River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-07-13

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made mother fix on Lefty as his
choice. When | came into the sitting
room found 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 i
by chance, to bear OH what she wanted
to know. But it allmounted to moth
ing either because Lefty was too gooc
a fencer or because she really hao
nothing to betray. But when Tom
came home mother took care to men
ton that Lefty had called.
"What, the tonic2" said Tom. "Toc
bad | missed her"
"But for your choice being alreday
made" said mother, with covert scru.
tiny of his face, 81 dare say you might
have as much of the tonic as you liked.
"But go on the homeopathic princi
pie, you know, answered Tom, with a
twinkle in his eye.
After that mothers belief in Letty'E
outlines wavered. He suspicious were
transferred from one to another of our
acquaintance, but always with the same
unsatisfactory result.
at 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,i
know" | suggested; "Some friend o.
his we have never SEEM,
"What! a perfect stranger" said
mother, sharply. fNever talk to me
child; Toms not capable of thatp'
l 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-mothel
began about it openly.
| When are you going to introduce
your wife to us, Tom? / 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"
"a rival" repeated mother, with I'M
feeling briskness.
Eyes, young fellow-younger by a
good deal than l am" and Toms face
assumed doleful look. "He is al
WAYS there now. | confess don't see
my way clear | am waiting for her to
make up her mind"
"And she's waiting, most likely for
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 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 stranger to
me" there mother riveted her eyes
on Toms face oh, dear, my unfortu-
nate words y eff she is an entire
stranger, / canuot pretend to form any
opinion of her, of course
"Ofcourse," repeated Tom, absently.
"Not that | have any such idea," re-
samed mother, growing warmer 4; 81
have said and l say again, that to bring
a perfect stranger under this roof is not
my opinion of you, Tom
| felt mothers words Ii ke so many
| pins and needles for Tom was looking
meditatively across at me, and though
that was just way of his, it seemed
now as if he were reading in my face
that the opinion was mine and that
had been meddling in what did not
concern me. l felt myself for very
| vexation getting redder every moment,
till it grew intolerable.
at is so warm here" / said for an
excuse, turning toward the French
window, Pm going out to get breath
of fresh air."
l went out toto our little strip of gar
den ground; Tom followed. thought
l should never have better opportu-
nifty TO say what | had in my mind to
say, so | waited for him by the bench
nnder the old pear tree. "Sit down
here, Tom," l said, owe something to
say to you"
"Have you? said Tom; "that's odd
for well, never mind that just yet
What is It, Nary"
"Tom," l said, still surer that he had
misjudged me, and more resolved to sci
him right, 81 want place"
"a placer" repeated Tom, puzzled, as
well he might be, by this sudden and
indefinite announcement; "what kind
of placer
81 don't know" 1 said, for indeed
my ideas were of the vaguest.
thought you might know, being in the
way of those things. Now, pray, Tom,
1 went on quickly, ''don't fancy l am
discontinued, or-or anything of thai
sort; the truth is, ever since l left of
| school 7 have wanted something to do
and had it in my mind to speak to you
about il"
With this looked at Tom, fearing
hefnight be vexed; but he did not look
vexed, only pre-occupied.
do know of place, as 1t hap
pens" he said after a while, "only I'm
not sure how it would suit you"
That's soon seen," said l. "What Is
it like?"
well, it's sort of-of general use
| fulness-"
"Why, it must be to run errands,
said 1 laughing. and where is it
Tom %
"WelJ,' said Tom, hesitating again
it's with me-"
"How very nice !" l exclaimed. Chow
soon can | have it
THE sooner the better, SO far as
am concerned" said Tom, and with
that he turned and looked at me, anc
directly l met his eyes / knew some
| how al! in moment, what it was he
meant and l knew, too, both that
could not have passed all my life with
Will Bromley, and why | could not.
/ am sure Lefty Walters, who inter
rupted us just then, must have thought
my wits were wandering that evening
and indeed they were for | was com
pletely dazed with this sudden turn
things had taken. But Tom, who hac
the advantage of me there, took i
quite coolly, and laughed and talked
with Lefty Just the same as ever til
she went away.
1t was pretty late when we went in
Mother sat where we had left her, knit
ing in the twilight.
"Wasn't that Lefty Walters with yor
awhile ago." she said, as we came up
Eyes" said /, with confused feel
ing of an explanation of something be