Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-11-24
peoples. There was never such surprise

"Mon dieu r erich Mademoselle, With
| little foreign scream. "Did you learn how
it happened p
mo more than thu dead" replied Mrs.
| Woodcock, eolemniy. "Mrs Seacrest cried
TO pass it off with her smooth it.away
manner, but she couldn't deceive me-
/ could see she had hard work 10 keep her
| feelings in. But there she poured the tea
and passed the cake to that old thing as
| smiling as the moon. She is such hand
to cover up, and make as though every
thing is just right that happens to her.
$50 You staid to lunch?P queried Ma
demoiselle, helping herself ia third cup
of that beverage from Mrs. Woodcock's
round black pot as she spoke.
Yes, they asked me, and l didn't wait
to be urged. thought 1t would be a
good chance to ses the bride, how she
looked, and how she appeared"
"Well, how was it ?" asked the miliiner
between her sips of tea.
''She appeared we'll enough, far as that
went, if she hadn't seemed old enough to
be his grandmother You know Ernest is
master young looking for his years, and
don't suppose he is day over twenty"
Mon dieu But didn't you have any
surmise how it happened to take plsa ?"
pursued Mademoiselie.
well, suppose she must have been
worth property, returned Mrs. Woodcock,
| who, like wise general, never acknowl-
| edged defeat "But for all that, 1 don
commend it III him, and / had as lief teli
| him SO at his dinner-table.
| While thus the hidden affairs Of the doe
tors family were being discussed aud
| stirred up in the Hollow, as hen stiIs
among dead leaves, on the Hill they were
being carefully covered over ike the lost
Babes in the Wood. 1t was never the Sea-
crest fashion to parade the family skele-
tons like family jewels. So they ate, and
drank, and talked, and laughed, and tried
to look at the elderly bride without shud-
, dering.
But her age was not the worst of it. She
was homely. And her nominees was not
the worst, she was stiff and unattractive in
manner as we'll as person. And 1t was
hardly the consolation that, perhaps it
should have been to perceive the unlimit.
ed fondness that the boy bridegroom had
| for his aged companion. For it is really
comfort, though a small one, to see our
friends chafe under degradation. Accept
| ing slavery with contentment makes the
| captive twice slave.
| However, the less the family felt like
saying sweet things, the more they pressed
the sugared cake, the ice cream, and the
strawberries upon their new member. But
all this time there was something in the
! background waiting to be brought for
ward, and it was the bride who had the
courage first to touch it.
Ernest" she began with the dominant
air of an elderly aunt, ''an explanation is
1ue your father and mother-an1 sister,
she added, CHANGING sharply at Miriam,
who was fairly seasick with disgust, and
sorrow, and modification.
Yes. Lily, tell them, answered Ernest.
looking at her as though she were sugar
candy.
The idea of calling that old, black, greasy
thing Lilly"
;sThe truth is, then" said Lily, turning
her withered face away from Ernest as
though it cost her an effort, "by the uncle
from whom had my money, unless mar
ried before certain date, lost it all. And
a kinsman, who was heir-at-law, was very
anxious to inherit it. F."
The old cur wanted Lily himself" in
terposed Ernest, ''and he thought, if ne got
the property, he would be sure to get her.
At any rate, he was resolved to have that.
This was why We had to be so secret.
Miriam fairly groaned; and even fairy
hearted Mrs. Seacrest dropped her napkin
ring Oh the floor and came up from stoop-
ing for it with wet eyelash@s. To think
that Ernest had sold himself for this wo.
mans goldl SO Mrs. Woodcock down in
the Hollow was right after all
But, as though sac suspected the nature
OF their thoughts. Lily went on:
Il had some trouble IN persuading Err
nest" said she, looking at him fondiy
through her blue glasses, while she patted
her gray curls and settled her cap. ca
knew YOU had" calculated Miriam, inaudi-
bly, HE had D foolish notion it would
be more heroic to take me after | had lost
my property, But had right to it, and
/ wanted TO KEEL 1t.
1--WE had Jolly time, though, lodging
| old Drynar. lie is about discovering now,
Lily, that he isn't so sharp as he thought
| no was" said Ernest, bursting into JOY
GUS laugh that nobody felt the heart to
/ Join in.
! Then he took from his pocket the mar
riage certificate, dated that very day. 1t
seemed he had telegraphed to his father to
meet him and his wife at the station not
mora than five minutes after she had be-
come his wife.
1--WE had TO turn pretty sharp corners to
keep out of Drymar's way" continued
| Ernest, still chuckling "He thought nc
had Lily safely locked in her room while
he went for justice, thinking he could
! trighten her into marriage with him, or
at any rate, keep her away from any other
man till the day had gone by. But Lily
was better at picking locks than he
thought; and she came TO me, poor thing,
| so out OF breath and frightened"
Ernests voice grew tender and pititul at
the thought, and he took Li'ys hand IN
/ his with csresslng gesture.
II have loved her ever since have been
| in college, and she knew it, but We had TO
| keep i 10 ourselves on old Drymar's &C
count. And / was dying to marry her;
/ but [ didn't like the idea OF marrying for