The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-07-03

living within five miles assembled to
hear Tom WEitcombs 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 4 body
to do him honor just as he had decided
that it was late enough to venture on a
morning call. 1t was manifestly impos-
sible to treat the committee discOurteous-
Il, and, chatting terribly, he had submit
ted to being escorted. after Il solemn
palave1', t. the seat Of honor On the plat
form. lie consoled himself as we'll rs
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 I; poor
notion of what sort of man Tom was.
Yet there is no question but that he WAS
sorely distressed. Right iii front of him
sat Susie, locking even more gloiiously
beautiful thaa 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 il her life, though, of course,
Tom did not know anything about that.
She looked at Tom i'll IL way that if he
had understood it would have made him
wild with delight.
But he didn't understand it. Next to
Susie sat a handsome, stalwart man, at
least 30 years old. He was elegantly
dressed i'll city clothes, and Tom knew
he was Il 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
gethcr she was behaving disgracefully.
However, Tom had duty to perform,
and necessarily, being Tom, he did it
maSniicently well. The Oldest men
there agreed that they had never heard
such :; Speech before. And after it 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
a letter. He turned when his father
came in, and, with his eyes flashing, he
said sternly: You made Ee promise,
sir, and you have not kept it, You see
Tom was a good son, but he had grown up.
Il don't remember that | ever did
that" said the sqrire, much astonished. ::
You don remember" said Tom, bit
telly.. Didn't you say you'd let Inc
know if anybody else was paying atten-
tons to Susie Campbell:''
"Certt:inly did" sai', the squire, still
E.Orc a&t0rishcd.
Wen. who is that man that is With
her nov.: demanded Toin still more
s,tlr.sly.
Then it WAS his turn 10 be astonished
for LIS father looked 1T him blalIl...y for
a--:0tio-.tt. q and then dropped into Il chair.
lar :,liu.; - heartily he could not speak
"TA.,s har uncle. Tom" he said. as
S2ol - = couId commend his voice.
'IIe.' uacic.' exclaimed Tom Elaa,ilv
'Irs Tic Widow Campbell-s yo,ln ,ar
brot,Icr. He came Ga from the west last
Monday. They haven't seen him before
sine he was . little boy. They say he
h;:s L.! l. half a million out there"
H;,t ,Ioll didn't hear the last sentence
~ :l&t : fool I am he said, before his
faj .cr y, !, half through. and s1latching
W ili>. i-..t be rushed ont Of the house.
And he found Susie within ten minutes
DAVID A, Ci-ETIs