Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-09-11

] b Il
wasn't all he should be to his poor
! Amanda, and that he broke her heart.
/ He never answered her back; and I've
/ heard him get up in the night and 90 eV-
\ cry where to buy Strawberries when
/ they were not in season because she was
set on having 'em. She was Miss Pen
! feather, and the family despises Mr.. Bel
/ Iamy; but never saw such alteration,
even when she gave him a black eye
with the clothes brush.
/ Linda grew curious to see this para
/ gOn. One day she was gratifed. She
had left Master Tommy in the nursery,
and gone down stairs to get a tub Of hot
water for his bath when she returned
| he was gone. She hurried about the
house, and soon heard low groans from
| the study on the secOrd floor.
The door stood OPEN; peeping in she
saw tall man lying on sofa, and Mas
ter Tommy standing near by, pulling
out his hair by handfuls. With every
tug the sufferer groaned, but made no
resistance.
Tommy" called Tommy,
come here! Really, sir, you ought not
to allow that"
Tommy obeyed, and ran to her. The
martyr lifted up his head.
Don't disturb him" he said, mourn
fully. 'I would deny nothing to her
child. wish to do my duty by him at
| least"
"This is not the way to do it, sir" said
Linda. absurd indulgence is injurious
to any child"
She led Tommy away.
The next morning as she was instruct
| ing him in the alphabet, a tangled head
/ of black hair appeared at the door a
lamy. with detected air and tone, in
Ouired "MaV / come in P'
Linda fastened to place a chair, and
went on with her lesson.
! The father eyed her with a Wistful
look.
"You seem to manage him." he said.
! 81 try to, sir" said Linda.
"He has his sainted mothers face"
said Mr.. Ballamy.
! The child with his blunt nose and
rough red cheeks, was not particularly
| saint-hke, but Linda, as in duty bound,
| bowed graVely.
ct comforts me to see him. said Mr..
! Ballamy, "AGay 1 come Often?"
"This is your own house, sir" said
Linda.
From that day Mr.. Ballamy sat in
the nursery a great deal. In the eve
nings he took Tommy to walk. At the
end of that month he raised Linda's
wages.
! As the Summer wore on and the
year of his mourning glided by he be-
! slowed many condolences on his nursery
! goVerness. He remembered each cause
of complaint his late wife had had
/ against him, and desired Linda's opin-
ion. Generally she found him not to
| blame.
! By slow degrees he became more
cheerful, and at last brought home a top
! for Tommy and set 1t spinning.
! On the anniversary of his Wife's death
he took Linda and Tommy to her grave
and wept there.
ga broken-hearted man is Mr.. Balla-
N.Y." said Mrs Possett ct seems singu-
lar to me that he didn't ask me to take
the child instead of you"
| The week after, Mrs. Penfeather and
one of Tommy's aunts came to make a
visit. There was a good deal of Whis-
| pering in the hOuSekeeperS room; and
! one evening Mrs. Penfeather entered the
nursery with a naughty air, and, seating
| herself IN a rOcking-chalr, addressed her
self to Linda.
II am the late Mrs. Bellamy's mother,
as I suppose you know; andI have come
over to see how Tommy is getting on.
can't say I think he is doing well at all,
and believe 1 can find better nurse
maid for him. So, as your month is up
next Monday, I'll pay you now IN place
! of warming, and you can packup at once"
Linda looked at the old lady quietly,
paused moment, said every well" and
walked out of the room.
Her little trunk stood in the lumber
room she opened it and began to take
down her few plain gowns.
Suddenly Tommy's voice reached her
! crying, where's my Llnda?"
And she heard the grandmother say,
LINDA is going away. She's naughty"
Then she realized that she had come
to love Tommy, and tears fell fast upon
the garments she was packing.
"Crying?" said a voice just behind
her. "Why, Linda; what has hap
pened?"
'I'm very foolish, that's all, Mr.. Bella
my. 1t is only leaving Tommy" she an
wered, without looking around.
Leaving Tommy; what do you mean?''
cried Mr. Bellamy.
He then came into the lumber room
and stood near her, looking down at
her.
Mrs. Penfeather has dismissed me,
she said.
fBut I have not" said Mr.. BeIlamy.
He bent toward her; he looked at her
as a master seldom looks at a servant.
Suddenly Linda understood all.
ct is right that should 60" thought
she, and yet her tears fell faster. Yes,
she not only loved little Tommy, but
she certainly liked Mr. Ballamy very
much.
at will break the child's heart if you
co. said Mr.. Ballamy," Mrs. Penfeather
OveIsteps her privileges. Linda, my dear
child, you can't 90. 1 have thought for
some time that you never must. 1t is my
duty to give little Tommy a mother, and
Pm so very fond of you. Won't you
marry mel''
He put his arm about her waist. He
had such a soft, kind way, though he
was weak and WOmanish.
" Say yes, Linda" he said.
But she answered. So Not now; not here. y