River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-05-06
MABEL'S CHOICE.


MABEL'S CHOICE.
Captain Morton is a fine man,
mother How good. how kind he has
been to yeu 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 | do
AIR Tomtit," continued Mabel, earn
estly.
MIR TomtiI, 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 a share in this
vessel. Granted he is good man.
Wei, Sc 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? l can
assure you he is a man that women
like. Ii 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 sontrived to change the sub
ject. She had never liked Mr.. TOmtit.
Ever since this person had made the
acquaintance of Mrs. Barton and
daughter, a 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 10
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 a good-looking,
stalwart young fellow, as frank as the
open day.
There was a marked contrast be-
tween his personal appearance and
that of Tomtit.
The latter was small, slender and
elegant, always fashionably dressed, in
a shining, tall hat, etc. and carrying
"A slender, little cane with which he
lightly tapped the deck when walking
to and fro.
As Mrs. Barton had said, he vas
generally liked by young won en-,
many of whom would have been
pleased to become his wife.
Mabel, however, was an exception.
II - M ,,5a - che xuar1lI COW = bnr-
self Il can never like Tomtit.
Never do l see his round, smooth face,
with its two flat, black eyes stuck
therein, without thinking of a plum
pudding with the raisins protruding. "
II had so happened that Mr.. Tomtit
having business in New York, was fell
low-passenger with Mabel and her
mother.
He was very attentive to the young
girl, but thus far she had given him
but little encouragement.
He scarcely ever spoke to her mother,
and when he inquired after her health,
Mabal could perceive, in spite of all
his efforts to seem otherwise, that he
was not at all interested in her case.
1t was indeed, a melancholy one. A
week after sailing Mrs Barton had
been struck with partial paralysis of
both limbs, so that she could no longer
walk.
The young captain of the ship had
been constant in his efforts TO do
everything for her comfort.
A son could not have been more
kind than he in his treatment of the
old lady
Mabel liked him much.
In her own heart she felt a startling
conviction that she loved him.
But her mother, as shown, wanted
her to have Tomtit.
She had always been an Obedient
child.
Now her mother sad condition car
ried great weight with her wishes re-
garding Tomtit.
She begged and pleaded with her
daughter. and at last won her consent
to try and encourage the young man.
The result was, that in few weeks,
young Tomtit, dropping gracefully
on one knee, proposed.
Il viii try" was Mabel's answer to
his appeal, with the understanding
that, if change my mind, you will not
be angry"
Not in the least, he answered,
smiling, laying all this to the natural
ccyness of a maiden.
Then something was said about mar
ried life. mOthers-in-law. etc, in the
course of which young TOmtit made a
..clean breast of il, ;" and aeknowl-
edged that he did not approve of a
mothers living with the married eOu-
pie.
You would like my mother. said
Mabel.
"Well-well-yes. but really now you
will give in to me in this, dear Miss
Barton. Your mother has relations, /
believe, in New York. She can live
with them. Young folks ike to see as
little as possible of the old people,
YOU know he added, laughing.
Mabel shuddered inwarLly. When
she told her mother, the latter made
light of it.
1T is the way with the young" she
said. Il shall live with my sister.
Don't fail to tell him that my dear"
but Captain Morton would not have
acted so.
Hush You must not speak of him
now. Captain Morton's kindness TO me
has all been on your account, not