The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-02-22
THE BRIDAL HANDKERCHIEF.

going, the gals was going, and we was
going to take the baby. But come to
dress the baby, 1 couldn't find its little
shirt. I'd laid clean one out of the
drawer a-purpose knew jest where I'd
put it, but come to look for it, it was
gone.
8" For mercy's sake" says I, gals, has
any of you seen that babys shirt ?"
Ofcourse none of 'em had seen it, and
| looked again, but it want no where to
be found.
"It's the strangest thing in all nature"
says [ here [ had this shirt in my hand
not moren ten minutes ago, and now it's
gone, nobody knows where Gals" says
l, do look around, can't ye?"
But fretting and fuming wouldn't find
it; so | went to the bureau and fshed up
another shirt, and put it onto the baby,
and at last we were ready for start
Father had harnessed up the double
team, and the gals was all having good
time going to see Mary Ann married /;
but somehow l couldn't get over that
babys shirt 'Twant so much the shirt {;
but to have anything sperrited away right
from under my face and eyes, twas too
provoking.
What be you thinking about, man.
ma p says Sophrony. What makes you
so sober| says she.
"Pm pestered to death thinking about
that baby's shirt" says I. "One of you
must took it, Pm sartain," I says.
Now, ma" says Sophrony-says she,
"you needn't say that" And, as L had
laid it onto 'em good many times, they
was beginning to get vexed, and so we
had it back and forth, all about that
baby's shirt, till we got to the wedding.
Seeing company kind O put it out O.
my mind, and | was gettin' good naturd
again though I couldn't help but say to
myself, every few minutes, what could
have become Of that baby's shirt till
they stood up to be married, and forgot
all about it.
Mary Ann was real modest creature,
and was more'n half frightened to death
when she came into the room with Ste
phen, and the minister told them to line
hands She fust gave her left hand to
Stephen. Your other hand" says the
minister and poor Steve, he was 50
bashful, too, he didn't know what he was
about: he thought twas his mistake, so
he gave Mary Ann his left hand. That
wouldn't do, any way; but by this time
they didn't know what they was about,
and Mary Ann jined her left hand with
his left, then the left with his right, then
both their left hands again, till was all
in fdgit, and thought they would never
get fixed. Mary Ann looked as red as a
turkey; and to make matters worse, she
began to cough-to turn it off 1 s'pose-
and called for a glass of water. The
minister had just been drinking, and the
tumbler stood right there. | was so ner-
vous, and in such hurry to see it all over
with, that | ketched up the tumbler and
run with it to her; for I thought to
goodness she was going to- faint. She
undertook to drink. | do not know how
it happened, but the tumbler slipped anC
gracious me if between us both, we didn't
spill the water all over her collar ans
sleeves.
| was frustrated, for it looked as though
twas all my fault, and the first thing
did was to out with my handkerchief ant
give it to Mary Ann. 1t was nicely done
up. She took it and shook it out. The
folks held in putty well up to this time
but then such giggle and laugh a,
there was. didn't know what haC
given them such start till looked anC
see. I'd give Mary Ann that baby'i
shirt.
(Herc Mrs. Jones, who is big, feshy
woman, undulated and shook like
mighty jelly with mirth and it was some
time before she could proceed with hel
narrative.)
Why" continued she, while tears o.
laughter ran down her cheeks, "Pc
tucked it into my dress pocket, instead o.
u handkerchief That came of being
absent-minded and in fidget."
"And Mary Ann and Stephen-wcrc
they married after all ?"
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