The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1885-12-12
vol. XXI.
TROT'S MOTHER.

yourself to a cigar first and pass the
box to me. knew You wonld want to
hear particulars, and II have been
trying to put off the evil moment I'm
getting an old man now, Harry, and all
this shook me good deal at the time"
Come here, Trot and sit on my knee,
There, that's better. Seems odd, Har-
". don't it, to see an old bachelor like
me nursing tiny bit of a girl like Trot9
-Four years old to day, aren't you, Trot?
How the time flies
lyon see, my dear lad, YOU ought to
have told her before you went away.
She never guessed that yon thought of
her in that way, 1t might have saved
her-who kuows9
at must be nine years since your
Uncle Will died and left Violet in nv
care. She was only Is then. Don't
you think Trot is very much like her
The same large brown eyes and long
lashes, She same loving little ways.
''She came to me one morning some
months after you left for China; with a
letter in her hand.
Look here, Uncle she said, kneel-
ing beside me, and holding the note
where | could read SITS note from
the Colds. and they invite me to 90
and stay with them ut Ventnor. May
accept?
DO You want to go. Violet ? |
asked.
"'Ot course do she said, laughing
1--WE are SO quiet here at home, and
this would be such delightful change
Please let me, unole. | will write Won
long letters. and tell YOU all about
eyerything'
II didn't want to part with her even
for little time, for the three years she
had been with me then had made my
life quite Il different matter but itl
seemed selfish to keep the bright, mer-
ry girl always shut up with "a crusty
old mar. gave her leave to 60, and
then. when after fortnight she wrote,
begging to be allowed to stay longer,
as her friends wished. l had not the
heart to refuse. She was there five
weeks and then she came home.
The very day after her return he
came-that contemplate scoundrel
whom in those few weeks she had
learned to regard as hero How he
found out at first that she had little
fortune of her own don't know He
asked for me. and told me that he
wanted my permission to address my
niece.
"1le was a goodlooking young fel-
low, and had frank, open manner
thatwas sure to win n girls favor. but
i thought of you, Harry, and deter
mined to prevent the matter going far
ther if | could. | took a strong and |
apparently unreasonable dislike to him,
and made many inquiries. hoping to
find out something to justify ME in for
bidding him the house, but entirely in
vain. But l studied him observed |
every little act and word, until at last
| was convinced that I knew him
through and through, and that he was
no fit husband for my little Violet,
by this time it had become kind
OF tacit engagement, and I knew l
should seem almost brutal for inter-
fering, but couldn't bear the idea of
giving Violet into his care, l vowed
to myself that nothing on earth should
induce me to do so. and told hlm to
discontinue his visits.
''The result of that was that he came
to definite understanding with Violet
and she promised to marry him with or
without my consent.
Don't look at me SO reproachfully,
Harry. 1t may be that Z acted un-
wisely all through, but if so / have
been severely punished for my folly.
1ou have let your cigar out. Here are
the matches.
:fou want me to tell yo1 al she said
and-her very words, as well as can
remember, That's hard matter. for
my memory's not so good as it used to
be eI