Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-06-17
FRIDAY. JUNE II, 1859.


Young llartwell was peculiarly sensitive to
sights and rdicule. and never one siriyed
harder than he to remedy the defects in ed-
ucation aud manners which subjected him
to these trials. And. as | have said. he
was one certain OF success in everything he
undertook.
Bu, be did no, forge, Lucy in the new
lie he led. The thought Of her was 80
closely inicrwncl with the m,mory Of the
pas, aud all the hopes he ever had Of the
future, that he never deemed 1t possible to
forget her. H. made occasional visits to
hi. native town. And how proud she was
of the improvement she saw in her lover
How humble she felt beside him, and sought
to make herself more worthy Of becoming
hi, wife.
At las, the ycar.of II,rtwcll'. probation
were gonc. Long years in anticipation,
they were to their young hcA'is; hut blps-
-oming with hope a. they passed. lie had
returned to hi. native village with the re.
putaion Of being talented and rising
young lawyer. There was now no obsta-
cle in the way OF their union, - it was ni-
med to take place at an carly day.
A wedding Is always the occasion Of a
great commation in country village. #
isa vcriabl, &" tempest in a teapot" from
ihc lr.i announcement Of It's contemplation
until it, final consumat,on. And this wed.
ding was no common ono Tor the young
lawyer though horn and bred in the eou'ma'
nifty, wa, snail species Of lion.
Such tea parties as were the result Of this
wedding in preparation Such eximina.
,ions or, and comments upon ia table and
bcd linen, all Of Lucy. manuiic,urc
Those were primitive days. kind reader,
and it i. since then that enterprise has sci.
eel our quicI aud chtcrprisins litilo village
and converted II into busy mart. Aud
IL 4. .inoa then that women have forgotten
the occupation, ol thu wheel and loom, and
have resigned thcm % m,chiorry whirh
in its click and cla,,cr. and unyaryins mo.
ton, sc'm' almo', to pj,c~ lie.
There was the h,usc n furnish. for then
no married couple ia ugh, Ir birling.
That ton i,a modern invention. 4, .oon
as lh, ceremony wa, over. the two must re-.
move. hFca l,tls colony aad beginning
ll!c depend up1n themselves. What plcl-
.urc there there was too in the furnishing
or lh, house. Ther wcro not merely chair,
and carpet, (hume miJc) and h',l. and eur.
uins in It. The drapery or Hop le'roone,i
every roOm. Bright picture, of the luturc
huns upon the walls. Fancy aud rnsic' pI.
ton AT down in the chair,or grouped then.
srl,c, a, the Gt,,iIe; while every feeling
that is b,luilfnland gapi in ths human
heart, clustered beneath the roof. - that
iithe actual WIS plain aud homily. It was
sccn only through tho ideal, and grace
could not have been added.
Then there was tho brides wardrobe -
that mos. important par, Of all. And all
the maidrns musi sec and admire the wed.
ding robe of simple muslin, half cnvying To,
soon 20 b, bride. and wondering within
their hearts when they will be called upon
TO deck thcm'elye. in a similar garment.
The wedding was near st hand. Their,
were OILS lew intervening days when sor
raw came to Lucy She had heard from
frst that her intended husband drank too
freely. in conni,ia company. In all frank
nr,s snd grn,lencu she had gone to hin
with the rumor, which he candidly admit
I'd was true. rh,n she reasoned with hiu
upon hr course. and urged ain by his love
tn her to abstain in future. Ai fret he
made light of the whole matter and strov'
to dispcl her fears. Bit she could not be
satisfied. Then he mad, promise, care
lc.. one. that he would be as temperate a
she wished hun to be. She had full faith
in hi, integrity. for he was to be her hus
hand and 1t would he injustice to doubt him
50 the time passed on and the wedding wa'
near at hand.
Lucy had chosen for her bridesmaid q
young girl with whom she had been on in
innate terms from early ehillhood. Mary
Hall was her name. One afternoon Mis-
Hall came in in her usual informal way, Ia
pass an hour in confidential chat. The ap'
proaching fe.,i,i,y, in which they were
both to take 50 prominent a part, was o.
course the theme Of their cOnyersaiion
And while they talked ,hcy pot the finish
hing touches to the bridal dress. Wher
this was completed Lucy put it on, to TT,
the effect with the aid Of Mary's tasteful
eve. II was iaultle,s. IT. merits were dts
en.sed and Mary battered her friend by dc
clarins ,ha, James would admire her NOR
than ever when he saw her arrayed in il
Then. with natural bend the conversation
turned upon the intended husband.
wasit from a spirit Of charity. or envy
or malice? or shalt 1t bo set down &
thungh,lcssness--who shall judge? Mar
told her listener OF the dissolu,eness OF ne
lover; proved how heartless had been ~
promiss Of abstinence IRON the inicx'eai'n
|, draucht told her how he was moeker O
, all that was holy and pure how he sPos
| the name Of woman lightly revealed t
her-alas /, must no said--hia true char
meter nor noted the effect of her words IN
iii she bad flushed, while Lucy sat wit
4 ela.poi hands, g'sPing breath and face a.
white as the garment sho wore listening /
the recital. When Mary finally took not