The Holbrook news., 1910-04-15
Tom Wentworth
~~~-~~~~~N~O

Tom Wentworth was angry and in. dignant He had arisen one morning a wet, cold, disagreable morning. with an indistinct recollection of something unpleasant which had occurred the evening before.
 Little by little it grew clear. Norah, the housekeeper, had absconded.
 Tom remembered that she had given warning a week ago. but he had for gotten it until she left.
 "Confound these women," he ex- claimed, as he hurried out of bed. "Confound the whole tribe of Eyes daughtersi Pretty fix I am in. with my own breakfast to gett Much know about cookery, But no matter; I will not be dependent on a woman. Woman-bah! I can get as good a breakfost as the best of themi"
 s this, Tom Wentworth tied his LecatIe, combed his hair, and de- scended to the lower regions to decide on his breakfast.
 "I will have coffee and toast, of course; easily made. I know; anyone can make a cup of coffee. must make fire first. though"
 This was soon accomplished. and then he searched for the coffee.
 Let me sce,'' he meditated. q shall need a quarter of a cupful, and we set tie it, don't we, with codfsh? Yes, know we do; I remember that much. Heard Nora say so one morning."
 And he turned the coffee and a gener- ous share of codfish into the pot. and placed it on the hob, and then cut his bread.
 This done, he proceeded to set the table, when "ding-a-ling" went the door bell.
 Plague take it!" he muttered. "Why can't they wait till a fellow has done breakfast?"
 And he went slowly upstairs to the door.
 A showy handbill lay there. brilliant in gold and crimson. announcing the advent of a grand circus.
 Tom Wentworth kicked it into the street, and was sorry he could not serve the boy the same way.
 Down again to the basement, to find his coffee just burning, and the nose os the tea kettle.
 Tom toasted his bread in no very en- viable frame of mind, and after burn ing one side. concluded that side was done enough for both. and then sat down to enjoy it.
 "Ding-a-ling" went the bell once more, with very decided and empha- tic syllable on the end, as if to say, Come quick"
 Tom Wentworth sprang to his feet, with a frown on his handsome face. Running his hand quickly through his curly hair. he exclaimed, By love. They may ring until the day of doom before I go." And then he went.
 When Tom Wentworth opened the door he was indignant to find no one there. and was about closing it with a bang. when a basket at his feet arrest ed his attention
 He was about to shove it off when cry sounded from it's depths It was faint. wailing cry, but it fairly froze Toms blood with terror
 Shades of .Venicei Con"
 But the rest of his exclamation was cut short by utter inability to finish it.
 He took the basket up as if it-were bubble which he was afraid Of break ing. and then set it down and gazed at it as if suddenly bereft of his senses; though in reality he was looking about for that dreaded object-a woman.
 None appearing. he again lifted the basket up and carried it into the house, and locked the door.
 A blue-eyed, golden-haired baby face as he opened the dainty wrappings, and a pair of chubby, dim pied hands were stretched up to him, while a smile rippled over her face.
 A cold sweat broke out all over Tom. He leaned heavily against the wall for support [; but the dimpled hands were stretched out again. and the smile gave way to such a grieved look that it took the citadel at once, and Toms kind heart surrendered without further pro- test.
 Taking the smiling child in his arms, he looked into its blue eyes with an in- terest he had never manifested in any other baby; and as the dimpled hands pulled at the brown, wavy beard, they twined themselves about the heart