Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-10-19

Toms face IN minute, and yet have
mentioned everyb )dy We know
Perhaps it is somebody we don't
know" / suggested; "some friend of
his We have never seen.
What perfect stranger?" said
mother, sharply. Never talk to me.
child; Toms not carWble of that"
1 was silent, for / did not want to
worry 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, Tom? suppose you
have come to an understanding by this
time"
"Oh. there's no hurry" Tom said, az
he had said before but this time J,a
not speak quite so cheerfuily. "The
fact is" he continued, there-there's
q rival in the case"
"a rival repeated mother, with I'M
feeling briskness.
Yes, a young fellow-younger by a
good deal than / am" and Toms face
assumed an absurdly doleful look. "He
is always there now. l confess / don't
see my way clear; I'm 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
matters, that she was playing the ene-
my 8 game.
"There's something in that that new
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. II
she cared for You, you may be pretty
sure she wouldn't have waited till this
time to let you know it-that is, I Judge
by the girls l am in the habit of seeing
but if this one is a stranger to me-"
(here mother riveted her eyes on Toms
face; oh, dear, my unfortunate words D
I" if she is an entire stranger, 1 cannot
pretend to form an opinion of her, OF
course"
"Of course" repeated Tom, absently.
Not tb C have any such idea," re-
sumed m sher, growing warmer; 81
have ss.C, and may say again, that to
brings perfect stranger under this roof,
is not my opinion of you, Tom"
l felt mothers words like so many
pins and needles ; for Tom was looking
meditatively 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.
/ felt myself, for very vexation, getting
redder every moment, till it grew intol-
cradle.
at is so warm here, ;" said for an ex-
cuse, turning toward the French win
dow. II am going to get breath OF
air"
went out into our little strip of gar
den ground; Tom followed. l thought
/ should never have better opportun-
ity to say what L had a mind to say, so
/ waited fo- him by the bench under
the old pear tree. "Sit down here,
Tom" l said, 81 have something to say
to you"
for well, never mind that just yet.
WHAT is it, May2"
"Tom, said, still surer now he had
misjudged me, and more resolved to set
him right, !" want place."
"a placer" repeated Tom, puzzled,
as well he might be by this sudden and
indefinite announcement "what kind
of place ?"
81 don't know" said, for indeed my
ideas were of the vaguest. ~ thought
you might, being in the way of those
things. Now, pray, Tom," / went on
quickly, "don't fancy l am discomfort
ed-or anything of that sort. The truth
is, ever since / left off school l nave
wanted something to do, and had it in
my mind to speak to you about it"
With this / looked at Tom, fearing he
might be vexed; but he did not look
vexed; only preoccupied.
81 do know OF place, as it happens"
he said, after while, "only I'm not
sure how it would suit you"
"That's soon seen" said /. "What
is it likep"
swell, it's sort of-of general use
fitness"
"Why, it must be run errands," said
/, laughing. "And where is it, Tom Z"
well" said Tom, hesitating again,
"its with me-"
GLOW very nice r. 1 exclaimed.
Chow soon can have il? ?"
"The sooner the better, so far as /
am concerned" said Tom, and with that
he turned and looked at me, and directly
I met his eyes knew somehow, all in a
moment, what il was he meant; and l
knew, too, both that ] could not have
passed all my life with viii 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 had
the advantage of nae there, took il quite
coolly, and laughed and talked with
Lefty just the same as ever till she went
away.
1t was pretty late Wien we went in.
Mother sat where we had left her, knit
ting in the twilight.
Wasn't that Lefty Walters with you
while ago" she said, as we came in.
eyes" said I, with confused feeling
IA vi bOultlDiUR DtluK
necessary; "she just came to bring the
new crochet pattern she promised me. !"
Him !" said mother, as much as to
say she had her own ideas as to what
Lefty came for.
Tom had been wandering about the
room in an absent sort Of fashion,
taking up and putting down in tn
wrong places all the small obie,
that fell in his way. He came up and
took a seat by mother. l became of
sudden very busy with the plants in the
window; for knew he was going to tell
her.
" Wish me Joy, Aunt Anne. . said he;
otis all settled"
Settled, is it p said mother, in any
thing but joyful tone. so it's as /
suspected all along. Well, you have
my best wishes, Tom; perhaps you
may be happy after all /; I'm sure hope
So"
This wasn't very encouraging sort OF
congratulation, and Tom seemed rather
taken aback by it
I'm sorry you are not pleased" he
said, after a pause. 81 had an idea
son how you would be-
81 did not know from what you
judged. But, there, it's no use Of crying
over split milk. You'll be married d.
rectly, presume. I must be looking
for house, and mother stroked her
nose refectively with knitting-needle.
"What for ?" said Tom. II thought
Of keeping on here all the same"
81 never suspected otherwis said
mother. 'tOf course / did not expect
to turn you ont OF your own house."
"rut what is the need looking out for
another, tnen?"
why, for myself"