Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-03-22
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! LOVE FINDS A WAY. !
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q BY JEAMNETTE ~. WAgW@RTE, s
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: Copyright 1893, by Jeanette wawor.h. z
BY JEAMNIET7TE %. wAlW0RTM.
Jopyrieht, 1899, by Jeanette h. walwor.h.
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vile, and when time removed him and
disabled her she yielded up her scepter
reluctantly and ungracefully. She was
still much given to asserting her views
in defiance Of large majorities, and. as
for consulting Malvina in matter Of
grave Importance, she could not bring
herself to do.it. In this matter Of the
lost papers, Malvina could never be
brought to see it in the right light. She
would have stoutly stood out for Mat
thews' rights as Toms guardian and
carried the documents when found to
him.
With all the strength Of affection I'M
diluted by diffusion this stern old wo-
man had loved the older generation of
the Broxtons. Rufus Broxton, his wife
and his beautiful sister, Lucetta, had
all been objects of her unstinted adj
miration and love. AS they had stood
by her in the time of her sorrow and
suffering, so did she solemnly swear
to herself that she would stand by the
last of the name.
A furtive but thorough examination
VI lAS pdDC1S Olu1ullC NAL ILL hda AOul3o
had led her to believe that they were
of decided value to Tom. Whether to
give them to him on the first chance
meeting with him or whether to hold
on to the most important ones until he
came of age was the knotty point with
her. One Of her innumerable theories
was that if Horace Matthews had not
haor will %hnr To ho =,
would have made more thorough
search for them at the time of their
disappearance.
The discrepancy between this view
and the idea of Jimmie Martin having
resold himself did not concern her in
the least. The average woman does not
understand the necessity for dovetail-
ing her theories and rises superior to
consistency.
| The old woman sighed and peered
restlessly toward the front gate. She
had half a mind when Malvina did
come back to tell her all about the
finding and the losing Of the papers,
first, of course, swearing her to invio-
liable secrecy, but she had entertained
dL0 aASSdL0Cu IAlI SiL1uC lldl1 ullllu
scores Of times already. Malvina would
just get angry with her and put on SUI
perior airs Of rectitude. Malvina got
angry with her every time she cast
any discredit on Horace Matthews
management of Toms affairs. He GER
tainly had bewitched Malvina, as he
had others before her. Only that morn
trcr or tha If st <oI1 IL ~
VIVA had described the beautiful pearl
necklace that Matthews had clasped
about his girls neck and she had
promptly recognized 1T as having been
Lucetta's, given to her as a birthday
| gift by her brother Rufus, and had de-
nounced its appropriation by the law
yer, Malvina had flown all to pieces'
and had just stopped short Of down.
right disrespect to her mother in de-
Tense of him.
"As If did not know him better
than anybody living" the old woman
grumbled, striking one wrinkled fist
angrily against the other. "As If I did
not know his soul to be rotten to the
| very coren
Tom Broxton, cantering gayly down
| the sun fecked road on his way to
Mandeyille, caught glimpse Of the
| bright spot of color in the cottage door
way and drew rein with friendly in
tent. He consulted his watch and
| laughed.
at is Mother Spillman. I ought to
pay my respects to the old lady. I
have more time this morning than I
am likely to have again. was asked
to a 2 o'clock dinner, and it is only a
| little past II now. I'm showing my
hand pretty plainly"
He sprang out of the saddle, threw
his bride over a picket Of the fence
and made his way quickly between
| Miss Malvina's hollyhocks and lark
spurs. The old woman peered forward
eagerly at sound Of the gate latch.
That amt you back already, NAL
yina?'
Her hands were caught in warm
cordial clasp.
''No; it's only Tom Broxton, Mother
! Spillman. I've stopped by to ask after
your eyes. Miss Malvina tells me you
have had dreadful time with them
this winter. and. as if that wasn't
enough to keep both of you in work,
you had to go and sprain an ankle"
All of which was shouted so immedi-
ately into the old lady's ears at the top
Of Toms vigorous young lungs that
she recoiled in physical pain. But she
held his hands with answering warmth
and smiled glad welcome up at the
great stalwart fellow.
"My dear boy, my good lad, to think
of your taking the time to stop and
call on an old woman like me! But it
was like you = like the Broxtons, I
mean. They never forgot other peo-
pies feelings. Sit down, Tom, close
to me, laddie, where can touch your
shining brown hair, If want to. But
don't yell 50, Tom. They try to make