J eff she is an entire
stranger, [ cannot pretend to form any
opinion of her, of course
"Ofcourse," repeated Tom, absently.
"Not that | have any such idea" re-
samed mother, growing warmer IT
have said and say again, that to bring
a perfect stranger under this roof is not
my opinion of you, Tom"
[ felt mothers words like so many
pins and needles; for Tom was looking
medltatlvely across at me, and though
that was just a way of his, it seemed
now as if he were reading in my face
that the opinion was mine and that l
had been meddling in what did not
concern me. | felt myself for very
veXation getting redder every moment,
till 1t grew intolerable.
1T is so warm here" l said for an
excuse, turning toward the French
window, I'm going out to get breath
of fresh air."
| went out into our little strip of gar
den ground; Tom followed. l thought
| should never have q better opportu-
nifty to say what [ had in my mind to
say, so I waited for him by the bench
under the old pear tree. ''Sit down
here, Tom," said, GIVE something to
say to you"