South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-06-02
Two Weddings.

| A LITTLE flush of pride passed over our
souls when the big, square envelope came
TO hand, with its elegant Enclosures, show
! ing that our old and prosperous acquaint
ance had weighed us in the social balance,
! and not found us wanting. Let us haste
to the weddingl we said to Theodosia
on the eventful day; and being divided
! like sheep from the vulgar goats who
/ swarmed and stared upon the sidewalk,
we passed up stately, between star-blazOned
policemen, under the bright canopy, into
the great, packed, rustling, whispering,
| gaudy church, very seventh heaven of
fashion, with sweet-scented welcoming
cherubs in kid gloves and swallow-tails.
o Dearyl We can't begin to tell how
fine it was; +; how beautiful the bride looked
in her pearls and diamonds and long train,
and vail reaching to the ground, and the
three blushing bridesmaids We can't
begin to describe the gorgeous floral hang
/ ings, the wealth of bouquets, wreaths,
emblems, spires, sprays, and what not;
and the ceremony, so impressive; with
everything, indeed, so c0uleEr de rose and
appropriate and touching,-everybody
standing, all of tremor, on tip-tOe, to
catch a glimpse OF the happy couple as
they step briskly down the aisle-the or
gan roaring and raging, and squawking and
squealing, and Ehistling and cooling, like
awell-assorted happy family of wild beasts.
And if the scene at the sanctuary IS in
describable, what can be said of the re-
ception at the housel For were there not
nineteen hundred invitations out, and were
there not present the Pickanninies and
the Garullys, yes, and the Grand Panjan-
drum himself, with the little round button
at the top? And was not Mrs. AS ele-
CANT "point" actually torn from her back
by the crowd; and was not the table
marvel of costliness and delicacy
and all mysterious daintinesSes? Then
to sec US all march around in procession,
to view the cor-we mean to congratulate
the bride, and the man who had won her;
then to behold us pushed and jerked and
squeezed out into the hall, and up the wide
stairway, and into the room where the
presents were arrayed on green shelves,
and two detectives stood on guard. And
such presents-such beautiful, dazzling,
unheard-of things-it was enough to make
one dizzy.
And what if the bride did look dolefully
tagged as she stood there, in her glory, un-
der the bridal bell, and what If Miss B.
went away sour and severe because
Miss c., the vain thing, had worn great
deal more expensive lace than that Miss
B. had ordered months ago for this very
affair: and what II the flowers had wire
stems; and what if there were more Ice
pitchers and cuckoo clocks on the green
shelves than any young couple could tnd
use for; and what if q great many people
were very mad because they were not IN
vited, and great many other people, VINO
were invited, spent good deal more
money than they could afford In new
dresses and supererogatory presents what
if the brides father turned pale, next day,
when he footed up the-cost of the happy
occasion and what if (although the deeper
meaning and the human grace could not
be altogether furbelowed from sight it did
seem so much like q hollow show and q
mournful mockery of sacred things-was
it not a grand affair-a nine days won
der-and did not the 16ton Itttldt0r
(which, if you were at the wedding, you
bought on the sly to see if your name was
mentioned) pronounce it, with conscien-
tious discrimination, "the event of the sea-
son" McFlimsey Place having seldom
beheld its equal in all that goes to make
up brilliant and imposing etfect-"
Yes, it was a grand wedding. We have
attended another one since-a small affair
not to be mentioned on the same day with
the McFlimsey Place sensation, except to
show, by comparison, what surprising
success was the former. A little way out
in the country-rather a rural arrange
ment altogether; no style at all very few
there beside the family. Bless you'll the
bride and groom to be were both down at
the front door to welcome us when we got
in from the train; and we had lots of fun
before her brother Bob came to the door
with a strained, moist brightness In his
eye-and beckoned her to go upstairs and
put on her bonnet-no, it wasn't bonnet !
either, just pretty little travelling hat,
trimmed with-something or other, to |
match the sweetest, neatest, most common
sense Quaker-colored suit that ever you
saw.
The little church was quite crowded |
with the villagers; even the tiny, odd |
choir-loft was crowded TO over1owing, and |
somebody had built flowery arbor, odor- |
ous of apple e-blossoms, just in front OF the |
altar. There they were married and, as
they turned to go, little girl, all dressed
in white, and carrying basket, sprang up |
like fairy, no one knew whence, and hit |
ted along the aisle, and down the stone |
steps in front of them, sprikling flowers
in their path.
Then there was another jolly time at the |
house, and after much kissing and few
tears, carriage drove away from the door,
followed in mid-air by an old shoe, flung |
with a will. And scout under the show
cry, sunshiny April sky
Across the hills they went,
In that new world which is the old"