True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-06-06
z. Raglan, Editor and Proprietor.

Williams was on the occasion of Virginia
Percys marriage to Lieutenant Marshall.
Miss Percy was to have three Bridesmaids
her sister Ellen, Henrietta Williams,
distant relative Of the family, and myself.
According to appointment we assembled at
Mr.. Percy's three days before the wedding
to keep up the spirits of the bride elect,
and to prevent her from sinking under the
crisis Of her destiny, that was impending
over her in all its awful and irrevocable
certainty.
1t is no light matter to prepare for
wedding where there are no confectioners
or professed cooks and well drilled walters
to be found, and Mrs. Percy was quite
overwhelmed with the manifold duties that
devolved upon her. Besides the general
superintendent of the bridal parapherna-
liza, and of all the ordinary Offices Of the
household, there was an enormous table,
the whole length Of a very large dining
room, that was heaped up with all manner
of delicacies, besides large side-table, on
which the substantial part Of the supper,
the ham, chickens, and ducks, and other
things of the kind, were placed.
Ellen Percy, Henrietta and myself, took
upon ourselves the management Of the
lighter and ornamental portion of the ar
rangements. Virginia made show Of as
sisting US; but having proved her incapa-
city by series of blunders, she was, with
one accord, requested not to make anoth-
er attempt to be useful seeing that in every
instance disaster had followed her like a
shadow. She hurried out of the dining
room to avoid the raillery that was shower
ed upon her, and took refuge in her room,
where she remained the greater part Of the
day, in sort Of may, but happy kind of
state, in which her own thoughts seemed
to be to her such happy companions, that
any interruption from us of the outer world
was thing to be endured with gentle pa.
tience, but not sought or appreciated.
Henrietta Williams was rather pretty
girl, but quiet and reserved. She seldom
spoke unless she was addressed, and ap.
peared quite absorbed in her occupations.
Late in the afternoon she slipped away
from us, and I saw her walking down the
broad straight path, that led to the gate.
As I gazed after her in some surprise al
her choice Of solitary walk, at an age
when all are inclined to q sociability Of
the warmest kind, I noticed that she turn
ed off into side path that led into the
woods. 1t was winter, though the warm
bright day laughed in our faces as we call
ed them by that cold name, and, through
the bare branches and trunks Of trees,
could long distinguish the waving folds o.
the light gray cashmere as it foated in anc
out as the wearer steadily pursued an on
ward course into the deepest depths Of the
uncrowned woods. At last it entirely dis
appeared, and then I feel into a reproach
full train of thought.
"How could l." thought I to myself
"allow Miss Williams to 60 by herself SC
far? She is pale; doubtless she is MOI
well, and the physicians have prescribed
exercise. She is timid, evidently, ant
would not like to ask any Of us to accom-
pany her, as we are so busy. Virginia ant
Ellen are too much occupied to think o
it. But I was doing nothing. 1t wa
very stupid in me to stand staring afte
her out of the window, instead Of running
out to overtake her."
After I had brought myself into meel
and humble state of mind, I was rouse'
ed from self-upbraidiugs to witness tn
success of some culinary experiment, ant
confess that, in the excitement and deligh
consequent thereon, / entirely forgot Hen
rietta and her solitary walk.
As far as visitors were concerned, ou
days passed very quietly. 1t was an un
derstood matter that no gentleman was Il
be admitted to the house to divert our at
tention from our important duties; an'
the ladies of the neighborhood had to-
much discretion to call at such busy time
And all day long we were really quite har'
at work. Our evenings were spent aroun'
q large fire in room appropriated to Vir
ginia and her bridesmaids. Here Ellei
took it upon herself to do the honors. Sh'
was almost seventeen, and she bore tn
burden Of so many years with Splrl
and self-reliance that was truly refresh
ing. The rest of us were year or tw'
older, and were already beginning t.
think it necessary to be little grave ant
discreet. But for Ellen, we should hav
set still and conversed in proper AM
sentimental manner, appropriate for tn
occasion, but she set us upon all kinds o
queer experiments.
; After telling us ghost stories, and rob
Der stories, and tales Of witchcraft an
murder, until We hardly dared to look be
hind US, she proposed number Of charm
by which those Of US, whose destiny We