The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-05-06
MABEL'S CHOICE.

Uo &unOOaCS IS rOl10' down TO set de
darkeys free!
N1ABEL'S CHOICE.
Captain Morton is a fine man.
mother. How good, how kind he has
been to you ever since we came aboard
the Ship
THAT is true, Mabel, but at my time
Of life, can easily guess the cause of
the interest he takes in your old, bed
ridden mother''
And Mrs. Barton looked significant
ly at her young daughter. who was a
beautiful, graceful girl of seventeen,
with gentle, dove-like eyes and brown
hair.
Mabel, blushing, assured her mother
that she was mistaken.
He feels very sorry for YOU she
added, land would do just as much
for you if were not here"
The old lady's eyebrows went up
under her nightcap.
Il like him much better than I do
Mr.. Tomtit," continued Mabel, earn
estly.
Mr.. Tomtil, my dear, is a man of
fortune, having five hundred and fifty
thousand dollars of his own, and to in
herit twice as much from his father
when he dies. The captain of this
ship, on the contrary, has no fortune
does not even own share in this
vessel. Granted he is good man.
Well, so is Tomtit. My dear, it will
be the happiest moment of my life to
see you take kindly to Tomtit.''
"There is nothing to take to- ans
wered Mabel. Il mean there is moth
ing about him to claim attention or in
terest.''
"Nothing about Mr.. Tomtit? 1 can
assure you he is man that women
like. 1t is natural should wish to see
you comfortably settled. Tomtit adj
mires you; there can be no doubt about
that. Try, on your part, to encourage
Tomtit.''
Mabel contrived to change the sub
ject. She had never liked MIR. Tomtit.
Ever since this person had made the
acquaintance of Mrs. Barton and
daughter, few months previously, in
Sidney, Australia, where the two had
resided for years, the mother had
sounded his praises in the ear of her
child. In fact, it almost seemed to her
that she heard little else.
1t was Tomtit here and Tomtit there,
until she became heartily tired of the
name.
Still she would not say anything tc
hurt the feelings of her widowed
mother, who had been an invalid ever
since her husband died.
Mrs. Barton and her daughter were
now passengers abroad the home.
bound ship, Redcliff, of New York,
Captain Henry Morton, master.
This Morton was good-looking
stalwart young fellow. as frank as the
open day.
There was a marked contrast be-
tween his personal appearance anc
that of Tomtit.
The latter was small, slender an(
elegant, always fashionably dressed, il
a shining, tall hat, etc., and carrying
a slender, little cane with which h.
lightly tapped the deck when walking
to and fro.
As Mrs. Barton had said, he was
generally liked by young women
many Of whom would have beer
pleased to become his wife.
Mabel, however, was an exception
1T is no use,'' she would say to her
self. IL can never like Tomtit
Never do see his round, smooth face
with its two flat, black eyes stucl
therein, without thinking Of a plum
pudding with the raisins protruding.'
1t had so happened that Mr.. Tomti
having business in New York, was fel
low-passenger with Mabel and be-
mother.
He was very attentive to the youn:
girl, but thus far she had given hin
but little encouragement.
He scarcely ever spoke to her mother
and when he inquired after her health
Mabal could perceive, in spite of al
his efforts to seem otherwise, that h
was not at all interested in her case.
twas indeed, a melancholy one.
week after sailing Mrs. Barton hat
been struck with partial paralysis o
both limbs, so that she could no longer
walk.
The young captain of the ship hat
been constant in his efforts to d.
everything for her comfort.
A son could not have been NOR,
kind than he in his treatment of tn,
old lady.
Mabel liked him much.
In her own heart she felt a startlin,
conviction that she loved him.
But her mother, as shown, wante.
her to have Tomtit.
She had always been an obedien
child.
Now her mothers sad condition car
ried great weight with her wishes re
garding Tomtit.
She begged and pleaded with he
daughter, and at last won her consen
to try and encourage the young man.
The result was, that in few weeks
young Tomtit, dropping graceful,
on one knee, proposed.
"Iwill try was Mabel's answer t.
his appeal, with the understandin,
that, if l change my mind, you will no
be angry"
mot in the least he answered
smiling, laying all this to the natura
ccvnesS of maiden.
Then something was said about mar
ried life, mothers-in-law, ETC., in tn
course of which young Tomtit made
"clean breast of it, and acknowl
edged that he did not approve of
mothers living with the married cou
pie.
You would like my mother" sal
Mabel.
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