Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 September 1870 — MALVINA. [ARTICLE]

MALVINA.

BY MRS. J. V. EAMES.

Young Tom Collin*, law-student, had just come into a strange inheritance. He sat solitary in his little boarding house room, trying to realize it. “ If the poor child hadn’t me," he said to himself, “ it could go and apply for admission to some institution. If I hadn’t ii, I could; hut. Lord! that is not the idea. I must decide what I am to do.” Tom had solemnly promised to care for the new-born baby of his only suter, who had just died. He tried to meditate. He had often before, during his life, made the same attempt, but bad never to any extent succeeded.. lie did not seem like one born to take things into very serious considera--tiou But this cage seemed to require it. No good Joke came to the rescue. Toni really had never in his twenty-two years felt such an awful fenso of gloom. His natural hilarity could only suggest to his mind the rather poor consolation that ho “had at least over night to consider on the business." on the door—an occu • ence unusual enough in the little upper room where he had long ceased regarding even the bellpull as a resort in any extremity, so completely Was he accustomed to be let alone. Be fore Tom could-respond to the knock it was followed by a cry of mingled entreaty and command, Bauh ttsonly hungry, babies know ho w to emit. “ I’ve fetched the poor little dear around, sir!’’ remarked a woman whose marvelous rotundity of person showed to fine advantage as she waved her sereamiug parcel as though it wereincensc wherewith to purify Tom’s batohclor room. “ Good Lord 1” he ejaculated. “ You'd ought to git a cow,” said nurse, still brandishing her charge. “ There ! there ! there I It’s got wind this minute, mixiu’ milk. Have you found a nurse, sir ? And baby wants clothes." “It’s got on too many clothes now,” said Tom. *T think that’s what it’s crying about; see how red arul hot it is I" Poor inexperienced Tom 1 he had offended the woman—cast recklessly overboard his only anchor I She dropped her shrieking charge upon Tom’s bed, and started towards the door. “Very well, sir!" she said, solemnly i “I see you know all about babies—l may go!” “Oh! oh!”gasped Tom, “do not! In tho name of mercy, do not! It shall havo clothes! Why do you say I want a nurse? Are you uot one? I assure you I know nothing, absolutely nothing of babies ! I neverto my knowledge touched one!" Real despair is impressive. The woman was mollified. “I am, sir," she said, turning confidentially to Tom, “a 'monthly: lam willing to stay with you while I can. But, sir, a person in my position is no . dependence. My summons may come any day or hour. It’s impossible to calculate. Day and night is all the same to me. There ain’t on earth to me a thing so inscrutable as this impossibility of calculating when we shall be sent for. I’ll work for you while I can, sir, but when & call comes, no earthly thing can keep me.” Tom took all these remarks in a religious point of view. Prom a person of Mrs Primmins’ robustness, they amazed him. He felt a vaeue fear lest, as he mentally expressed it, there might be “a bee in the old lady’s bonnet.” “Oh! cheer up I cheer up, Auntie,” he said, “you look hale and hearty. You’ve overtired yourself with my poor sister. If you’ll stay and take charge es that little thing for me, I’ll risk your getting a ‘ summons.’" “Your poor sister found great consolation in your promlse-for her child,” remarked Mrs. Primmins, pathetically. “It’s a desperate resort leaving a baby td a young man, but in her strait she was fain to catch at any straw.” "Oan you,” said Tom, looking gloomily at his now silent prize on the bed, “ can you give me any advice ? You couldn't have waited till to-morrow before bringing it, codd you ?” he added, hair reproachfully. “Of course not," said Mrs. Primmins. “Well 1 you’re no account! Now let me think.” *• “Do, in Heaven’s name," ejaculated Tom. Mrs. Primmins placed her arms akimbo. Tom fervently prayed for light on the meditations. “1 have it,” cried Mrs. Primmins; “Malviny ’s got to take it 1” „ “Bless your dear soul,” responded Torn. “Malviny’s the very one 1 What a talent you have for managing, Auntie dear!” There was Tom, his very self! lie hid hi! on exactly the right compliment to pay the old muse; Ho teas a'ctuallj Coat:, lug through tile on this instinct ho had or saying the most pleasant'thiag to ey

