Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-09-08
THE hEpbING HousE.

In those days the law of marriage was yerl
strict Fourteen days public notice Of Al
intention to commit matrimomy was requir
ed and the clergyman, or the justice, who
performed the marriage ceremony without
having received certificate to the effect thai
said public notice had been duly given, was
liable to a heavy penalty,
Agustus Sebastian Walpole had long loved
and sdored Miss Mary Almira Alard anC
it had for some months been fixed that they
should be wed on Christmas evening; anC
Sebastian looked out that his intention wa,
published in due season. He regarded it as
a most momontous affair, and he entered upon
the prelimiuares with much fear and trem.
bling.
As Christmas drew near, preparations loI
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 70 il was arranged that the cere
mony should take place at Sebastan's, and
Mary's younger sister Polly went over tc
keep her company, and to help her in the
labor of preparation; for she was determined
with her own hands to prepare the wedding
feast
Christmas woald come on Thursday They
were to be married at six o'clock in the even.
ing, aud after that the wedding feast was tC
be served.
There was not grown person at Dayton
Corner who had not heard of Mary Allard
" Smothered Goose Nobody else, sine,
Mary's own mother died, could snother-roas
goose like her. The process was not only
mystery, but so exact were the culiuay re-
quirements, that few could acquire the art
The goose cooked in this way came upon the
table brown, sweet, tender, excessively juicy
and without particle Of that oily flavor
which renders goose and duck 30 unpalatablC
to some OF course smothered goose was tC
be the main dish Of the feast and that Mary
might have goose worthy Of her skill, Sc
bastan had selected one several months before
from a flock owned by friend near the Cen
trc aud his friend was to shut it away from
lis mate. a few weeks before it would b,
wanted and give il extra food
Wednesday came-the day before Christ
mas-and after dinner Sebastian hitched ole
Dobbin to the sleigh, and made ready to star
for the Centre, there to got his marriage
certificate, goose, and various other articles
too numerous to mention one Of which, how
ever, was gallon ofgood old Madeira. An,
let me make remark
Mary had suggested that they must hay,
some wine at the wedding. She was not her
self in favor Of ts use but what woul,
folks think ?" Sebastian scratched his head
and hesitated,
Plague take the 'tarnal stuhW ne said
" You know I've had too much of it in ny
day, Mary. I've sworn that I'D never brlns
another drop into the house"
" But only this time, Sebastian. foJ
needn't drink it, you know; but only thlnI
what folks would say if we have no wine
g. don't care what all the folks in creation
say only you, Molly and seeing as you wan
it, it shall be had"
THANK you, my love; aud she kissed him
little thinking what a temptation she wai
throwing in his way.
Sebastian went to the village, which was
called Dayton Centre, and the first thing he
did was to wait upon the town clerk and gc
his certificate.
"Its lucky you came just as you did, So
bastian," said tho clerk, as he handed over
the certificate; " for | am going to Tailsbury
to spend Christmas and stop the week out
Yours is the only certificate I've got, and that
was made out so long ago that I'D entirely
forgotten it. | should have been of in hall
an hour, and my folks wouldn't have known
anything about it. However IT'S all right
now
From the clerks, Sebastian went to his
friend Burkes and got his goose. Aud it
was beauty--al picked aud finished of as
smooth and fair as a chicken.