The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-04-04

w tut tAccutHtt vi ftHe heNcIdl lou
Of brains represented. The lips OF th'
commercial traveller several times
showed symptoms Of a smile, and h'
dared look nowhere but at the centre
table.
They were not kept waiting long. A
most gracious, fine looking old gentle
man entered, bowed and seated him
self SO as TO command the faces Of tho
four Few words were wasted, and
IL was soon clearly understood what
was wanted: person Of education and
high morality, who would at once take
entire charge Of n half wlttcd son and
his property.
In short" said the gentleman, 81
want 20 provide ease and satisfaction
for myself the few more years | may
| live, ana brains for my son against the
time when ] shall not be here to guard
| him. helpless"
The preacher could not accept be
| cause Of his calling; the lawyer be-
cause OF family ties; the traveller be
cause Of dislnclnatiOn; and Miss Tomp-
kins because she had enough brains
to see that man was required TO fill
the position. At least that is what she
said. But there was n queer nutter In
the fragment she used as a heart her
face being so much colored thereby
that she looked more like her girlhOOd
self than she had In many day be-
fore The old gentleman gave her more
than the fourth of his attention, and
when the conference was ended cs-
corted her TO her carriage. When he
should have bid her goodbye he hest
tated, stammered. coloreu, ana then
managed to ask:
Did understand you TO say you are
Miss Linda TOmpkinsW
A really natural. merry ripple of
laughter sounded in the carriage, and
Miss TompkiIs said:
mo, you did not so understand, for
did not say II. But that's who ] am
nevertheless Howd'y' do, Philip
With that she put her hand in his as
IL just meeting him. IL knew you the
moment you entered the roCm," she
added. laughing again.
The Mr. Philip Passmorc upon whom
Miss Tompkins had so unwittingly
called was the heart-breakcr, accord
ing to the public, of Miss Tompkins'
youth, and after many years resi-
dcnce elsewhere. he had returned Ito
die" he said. near his boyhood home.
But after this meeting with his old
friend, and after meetings with va
rious other old friends at Petersburg,
he decided that he would live some
years yet. His advertisement did not
reappear and I'm "A short while the Fet-
tcrsburg people had sweet morscl TO
roll under their tongues: Miss Tomp-
kins had an almost constant visitor,
and seemed ridiculously happy, despite
the shadow resting on the family name.
That her visitor had addressed her In
her teens. and was now a wealthy
widower. glorifed both of them IN the
eyes of unlocking young people.
Miss Tompkins ceased to borrow the
daily. Then 1t was rumored that she
was buying her wedding outfit. And
she was.
But all I'm an evening the engage
ment was broken. That no one knew
why but added TO the interest and Mr..
Passmore affirmed that the cause of
Miss Tompkins' unusual behavior was
no better known to him than TO the
public. lie looked very detected, and
once more began TO think OF the time
when his son would he without pro
tcctor. People gave him all thci% sym
pathy. and called Miss Tonpkins heart
less
But by-and-by that lacy lost the
cheerful dcmeanor she had kept M
Immediately after the storm broke, and
she seemed humble, even meek. join
ing in conversation as IL It were an
honor to be allowed TO do so. She
again began TO watch the want column
and to ask for little jobs of sewing.
Then sympathy began to veer in her
direction. People said there was
something rotten In Denmark" and
to nose it out would have been their
dearest delight. Soon they were pet
ting Miss Tompkins as in the days be
| fore Mr.. Passmore re.ppeared in hcr
life. and were really grieved that she
did not brighten. The change in the
| public extended even 10 Mr.. Pass
more. and he again called on Miss
| Tompkins, the act creating quite Z
| ripple. No other love affair had ever
| caused such interest ia Petersburg
| Even the school Children talked about
IL. And they talked long, for week
went by. and months. the two parties
concerned changing not on any respect
When winter was well advanced
Il was whispered about that the old
| Tompkins place was haunted. Some
| told of unaccountablc noises In the
basement when Miss Tompkins was
known 10 be at school; and others OF
hearing n sepulchrGl cough in the back
OF the house. a cough that sounded
exactly like that of old Mrs. Tompkins
Perhaps these reports made Miss
Tompkins more nervous than she hat
been. She tried to laugh at them. ever
going 70 far as TO tell her neighbor'
| that IL they should see n thin coil oi
smoke from her chimney during he
absence. they might know the ghos
was warming himself at her banked
fire. The thin coil of smoke had nj
ready been noticed making cold chill
creep up the spine OF the superstitious
who looked upon Miss Tompk.ns a
| tho h-avaet woman IN the town