The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1890-07-02

was when he noticed that Susie was not
there. And he never had been 80 proud
of his son as he was when he heard him
speak so to his mother.
eff that girl doesn't accept him, I'll
disown her." said the squire to himself.
He had looked on her as a daughter so
long that he forgot how back handed the
threat was.
Tho ''doin's' next day were on scale
of magnifeence that Bedford had never
before equaled. A platform had been
built on the village green, and everybody
living within five miles assembled to
hear Tom Whitcomb's grafton. He had
planned to go early In the day to the
Widow Campbell's little cottage and Sc
cure Susie's company for the day, but
had been thwarted most vexatiously.
He was the great man of the day, and
the first penalty of greatness was call
from the committee, who came in body
to do him honor just as he had decided
that it was late enough to venture on a
morning call. It was manifestly impos-
nble to treat the committee discourteous-
ly, and, chatting terribly, he had submit
ted to being escorted, after solemn
palaver, to the seat of honor on the plat
form. He consoled himself as well as
he could by thinking that Susie would
certainly be there, and that after his
speech was over he could seek her out.
If my reader thinks that Tom Whit
combs speech was spoiled by what he
saw from the platform he has poor
notion of what SORT of man Tom was.
Yet there is no question but that he was
sorely distressed. Right in front of him
sat Susie, looking even more glorfously
beautiful than he had ever dreamed she
would be. She was flushed with pride
and great joy. Her eyes sparkled, and
she was dressed better than she ever had
been before in her life, though, of course,
Tom did not know anything about that.
She looked at Tom in way that If he
had understood it would have made him
wild with delight
But he didn't understand it. Next to
Susie sat handsome, stalwart man, at
least 80 years old. He was elegantly
dressed in city clothes, and Tom knew
he was stranger, and Susie chatted
with him, and laughed and whispered,
and turned to look at him every time she
applauded Toms speech, which was
every time anybody else did, and alto
gether she was behaving disgracefully.
However, Tom had duty to perform,
and necessarily, being Tom, he did it
magnifcently well. The Oldest men
there agreed that they had never heard
such a speech before. And after 1t was
over, while the audience was singing
Hail Columbia, Tom slipped away and
went home.
There the old squire found him, half
an hour later, in his own room, writing
letter. He turned when his father
came in, and, with his eyes flashing, he
! said sternly: "You made me q promise,
sir, and you have not kept it," You see
| Tom was a good son, but he had grown up
81 don't remember that ever did
that" said the squire. much astonished.
you don't remember" said Tom, bit
terly. Didn't you say you'd let me
know IL anybody else was paying atten.
tions to Susie Campbell:"
Certainly did" said the squire, still
more astonishet
well, who is that man that is with
her now?p demanded Tom still more
sternly.
Then it was his turn to be astonished,
for his father looked at him blanlrly for
moment, and then dropped into chair,
laughing SO heartily he could not speak
That's her uncle, Tom" he said, as
soon as he could command his voice.
Her uncle" exclaimed Tom blankly.
yes. The Widow Campbells younger
brother. He came on from the west last
Monday. They haven't seen him before
since he was little boy. They say he
has made half million out there"
But Tom didn't hear the last sentence.
What fool Emw he said, before his
father was half through, and snatching
up his hat he rushed out of the house.
And he found Susie within ten minutes
DAVID A. CURTIS.