Year: 1873

! But, at least, you have fixed on the
LADY,


'Oh, yes answered Tom; but, if
you will excuse me. Aunt Anne. l


would rather not say anything about


her just yet; for, if-if anything
should happen, it wouldn't be pleas


ant for either party, you know


With which veiled illusion to his
possible rejection, Tom took his hat
and left the room.


Our household was rather queerly
put together. There was no particu-
lar reason why l should have been
Of it at all; for | was not really re-
lated to Tom. nor even to mother :
as | called her, though | am sure we
were as dear TO each other as any
mother and daughter could be. She
was the second wife Of my father,
who. like most ministers. had been
richer in grace than in goods and
had left US at his death with very lit
tie to live on. Then it was that Tom
Dean had come forward and insisted
on giving a home to his aunt and to
me, whom he had scarcely seen
dozen times in his life before. That
was exactly like Tom-'queer Tom
Dean as his friends were fond of
saying, who never did anything like
anybody else l suppose in spite
of his clear head for business, there
. is no denying that he was whimsical;
but l am sure, when / think Of his
unfailing generosity and deHcacy, !
can't help wishing there were few
more such whimsical people in the
world. Naturally. at that time l am
speaking of, my opinion had not been
asked: all | had to do was to 90
where mother went. and. while she
gave her energies to the house-keep-
ing, give mine to growing up, which
by this time l had pretty well accom-
plished. But perhaps for that very
! reason-for one sees with different
eyes at twelve and eighteen-my po-
/ sition in the house had already be-
! gun to seem unsatisfactory to me:
and the mornings words put it in a
clearer light since it had been used
as an argument against Toms marry.
ing. | knew that mother lad spolz-
en- honestly believing that such
step would not be for his happiness;
/ but was not he the best judge Of
that? I knew him, if reflection should
bring him round to her opinion. to
be perfectly capable of quietly sac
rifcing his own wishes for my sake,
who had not the shadow Of claim
on him; so it must be my part to
( prevent his own kindness being
turned against him now. Still, it
was not so easy to see how | was to
provide for myself in case it should
/ become advisable. What could l
do? Draw and sing and play toler-
ably, but not in manner to compete
with the hosts that would be in the
+ field against me. Literature? | had
read so many stories whose heroines.
with turn Of the pen, dashed into
wealth and fame. That would be
very nice. only was not the least
little bit literary; l had never even
kept a journal, which is saying a
great deal for a girl in her teens.
I The fine arts then. being out Of the
question for me, what remainedZ
I There was some clerkship, or place
in some family, and-and there was
VIII BROMLEY.


. That may seem like going away


from the point. but it was not. l


was matter-oEfact. but | could see


well enough what was going on right


under my eyes and / had a pretty


clear idea of what was bringing VIII


to the house so often as he had taken


to coming lately. There was 4 stu


alton, then, that would give me the
+ lome-life | liked best and felt myself


best suited for; but-would it answer


in other respects? | overcast the


long seam ! was sewing twice over,


l was so busy trying to make up my


mind whether | liked Win BROMLEY
. well enough TO pass my whole life
with him; and even then ! had not
: come to any decision. when | was


called down stairs to Lefty Wal
= ters.


Lefty was the prettiest, l think, OF


all my friends and certainly the live
) liest. Tom called her 'the tonic,
! and used to laugh heartily at her
bright speeches. | suppose it was
this that made mother fix on Lefty
!