The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-07-12

put together There is no particular
reason why | should have been Of it at
all, for was not really related To Tom,
nor even TO "mothcr," as | called her,
though | am sure we were as dear to
each other rs any mother and daughter
could he. She was the second wife OF
my father, who, like most ministers, had
been richer in grace than in goods md
left MS mt his death with very little to
live on. Then il was that Tom Dean
had come forward and insisted on Civ
ing home TO his aunt and to me, whom
he had scarcely seen dozen times in
his life before. That was exactly like
Tom 'queer Tom Dean as his friends
were fond of saying, 'who never did
anything like anybody else" | sup
pose in spite of his clear head for bus
mess, there is no denying that he was
whimsical; but am sure, when ] think
of his unfailing generosity and delicacy,
can't 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 90 where
mother went, and while she gave her
energies TO the housekeeping, | gave
mine TO growing up which by this time
! had pretty well accomplished But
perhaps for that very reason-for one
sees with different eyes at y and IS
my position in the house had already
begun to seem unsatisfactory to me;
and the mornings words put it in a
clearer lght. since it had 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 re-
Election should bring him round to her
opinion, to be perfectly capable OF
quietly sacrificing his own wishes for
my sake, who had not the shadow OF a
claim on him; so il must be my part to
prevent his own kindness being turned
against him now. Still it was not so
easy to see how / was to provide for
myself in ease it should become advisa-
BILE. What could doP Draw and sing
and play tolerably, but not in manner
to compete with the hosts that would be
in the fields against me. LiteratureP |
had read SO many stories whose hero
ines, with single turn of the pen,
dashed into wealth and fame. That
would be very nice, only was not the
least bit literary; | had never even kept
a journal, which is saying Il great deal
for girl in teens, The Zine arts, y
then, being out OF the question for me,
what remained? There was some
clcrkship, or a place in some family,
and and there was VIII BROMLEY
That may seem ike going away from
the point, but it was not. ! was matter
of-fact, but could see well enough
what was going on right under my eyes,
and had pretty clear idea of what
was bringing win to the house so often
rs he hadtakcn to coming lately. There
was n situation, then, that would give
me the home-life liked best, and felt
myself best suited for; but would it
answer in other rcspectsP ! overcast
the long seam was sewing twice over,
was so busy trying to makeupmy mind
whether | liked WIN BROMLEY we'll
enough to pass my whole life with him;
and cvon then | had not come to any
decision, when ! was called down stairs
TO Lefty Walters.
Lefty was the prctticst, ! think, OF all
my friends, and certainly the livelicst
Tom called her "the tonic and used
to laugh heartily ut her bright speeches
! suppose it was this that made mother
fix ON Lefty MS his choice. When |
came into the Sitting-room found
kind of cross-cYaminalion going on. 1t
was amusing TO anybody in the secret,
as | was, to watch mothers artful way
of continually bringing the CONVERSE
ton round. as if by chance, to bear ON
what she wanted to know But it all
amounted TO nothing, either because
Lefty was too good fcnccr. or because
she really had nothing to betray. But,
when Tom came home, mother took
care TO mention that Lefty had called.
"What, the tonicE said Tom Too
bad | missed
But for your choice being already
made said mother with covert
scrutiny of his face, II dare say you
might have as much of the tonic as You
liked
"l}ut go on the homeopathic princi-
pie, You know answered Tom, with n
twinkle in his eye.
After that mothers belief in Letty's
outlines waycred Her 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. Il
am positive | could tell the right one by
Tom face in 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
mother sharply Never talk TO me-
child Toms not capable Of that"
| 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 a week since Tom had hurled that
! thunderbolt Of his at Us mother began
about j, openly
when are YOU going 10 introduce
your wife TO Us, Tom? | suppose you
have come TO an understanding by this