Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-07-29


ten days or fortnight, as the family wer
seated around the supper table the father turn
ed towards his son and said abruptly
James, how should you like TO get mar
ried ?"
James started as if a bullet had been lodge
in his thorax " Married. sir?" repeated he.
Yes married but it is most too late now
Too late. Married! Father l do not un
derstand YOU p"
Why" replied the old gentleman, :" to
morrow is Christmas day and for twenty sue
cessive years there has been wedding in til,
Campbell family on that day, which seemed t,
give a zest to our rejoicings, and aid US to eel
citrate the happy day which gave to the work
the Savior of mankind. These marriages hav,
always prospered. Last year your cousin
Jonas was married the year before that youl
sister Elizabeth but this year, among all youl
aunts, uncles and cousins, not one is ready tc
be married on Christmas day l hope thai
your sister Maria Will be ready by next Christ
mas-and I did hope at one time that that
slow moulded mortal, Zenas Blackwocd, woult
have arranged matters with your cousin Helen
so as to be married tomorrow. can't con
According to present prospects they won't be
married this three months at least I feel pro
vol1ed with him. 'Tis too bad to have no we'd
ding on Christmas day
/" Father" said James, and roguish smile
played about Marias mouth as he spoke . /
would do anything to give you pleasure ]
| wish l had known this before. As vou say /
fear it is too late now for am told it is a Sc
! rious, and sometimes a difficult thing, to get
married to ones liking. But who knows What
may turn up. Perhaps there may be a we'd
ding in the family yet before tomorrow night.
The old gentleman laughed heartily at the
conceit, and james took up his hat and went
out to g take walk"
In half an hour after this, James was cozily
seated by the side of the bushing Harriet
Williams, and eloquently urging many argu-
ments in favor of the startling proposition
that she should become a bride on the NOR
row!
James, said she, laughing, but evidently
somewhat fustered, =" this is the most ridicu-
lotis thing l ever heard. You surely can't be
serious. Besides | am altogether too young to
be married"
q If you really think So" said James, with a
sly look, " there is no more to be said about
it."
." have thought of it, said Harriet :. In
deed L not sure that / am willing to marry
you at all. What will the world say?'
= neither know or care" replied james
q [ suppose the old married folks will say we
acted wisely-the young women viii censure
your taste in the choice of a husband land
the young men will, one and all, envy me my
happiness. "
What will your parents say?"
"They viii be surprised but you know
they will not object. They will be glad to Sc
ment in this way, the friendship between the
families"
. Bat you are going to sea so soon,'' said
Harriet, in plaintiye voice.
/ :. shall he back the quicker. and while /
am away l shall feel happy in the thought that
have wife who takes deep interest in the
! fortunes of the weather-beaten mariner
/ But even if the idea Of getting married to
morrow was not altogether absurd, | am not
prepared have no bridal garments"
| That's no excuse" said James. 'Tis non
sense for young ladies to employ hosts of milli
ners and mantumakcrs for weeks: or perhaps
months, before they can get married. 1t looks
as if clothes were only necessary for wife,
/ 7 ou have youth, beauty and intelligence, aud
the most costly costume would not add TO youl
charms
i But there is no time TO be published" adj
ded the yielding Harriet.
Never mind said the perSevering lover
q am we'll acquainted with Col. Sanford the
. /
pinch Come Harriet, cease these trif1ing OBJ
jections-they are unworthy Of you. My ia
ther already loves you as Il daughter, and hi
has set his heart on having somebody married
tomorrow. lie knows of our engagement
but know that if our wedding can be arrang
ed to take place tomorrow he will be excess
lively pleased your parents you are aware
will not throw any obstacle in your way. Al
this parade and ceremony about getting mar
ried, is an adsurdity. When the parties hav
chosen wisely and are truly attached to eacl
other, the sooner they are united in " Hymen'
chain = the better"
The persevcring sailor carried his point
Harriet's remonstrances became weaker an,
weaker. Her love and her good nature plead
) ed powerfully in his favor, and before tn
youthful couple parted on Christmas eve
James had wrung from her a slow consent t.
, become his bride in the church on the follow
ing day.
Great was the surprise and joy of old Nj
Campbell, on learning at the breakfast tabl
, the following morning that a wedding Was t
be celebrated in the family and that James an
] Harriet were the parties. james was alway
: smart lad soliloquised the old gentleman
:, but l should not have thought he could hav
5 brought it about--he is worth dozen Zena
t BIackwoods. Harriet, however, was always
? sensible girl
/ All was hustle, pleasure and confusion anon
+ the families of the Campbells and the VII
d iamses on that day. Invitations in abundant
/ were sent round ; and such a sensation as wf
5 created among the inhabitants, when it We
: known that marriage was to take place q
T. Christmas day between james Campbell al
e Harriet Williams, had never been equalle
a since the great earthquake" in l775. T
o many amiabe unmarried ladies, the brid
I, grooms taste called in question, and h
g imprudence in thus, almost without an efFor
winning the lairest flower in the village, w
is loudly censured by the young men.
n But James and Harriet having made L
d their minds to be happy, little needed VIII
a was said about their conduct by the idle al
Il censorious. They were married. And the
d parents, their uncles, their aunts, and the
s cousins, declared that finer couple nev
/ plighted their conjugal faith before the bo
s. altar Old Mr.. Campbell blessed the hap
" pair on Christmas evening, and told some
his best stories, and neither party to this da
IL have ever had occasion to admit the truth
es the old maxim =" Marry in haste and repe
lg st leisure
lg
to Somebody in Vermont must have a viN
o. imagination. AT the 4th of July celebrate