The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-08-26
Tales, sksttgrs, 5netNotes, 1T.
THE WEDDING GOOSE,

In those days the law of marriage was
strict. Fourteen days public notice ofan
intention to commit matrimony was re-
quired and the clergyman, or the justice,
who performed the marriage ceremony
without having received a certificate TO
the effect that the said public notice had
been given, was liable to heavy penalty.
Augustus Sebastian Walpole had long
loved and adored Miss Mary Alnira AL
lard +; and it had for some months been
fixed that they should be wed on Christ
mas evening and Sebastian looked out
that his ''intention" was published in due
season. He regarded it as most mo-
mentous affair, and he entered upon the
preliminaries with much fear and tremb-
ling.
AS Christmas drew near, preparations
for the happy event were made. Mary
would not be married at her own home
and her step mother was very glad when
she heard the decision SO it was arranged
that the ceremony should take place at
Sebastian's, and Mary's younger sister
Polly went over to keep her company,
and to help her in the labor of prePara>
ton for she was determined with her own
hands to prepare the wedding feast.
Christmas would come on Thursday.
They were to be married at six o'clock in
the evening, and after that the wedding
feast was 10 be served.
There was not grown person at Day
ton Corner who had not heard of Mary
Allard's ''Smothered Goose" Nobody
otf,o Il
smother-roast goose like her. The pro-
cess was not only mystery, but so exact
were the culinary requirements, that few
could acquire tie art. The goose cooked
In this way came upon the table brown,
sweet, tender, excessively juicy, and
without a particle of that oily flavor which
renders goose and duck so unpalatable TO
some. Of course smothered goose was to
be the main dish of the feast and that
Mary might have goose worthy of her
skill, Sebastian had selected one several
months before, from flock owned by
friend near the Centre, and this friend was
to shut it away from its mates few weeks
before it would be wanted, and give it
extra food.
Wednesday came-the day before
Christmas-and after dinner Sebastian
hitched old Dobbin to the sleigh, and made
ready TO start for the Centre, there to get
his marriage certificate, his goose, and
various other articles too numerous to
mention; one of which, however, was
gallon of good old Madeira. And let me
make a remark:
Mary had suggested that they must
have some wine at the wedding. She was
not herself in favor of its use Shut what
would folks think % Sebastian scratched
his head and hesitated
''Plague take the 'tarnal stuffl'' he
said ''you know I've had too much of it
in my days, Mary. I've sworn that I'd
never bring another drop into the house."
''But only this time, Sebastian. You
needn't drink it, you know; but only
think what folks will say if we have no
wine.
81 don't care what all the folks in crea-
ton say, only you, Molly and seeing as
you want it, it shall be bad.''
''Thank you, my love p and she kissed
him, little thinking what temptation she
was throwing in his way.
Sebastian went to the village, which
was called Day tom Centre, and the first
thing he did was to wait upon the town
clerk and get his certificate.
"It's lucky you came just as you did,
Sebastian" said the clerk, as he handed
over the certificate ''for am going to
Taftsbary TO spend Christmas, and stop
the week ont. Yours is the only cessif-