South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1871-09-01
Uncle Jared's Wedding Gift.

other present upon my word, Mamie
it is very nice to be bride :,
Alice Dupre spoke little repininply !:
she was Nannie's first bridesmaid. and
was treading the borders of that Debatable
Land where girlhood has died out, and sage
middle age has hardly yet commenced.
Mamie was very pretty, with the fresh.
artless beauty of white dove and Mary
Bolton, the other bridesmaid, was hand.
some brunette of twenty, dusky aud bril-
liant, and fond of wearing vivid scarlet flow
ers in her head.
upon my word, Mamie, you're doing
r. markedly well, said Mrs. Creswick, com
placently surveying the table spread with
wedding gifts That silver tea-service of
your Cousin Duddiey's is really splendid
'Yes ma'am, and the pearls that Miss
Aubrey sent, added Alice, moving forward
the blue velvet case, 'and the Illuminated
prayer-book from Colonel Ferris
Your present is very neat, too, my dear.
said the old lady, kindly but wonder
your Uncle Jared has not come. He ask
ed me about the wedding week ago, and
said he should send some remembrance to
his little white kitten. That's what he
Away calls you, you know, Mamie
Don't you hope it will be Cashmere p
said Mary Bolton, eagerly "a Cashmere
shawl does give one such distingue air
Mrs. DUDLEY had one from her husbands
mother
uncle Jared could afford to send me
one much more elegant and expensive than
that, ii ne chose, said Mrs. Creswick, draw
ing herself up proudly.
Again and again in the course of the rap
idly darkening winter afternoon the bell
pealed, and freih and elegant presents were
brought in.
bat where is Uncle Jared's present?
Mamie kept repeating, and nobody could
tell.
Not until nine o'clock at night did the
much looked for testimonial arrive, when
Frank Vavasor, the handsome young bride
groom that was to be, was in the drawing
room, admiring the presents, and listening
| with an amused smile to the confused cat-
ter of the three girls all talking at ouce.
'From Uncle Jared know his cramp-
ed, tremulou5 hand-writiGg,' exclaimed
Mamie, as the servant brought in square,
solid looking package wrapped in brown
paper and directed 20 Miss Annie Cres-
wick What can it be !? Oh, Frank, do
please unite this horrid string
81 set of gold forks and spoons, perhaps,
suggested 4 lice Dupre.
1T looks to me like one of those square
camphor- boxes that shawls come H. ex-
claimed Mary Bolton.
The girls held their breath with expec
tation as Frank removed the brown paper
wrappings. Alas for the vanity OF human
expectations, it was no spice breathing cas-.
ket of foreign wood-no velvet or morocco
case, satin-lDed and filed with gold and
silver, it was only quarto volume,
bound in sober brown, and apparently well
used
a Bible, as l liver calculated Alice,
/ disdainfully.
Yes, aud an old one at that said
Mary
Here is a note said Frank. Let us
see what he says
'MY DEAR NIECE it commenced, writ
ten IN curious cramped hand, tremulous,
and yet bold-'at this important juDcture
OF your life, | cannot give you more fit
ting Offering than the Bible which was
your grandmother's once. You will prob
ably have trinkets and iewelry in a6und.
ancej but this book will be more precious
than all. That you may study irs pages
well and that it may be lamp unto your
feet is the earnest prayer of your ELECTION
ate uncle, JARED LEE
Mamie had burst into tears Of mortified.
ton and disappointment
'Oh, Frank, a rusty old secondhand Ri.
BILE
Mr. Vavasor himself looked somowbat
discomGlcd