The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-02-22
"0UR TOM"
Amy Randolph Ina New York Ledger

The sun, a sphere Of amber glory,
had just gene majesticaHy down be-
mind the cedar trees ON old Mount Mil
ton, and Bessie Vane, washing up the
:ea dishes in the little outer kitchen,
was vehemently haranguing her broth
e., who sat dejectedly on the window
seat, staring hard at the glow Of yellow
hight which still hung over Mount Mil
ton.
If I were you, Tom," said Bessie,
vigorously polishing up tumbler, Il
would not be such an idiot
"Oh, Bessie, don't chatter said Tom,
aespairin,Iy. You mean we'll, dear,
but you don't understand. It's no
1se'
1t isl" asserted Bessie.
Il am not good enough for her.
You are!7 protested Bessie, REDEEM
mg :ngrly.
She doesn't love me-.
More shame for her, them
She deserves richer, handsomer,
aobler husband than l could ever be
TO her.
She Doesn't
And so I've pretty much resolved
to give the whole matter up"
Bessie was silent. In her estimation
Tom was the best, bonniest, most heroic
Of all the young men in the country
side; and if Hermione Douglas looked
down upon him, Hermione Douglas
must be bereft OF common sense-that
was all.
II did think,' sadly added Tom,
that had some shadow Of chance
before that young foreign scoundrel
stepped in-De Castle, or whatever his
COMPOUNDED name is
''Di Casoli,' corrected Bessie.
We'll, Di something or other. A
man can't be expected to remember
these -four syllabled things growled
Tom. But he has upset things alto
Sether. l hate foreigners! l always
did! And I think Italians are the worst
OF the lot!'
'Oh, Tom." demonstrated Bessie,
aren't you little unjust?'
'Unjust!' People are unjust to- me-
aren't they?" .retorted Tom, plucking
"a solitary slender-stemmed carnation
whose modest petals We're glimmering
In the faint hah-light, in the window
recess. If this De Cassen had only
minded his own business and stayed
IN Milan Or Nice or wherever the place
Is, l might have had some show. AS
for his being count. I don't believe
he's q count any more than I'm a con-
'vict''
Bessie was silent as she placed the
little piles of cups, saucers and preserve
plates on the cupboard shelves in due
order.
las for my being jealous without
a cause" moodily added Tom. didn't
George Daley himself hear her say that
she liked Italians better than any other
sort? What does that sound like en-?
We'll, he is handsome" reluctantly
added Bessie.
'Handsome!' That's all you womer
think OFF, burst out Tom, as he huns
himself away
And the next day he announced his
intention of going to Canada.
~Oh. Tom!' shrieked his mother.
isn't this rather a sudden resolution
my son?" mildly questioned his father
And leave us, Tom?' faltered Bes
sic, with tears in her gentle blue eyes
Home is no place for me just now,
said Tom, recklesSly. Uncle Brian!
lumber mill will take the nonsense
out Of NE, if anything will. ,Hart
work and no time to think--that il
what need"
Bessie said nothing more. She drew
IA long, -shuddering breath, and resolves
secretly to take decisive course O
action.
'"rom has the best right to Hermi
one, she thought. tom loved Hermi
ore long before this Count Di Casol
ever came 10 this country. And I thiD
Heqmione liked him. Tom is not lil1
other people, who console themselve
easily. This thing will break Tom
heart 1 shall interfere, even at tn
risk Of appearing unfeminine and met
dlesOme"
Her resolution once formed Bessi
lost no time in carrying it into effec
That very afternoon she dressed he]
self In the pretty blue India silk dres
that was so becoming, and tied on til
little hat that was wreathed aroun
with the blue forget-me-n ots and loon
Of azure ribbons, and set off for the oil
Douglas house, where Count Di Case
was visiting Hermione's brothers,
She had met the count several time
before. He was, as she had told Ton
strikingly handsome, and spoke as goo
English as if he had been born Q
Massachusetts soil. He liked Americ
he had told Bessie, and thought it e.
tremely likely that he should renal
in this countryffor several years. Mold
old italian castles. he had laughing]
observed, were not nearly 50 pleasa1
as these sunny New England home
land rs for society. he much preferre
the clearer, Brighter atmosphere
American intellect
so sensible as he is in everything
Thought Bessie, land yet MOTTO see no
,unjustfy he is acting toward boo
dear Tom! Oh, I can't understand
at air.
Just before she reached the pret1
grounds of the Douglas place Bess
came upon the Count di Casoli, leisur
ly seated ON an old fallen tree, .inten
lily watching the pranks of group
grey squirrels. He sprang to his ,fe
an an instant.
Miss Vanew he cried, with brighte
dng eyes. How fortunate ;am
meet you thus! May I have the hapI
mess of escorting you up to the house
NO." answered Bessie, summoni1
ali her courage to the front K w,