Milford chronicle., 1883-05-11
TOMS WIFE.

=@-F--- ~ ' - -
!, GA city girl No wife for a struggling
young man, sighed rich, eccentric Aunt
Sarah, sorrowfully.
Sc Brought up with the expectation Of
being an heiress, too. Her extravagant
2 habits will ruin the boy r said Mrs. Pry,
severely.
i "And beauty !" sneered Miss
I Crankett, with whitening contempt
| She could have forgiven her any crime
save that of youth or good looks
So the gossips down in Tom
Lysander's native village put their heads
together and nodded grimly and fore
bodingly when they heard he had
married Lila Ware.
The daughter of his employer, he had
loved her long and almost hopelessly.
One day through the city spread the
news like wild-fre that Ware q Co., had
failed. He went straightway to the
house, where he had ever been a welcome
guest He found the laughing girl whom
he had known, graver and perhaps a
little haugbtier than of old; a woman
whom the first breath of misfortune had
not blasted to dependency or languor,
but rather had strengthened and in-
vigorated.
She listened, silently, while he told
her the story which had lain so long in his
heart unsaid. And, when he had spoken,
she gave him frankly the love which till
then womanly pride had veiled.
He brought her to a home which, !
though bright and cozy, held none of
the luxury of that which she had known;
but she made it home in fact as well as
in word-the dearest spot in the world
to Tom Lysander.
One evening Lila Lysander came up
to where her husband sat YEARLY think
ing.
Through the open winpows came the
breeze, laden with promises of the sum-
mer. Below, boys were crying blue
violets ON the city streets.
"Tom, dear, what is it ?"
He started at sound of the tender voice
and put his arm around her as she stood
beside him.
"Can you bear bad news, pet?"
Il can share it, Tom p'
He laughed at the brave, womanly
answer.
The gun of bad-luck was double-bar-
relied, to-day. dear. Our salaries were
reduced one-third on account of a partial
failure of the firm, and-I had letter
from Aunt Sarah r
ooh, Tom What does she say ?"
"That she is making arrangements
with her lawyer to discontinue the allow
ance 1 have had ever since 1 was a boy
also, to eradicate my name from her will.
There I"
"And all this on nay account ?" visit
fully.
"Ah, that's where the Joy comes in,
my darling have you the rest is !
nothing !"
"Is she not cruel, Tom ?"
"Far from it. She is peculiar, whim-
sical. easily preiudiced. She used to
love me dearly. And if her blessed old d
eyes caught but one glimpse of my
bonnie bride Come for a walk, dear. I
'oWork for you, Mrs. Lysander?
You surely don't mean it Why, my
dear child, you don't know the meaning
Of the word. q
Lila Lysander, standing before her
fathers old lawyer, slim, childish =
figure, looked up at him with resolute I
eyes. I
"But I do mean it, Mr.. Mitchell.
Some position which will permit me to !,
be home in the evening before Tom !,
He is working nights, now, to i
make up for the decrease in his salary. !,
t is terrible to think he should toll so s
lard, while I am comparatively idle = =
"Come to think of it, I do know q
,lace that would suit you. She's client :
# my ofice-mate, Hillhouse, boarding
t the Revere-rich, bless you, richl
ihe wants a young girl to stay with her b
art of the day, while she's in the city n
he's in the city-companion, guide, fl
hat sort of thing, you know. No one a
'ould ever take You to be married, Miss Il
ala. There I'm dropping into the Il
name myself. Craig-your second Fl