The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-11-26

THE ejaculation OF gHE DraPATCH
Is LARGER THAN THE COMBINED CIR
UUI.ATIoS- OF ALL THE OTHER DAILY
NEWSPAPERS OF TIE CITY. $c
- --------@ ------------@
Richmond Thanksgiving Story.
ICop,ed from On Exchsnse.]
Even after the ceremony was all over, I
could scarcely believe Ii. Yet there she
was--nay wife. There was no getting out
of it-mine Niue to 60 up the hills and
down the dales OF life with-to love, cher
for, to read poetry books during the
honeymoon and to buy cookery books
for when 1t was over, TO keep from
the sayings and doingS Of the femenine
sutlraglSts and the women's-rights wo-
men, and to be an afectionate and indul-
gent husband to, especially with re-
spect 20 pin money, and at least two new
dresses, each Of the four seasons, as long as
life should last. Say we lived fifty years to-
gether-as why shouldn't We. was only
thirty and she, only eighteen; and by the
end or that time should only be eighty,
and she would only be verging toward the
make four hundred new dresses (not in
Guiding bonnetS) at an average of one hun.
dred dollars each-but I lose myself in
speculation, and depart from the historic
sternness with which ! commenced. this lit
tie story. ,... .,... .... ..........s. s-. 81. "a
Let me explain what I mean by saying
that could scarcely believe it. :.Er-,
1t was Thanksgiving day. l had been
married q few days ago, and My wife had
laid eyes upon me just two weeks since.
The next day was TO sail for Europe, to
be gone year. Opposite me, in private
Darlor Of u New York hotel, sat the young
very young for man who was beginning
to be bald, and had seen good deal OF
" life "a word usually meant to indicate a
de.noralizing set Of experiences. She was
southern girl, and have since been told
that it is characteristic Of southern girls to
become engaged, when young, to men much
older than themselves. 9ly astonishment
and delight consisted in this: that Winifred
Allison, my wife, had known me just two
weeks. That within that short space o
time the few relatives that she possessed
had been propitiated, the young lady her.
self had been "spoken with, the dreadful
question had been asked and responded ,te
with want Of hesitation that had moi
was that we were married, and there we
were l.''tE@..- .-.-
1t had happened in this wise WinifreG
Alison was an orphan, and lived with hel
uncle and aunt in Richmond. Having oc
casion to go there on business, accepted
all invitation that Mr. Alison had repeatedly
extended to me, aud stayed few days al
his house. There met Winifred. and wa:
charmed with her frank, audacious, but
thoroughly innocent ways, and the rariou:
evidences which proved that she was i
spoilt yet good-hearted, child. One day
when Winiired and I were alone, | hap
pened 10 say that l was going to Europe
within Il fortnight, TO remain q year. r..
go how l should like to 60 /" exclaimed
the young lady. ~ would give anything
| to be able to go J" -. 49,. ...- z..t.
| IN Nothingis easler," answered. "WoulG
| you like.to go with ME 2" OK
ttShould be delighted" rippled Winitred
| GAS my wife a. rs.... ...
"And would you take me to Europe
really" she exclaimed. "And should we
travel north, south. east, and west to-
gether, from Dublin to Constantinople
and from Nome to st. Petersburgh o what
heavenly time we should have-shouldn't
we!"
81 should have heavenly time-witf
YOU" answered. "But can the thing be
| done 2"
| "Why, what an absurd question If
say 50, yes. My uncle lets me do Just as
please. You promise solemnly to take mt
to Europe!" .....-.
| 81 do"
| "Thcn | promise solemuly to be yolti
wife. There! will that do: Or shall
swear it on the Bible 2" and she pressed bel
delicate hand on a copy OF Worcester's die
| tionary.
And that is the way my courtship was ec
| fectcd. Poor child know now that al
the time she had no adequate idea of al
| that marriage really meant. She was treated
as Il child by her uncle and aunt, and hat
| been kept an absolute child SO far as nj
! knowledge went that would have fitted hel
to act and speak more reasonably on such {
| subject. As to the arguments by means o
which her aunt and uncle were made t(
! consent, l shall adduce them after while
We had q very quiet wedding, though
| think that when the ceremony came to be
| performed, Winnie faltered little in bel
through Europe really would compensate
her for the risk she ran in tying hersel
down for life to a man of whom she knew
so little. However,, all the final prepara
tions were too hurried to leave much time
| for regrets or retroSpectlons, or at least
! for the expression Of them. Mr.. and Rlrs
Allison's chief Solicitude seemed to arise
| from the fact that we should be obliged tc
spend Thanksgiving day "alone by our
selves at u New York hotel. At the
table of the Allison's the habitually deli
and the unavoidable absence Of Winnie
and myself would of course cast a gloon
over the cordialities Of the season.
However, considering that we had known
one another such little time, and that W.
had been married only two or three day!
previously, Winnie and managed to spend
very snug and happy day. When mar
and woman meet. make love to one another
and are married, all within one week, they
have, you see, i great deal to tell each
other. Knowing almost nothing about
each others personal history, there is great
room for mutual confidence. The first two
or three days after'our marriage Winnie
and | spent in making each others &C.
quaintance,
At length, when evening came, and we
sat before the CRATE fire summing ourselves
in its ruddy breath, and hearing without
the chill whispers of n ovember, Winnie
said to me in a gentle voice I" Dick, there
is something want 10 tell you"
'.Tell me then, my darling. There could
not be better time"
| Well, then, there were five Of them,"
said Winnie, timidy. .-1....
give Of thena!" / exclaimed. "Fiye
Of whom, my dear ?"
Gentlemen" continued Winnie, in a
voice that died almost to a whisper. "There
were five gentlemen, and one Of them ]
have never written to yet"
'"For heavens sake, my little Golden.
beam 6 Goldenbeam,' by the way, was a
f,,vorite pet name that l had coined expressly
for Winnie's beneft), explain yourself,
who were the five gentlemen? What were
they doing? Where did you see see them
And why should you have written to four
of them and have Left the fifth out in the