erybody. Mrs. Primmins of all things desired the reputatioif of a manceuvrer, as it was, of course, the one of all others that she did not deserve. “Yes,” she cried, chuckling, “I can manage. Let me alone I And first thing in the morning, I’U go thero with you, “Now," said she, seizing her charge, who was beginning to squirm, "now I’ll see wh&t’s to be got out of your landlady." Winking violently with first one eye and then the other, she started to go; then, with a sudden solemnity, she reinserted her head in the doorway. “If I’m summoned,"shesaid,“it’sabove all else. If I’m called, I must go, day or nigmi” “Certainly," said Tom, much puzzled, “but you won’t be, Auntie!’’ As the young man walked abroad to get his dinner, he felt impressed with an almost mysterious awe of the old nurse. “Tothink of living always with death grinning one in the face like that," he muttered. In the night Tom’s dream ol peace was again dispelled. Another knock on his door. “Am I under a ban ?” growled Tom; “what’s the matter now?" “I’m called,” said the voice of Mrs. Primmins; “my summons has come 1” “ Oh’ the d—l!’’ cried Tom, lost to all sense of the importance of conciliating tho nurse. "Go to bed 1 Hold on till morning 1" In tho morning Tom. who, happy fel low 1 always slept soupdest under a sense of depression, did not make his appearance until nine o’clock. He found that Mrs. Primmins had actually disappeared for parts unknown. In the arms ol his hitherto stern landlady he found his charge nestling. A new light—that of love—was beaming -in the solemn woman's eye—that woman, thought Tom, who would see any cf her boarders starve and rot for ten cents a day saved I He looked at his little responsibility with a feeling of awe, almost a suspicion of witchcraft. It is customary to shake the head, and wonder at the amazing Providence that sometimes removes a mother and throws a yonng infant upon the charity of others! Why not also consider reverently the innate instinct of motherhood that rises in every female heart at sight of a baby so bereaved 1 “I have undertaken,” said the landlady, giving Tom a smile such as he had never dreamed could rest on her features, " I have undertaken to go with you in searchofMrs. Primmins’niece, Malvina 1” Several hours later Tom Collins sprang from a light wagon in which ho had driven to the door of a pretty cottage. “ We will make one last effort by inquiring here,” ho said to his landlady, who held the baby. With his usual impetuosity he pushed di.v ’y through into the little rear kitchen. There, he forgot his errand, forgot everything except what he saw. A youi'g girl, plump, neat and rosy, stood, with round arms bared before a table. BUo was assiduously occupied in car ..dug, with her white hands, little "lumps ot dough ipto shape. —Then she" placed them in rows In a big black pan. For a moment she did not see Tom. He, unreasoning, impulsive fellow, forgot his errand—forgot everything, in short, and began envying those lumps of dough He felt instinctively that he, too, pos sessed a great capacity for being moulded by some each hands as those. Suddenly she turned. Such a dimpling smile 1 such rosy embarrassmeijt 1 Tom, great black-iishcd, jetty eyed giant that ho was, thought this little plump blonde an angel. Thought 1 why, he was sure of it f Alter a while he came partially to his senses, and said, “ I’m looking tor one Malviua Barker.” “ And that is me,” said the rosy lips. “ Then I’ve brought you a baby, he siitl, abruptly. A good deal of astonishment can be put into a pair of bright Ulue eyes without spoiling thorn—and so there was. Fortunately, at this point the landlady appeared, and so, a moment later, did Malvina’s mother, died up from the cellar by the voices. Negotiations were soon completed. Tom again in his little room, found it the loneliest, dreariest place ho had ever in his life looked upon. A couple of days later he concluded that it would be inhuman not to go and inquire after his little charge. In an incredibly shoit space of time he was seized with the same impression again. Then he went to take to baby, who bad not yet learned that the moon is more distant than the door-knob, a box of geographical blocks. Then he went to inquire if it noeded pocket money; and he told Malvina that he knew she wasnotkept awake nights with it, because her eyes were so bright. This time Malvina’s mother told Tom that of course they were very plain people, and no fit associates for a young "gent” like him, but that if he wished to stay, there was plenty of strawberries fcnd cream for tea. Tom stayed, and after tea the moon came out. Oh 1 that wicked, shameless moon I Tom, by its light, told Malvina right out that her eyes were bluer than Heaven—her lips sweeter than roses—and all that. When they parted Malvina went to her room and cried. What could such a perfect king of a man mean by talking like that to her ? Of course, he could not mean to marry a little school-mistress only home on a vacation 1 v Tom acted queerly, too, when alone in his room. He took a pencil and paper, and figured and calculated. He made a list of all the lltUe properties he possessed. He added them up and he added •them down. Then he set down a list of all the things he was accustomed to spend money upon that could be dispensed with. Then he brought out a book ou economy, where it tells how a man can lire cheaper with a frugal wife than he can alone. lie was astonished to find that book so intensely Interesting 1 Tho next day Tom 4 went again to see the baby. In fact, it had seemed to him as though,, the afternoon never would come. He had more Waiting to do at the cottage, for Malvina’s mother received hint, and she did not appear. At last his impatience sp.urrtd him to ask for her. “ I don’t want you to see her again, young man. I will do frank with you and tell the truth 1” “Oh 1 Mrs. Barker,” cried Tom. “She's & simple child, sir, and is in danger not to understand that attentions from one like you can mean nothing.” " Dear Mrs. Barker, you mistake me entirely. I must see her this once. I innst, Indeed 1 If she sends me away, I will never coiqe again. 1 ' . . •Tom 'conquer,.!. When ho explained to Malvina about his small income and

consulted with her about its sufficiency, she told him that he ought to be ashamed indeed to waste such heaps of money on one. He should have sent half to the heathen. - Tom’s Income has thus far held out better than when he was single. Young men try It!— Putnam’s Magazine.