The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1871-11-23


small towns-everybody knows ev-
cry one else's business, and a wed
ding is a "nine days wonder .''
Each bride-elect must have a sewing
woman in the house for weeks,
manufacturing garments by the
dozen, (enough to last a lifetime.
if there was any wear in them,
which there isn't;) these are placed
on private exhibition, and happy
the girl who can muster the great
est number. And the fuss and
feathers, "vanities and vexation OF
spirit" that it takes to get her final
ly married, is enough to appall
one.
Now, Meg thought all this very
foolish, and said, aside from the
trouble and expense, she could new
er endure to have her private affairs
so dragged out to the public view.
So when John Ware asked her to
double his joys and divide his sor-
rows" she began to consider how
she could best prove herself consis-
tent, for she had expressed herself
pretty freely on the subject, and
people had said, 'wait till your time
comes, and see if you won't want to
be married after the most approved
fashion" So, aside from her no
tions of common sense and econo-
my, she had the fear of ridicule and
the exasperating 81 told you So to
keep her to her purpose. And, last
but not least, the fun of getting the
start of the gossips presented strong
inducements to our mischievous
Meg.
John readily agreed to her plans.
at didn't matter to him. he said,
show it was done, provided the
knot was tied good and strong, and
the word obey wasn't omitted"
Her brother Dick declared she
was a trump" and he was glad
there was some sense left among the
women. I, Of course, sided with
Meg; but sister Sarah entered n
protest-''It would look so strange,
and Joseph would call it a stingy
arrangement"
"Why, mother" laughed Meg, Il
never suspected yOu of being one of
Mrs. Grundy's slaves
"But, Meg, dear, I'm abundantly
able, andlTould rather make you
wedding and invite your friends
"But, mother dear, I don't aoant a
wedding, and ifyou have any sur
plus means that you don't knJw
how to dispose of, you can let John
and me have it to begin houskeep-
ing. AMI as to inviting my friends,
you know we could never stop them:
and, besides, invitations to we'd
dings have come to mean such bare
faced hints for presents, that I
should be positively ashamed to
send them out. If any one loves
me well enough to give me a little
something when I go to housekeep-
ing, I shall accept it gladly, but I
couldn't bear that people should
feel Obliged to give because it would
be thought strange if their names
were not among the display of
presents"
"Well, my child, I suppose you
ought to be allowed to have it as
you choose, but I don't like your
plan at ALL"
And it was really an act of self
denial for the fond mother to launch
her pet child on the ''Sea of Matri-
mony" without all the eclat Of a
fashionable wedding. But Meg
carried the day, as usual, and as
John was impatient, lover-like, and
she didn't believe in long engage
ments herself, she began her pre-
parations at once.
With her own deft fingers Meg
fashioned her troussequ, the contents
of which you could almost have
counted on the fingers of your two
hands; but the stitches were dainti-
" set, and the happy thoughts
which kept time with the merry
clatter of her sewing machine made
each garment seem precious to her.
Tucks there were in abundance, and
ruffles, but little embroidery and no
lace-nothing that would fall into
tatters at the third time washing.
OF course, there were a thousend
and one things to be done, besides
trousseau proper, but I shall not go
into particulars, only you may be
sure she was the same sensible
Meg through it all. She never sew
ed long at a time, for she said she
couldn't afford to wear herself out
she never had any clothes; 50 she
was always ready for a walk or drive
John came for her, where
at the good fellow marveled.
''Why," said he, Erred Armstrong
told me he never went to see Kate
for weeks before they we're married
without finding her either up to her
ears IN work, or so tired she could
do nothing but yawn; and he said