Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-04-27

Y trrn by marrying me to woman old
nough to be my mother, because of her
wealth. When considered over these
Kings was sorry for Tom Phelnn. Mar
'iage, I thought, had not raised the tone
If his mind. looked over Mt him then.
md saw cheerful look on his round,
pleasant face, MS if something had occur
red that made him very happy. Proba-
bly,, snid mentally, it is one Of Mrs.
McFums tales that makes this most good
of men delighted. When l
looked at my neignbor, she, too, ]
thought, had merry expression i'll her
eyes that seemed to spring from look
she exchanged with Tom Phelan.
$50 that lady 10 to be baby's godmoth-
err" | said presently, directing my gaze
to the lady in gray silk, with the little
bunch of curls confined by tortoise
shell comb, edged with n row OF pearls,
at each side of her thin, pale face.
Eyes. You must let mo introduceyou.
Indeed you must know her. Sho is one
of the best and kindest Of women"
| began to wonder if my new friend
was in the plot, too, and if she were ell
gagged by Tom and Mrs. Tom to lend her
assistance toward the desired end of mar
rying me to this spinster. / felt rs if l
should like to get up and run away out of
the house and out of the tolls that these
two good people evidently sought to en-
snare me in, but the voice Of this girl
with the gray-biue eyes, that now spark
led with humor und anon melted into
tenderness, almost in the same minute,
AS only Irish eyes can, held me prisoner.
| was unwilling to move from her side.
4, 81, a ! is1l Inv
she told me all about herself in frank,
naive manner that completed the charm
she held over me and made me her faith
ful bondslavc from that hour to this day.
Her father was in India, she said she
and her mother were living i'll Bray dur
ing his absence. She expected him home
next wear, whcn she feared they would
leave dear old Ireland and go on the con-
tinent.
Then, suddenly, in the midst of her
confidential chat, she asked me once more
to cross the room with her, and get intro
duced to the lady who was to be the god
mother of Tom Phelan's baby. Before
| could answer her she stood up and wait
ed for me to accompany her. Miss Fay
was the name of the spInster, who was II
mild, agreeable, gentlewoman, with sad
eyes and n gentle manner. When my
new friend had introduced me, she sud
denly disappeared. Soon after some PEG
pie who came in engaged Miss Fny's ut
tention, and l was left alone.
Then Tom Phelan came up to me
beaming all over with smiles.
mo" | answered, dryly, understand
ing what he meant.
"What do YOU think of her q
He looked at me with his head on ont
side and broad smile on his face.
"Think of her? She is very amiable.
This in stiff tone.
"You will ret on famously together
She is the woman to make you happy, ole
man." This with an air of patronag,
and superiority.
you are very good" said humorint
him, and thinking at the same time how
changed he was.
"Now, Fritz, have arranged that yor
shall take in Mrs. Carey to dinner. May
will introduce you. want to ask you t.
make yourself agreeable to her ; not toe
agreeable, You know, as You can do some
times to women, for she has q husband,
tho he is in India. A safe distance, my
boy"
Tom hurried away, and just then din
ner was announced, the host giving his
arm to Mrs. McFum. The hostess point.
ed out n lady to me, whom l was to take
down to the dining room, and in few
minutes we were comfortably seated. My
new friend sat opposite 10 me. l could
see her bright face smiling across the
flowers. Her eyes at once dn22led and
fascinated mo, aud her voice made my
heart ilutter in an unaccustomed way.
The lady whom l had taken down and
who now sat beside me, was stout, sol
emn-faced woman, arrayed III black vel
vet, who spoke very little. Twas glad of
this latter fact, for l could not, felt,
keep up conversation. l was listening
to the voice of my new friend, who talked
well and wittily with her neighbors De-
casionally she directed an odd sentpce to
me across the flowers.
When the dessert was over my neigh
Dor in black velvet, with whom Tom Pie
Ian had unnecessarily warned me not to
fiirt because of her having husband in
India, took up her fan and commenced to
wave it gently to and fro.
"How hot it is" she said to me, in n
voice MS subdued MS if she spoke i'll n
church.
Eyes" replied, ''the night is close.
but we should not complain. If we had
to bear the heat that your husband is at
present enduring"
Suddenly something went against my
new friends breath, then every one at my
end Of the table became all at once silent,
and saw that, tho some of them SEEM
cd grave enough, others strove to keep
themselves from laughing outright. Tom
Phelan, after moments keen struggle,
strove to look as if nothing in particular
had happened. What was the cause of
all this had not the slightest idea, but
that something wrong had occurred there
was no doubt.
Mrs. Phelan at this instant caught Mrs.
McFum's eye, and rose from the table /;
the other ladies followed. My neighbor,
whom had taken down was the last to
rise, and as she did so gave me wither-
ing look, which long remembered.
When the door was safely closed, Tom
Phelnn threw himself back in his chair
and laughed until the tears rolled down
his fat checks the other men joined him,
all looking at me the WHILE
"What is the joke p asked 81 am
out in the cold"
my dear fellow, Mrs. Carey, who sat
next you, is widow"
In moment ] saw the blunder had
made. /, had taken down the wrong wo-
man to dinner
An hour afterward had completely
forgotten my mistake; for by some
chance found myself by the side Of my
new friend, who was seated at the piano