The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-09-05

through closed blinds at the church goers
Not one of the family had CHANGED to heal
the rumors which had been flying all ovel
town for the past two days, gaining vol
ume with every repetition, until full par
tlculars of the bridal costumes, the house
they We're to occupy and the furniture
already purchased, formed part of the
regular story. at comes from the family
so it must be so.'' was the clincher that
convinced all doubters
Grandma had settled her huge sky.
scraper of bonnet with many and long
utations Of the mirror, and Mr. anC
Mrs. Freeman proposed to walk TO churcl
with her, both irving not to feel the ridicu
lousness of the situation. Grandma was
formed somewhat like Mrs. Stoves Ole
lades-"like a bag of feathers with :
string tied around the middle" and the
ample skirts of her black "allvpacku'
seemed to hang from 4 heavy and chubby
cider barrel. An old fashioned red shaw
covered her broad shoulders, and over
and above all, the crcwning glory of the
whole outfit, was that bonnet, her little
wrlnkled face appearing in the middle o
its huge circumference in about the .pro
portions OF a humble bee in the centre o
a pumpkin blossom.
"ihe gals have gone. 'spose,n sac
grandma, pausing at the foot Of the stair,
in the hall. ''Belnda-" she squealed Il,
the staircase. but there was no answer. $,
on she went. Her son dntifnllv gave heI
his arm. and his wife pattered mccIlly
along behind, looking neither to the right
or left, The girls peepet from the win.
dow and laughed till they cried.
"lt's too ridiculous" said Lucy, wipin.
her eyes. ''Do you see mother trottine
on after them like u little doe?"
''Lke lamb to the slaughter. shoulC
say. I'd like to he there and see how
people look when they 90 in, said Belin
d." ''that is if | conld without beine
seen"
81 hope she won't take notion to %
AL summer" said Lucy.
'Oh! | hope not, indeedm exclaimed
Belinda. offs too bad for even to-day
for they really need us on that new an
them"
"Evcrybody but US is out today, anG
they all seem to be going to our church
too"
"There's Mr., May, and see hes got on
new suit" For that gentleman, hearing
the rumors, and knowing well enough
how they started. took no pains to contra.
diet them, but rather helped them along
by buying new suit of clothes on Satur
day. Black dress coat, lilac vest ant
gloves, drab pants and hat He passee
the slow paced Freeman family at the
church steps. and, entering the fast filling
room took :. seat near the door, apparent,
unconscious of the scrutiny bent upon
him. Many curious glances went to Be
linda's usual seat in the gallery, but th,
general opinion was that she would ap-
pear Just in time for the ceremony
The entrance of the Freemans put nj
end to all doubts in any minds. as well Is
to sobrletv in most. Little children GIG
gled outright, older ones Uttered, anC
even the most sober-minded found it hare
to rnpress u smile. The church filed NJ
rapidly, pews all full and crowded. ant
still they came. The somewhat prosy
parson looked at the gathering multitude
in quiet surprise, not having heard the
flying rumors, and not knowing what
power of his had 50 drawn out the people
Truth compels me to state that he hardly
received his share of attention from the
audience, however Mr.. Nav aud grandma
Freeman dividing it about equally.
grleve to add that ut the other church the
minister almost literally preached, tha
morning, to bare walls and empty pews
only few oi the staid fathers and moth
ers of Israel appearing in their places
But the minister with the small audience
was the favored one, after all, for the
large audience lidgetcd uneasily al
through the services, especially wher
prayer followed sermon, hymn followed
prayer benediction followed hymn, an,
still no hint came of Il wedding ceremony.
Slowly the audience filed out looking eX-
tremely blank and puzzled
''What does this mean, May?n asked
one young man of our hero as he stood
coldly on the steps.
"Soldn' replied May, briefly, leisurely
taking his way homeward
The word flew from lip to lip, "Wc'rt
all sold" and one after another looked
and probably felt, cheap; perhaps made
the wise resolution. then and there, never
again to put faith in flying rumors.
Grandma Freeman looked around in /
dazed sort of u way, Is the people scat
tered. "Where's the weddn' ?n she squeal
ed to her son. He looked blank.
s'Where's the weddin?n she repeated
in a higher key. 'sBelnda and Mr.. Nav
was goin' to be married, You know He
shook his head in surprise, and Ill mt once
it seemed to burst on her that she hat
been deceived.
''lIe lied to me he did. the miserable
lynn criter" she burst forh in Il hultel
of excitement. In vain they tried to still
her, for the vialS of her wrath were ,n
corked and she poured them out all tn,
way home.
''The good people Of this town hav,
learned one lesson to-day, besides wha
they have heard in the sermons. il I'm
not mistaken" remarked Mr. May to Be
linda, as he walked home with her thai
night after evening service
'Why, yes" She reDlrd, Il think they
may haye learned one if they will profit
by it. Il isn't safe to believe all W.
hear"
at has made IA good deal of sport tt
see how easily people have been sold il
tins matter have been wicked enough
to enjoy it, but suppose your grandmoth
er will never forgive me-"
II fear not. She persists in thinking
yon meant to deceive herr
''TlIat would have been cruel indeed
As the matter stands, know of no better
way to atone for my crime than to make
my supposed story true, and marry Belin-
d:, after all"
As saith Sam Lawson Goals never dlI
tell these particulars Just rs you'd like to
hear 'em," so cannot tell what Belinda
said, but when fall came, and Mr. MAY
had been admitted to the bar, there was 4
wedding at Mrs. Freeman's 5 house instead
of the church, and Belinda's dress was
pearl gray silk instead Of poplin. Grand
ma had on soft, neat, tnlle cap in place
OF her big bonnet, and after the ceremony,
as proof that she had forgiven Mr.. May
tor his supposed deception, she waddIed
up to him and gave hlm q rousing kiss.
A striking execution was that of the
murderers of M Greco, at MarseilIes,
which has been recently announced. The
doomed men were Moorish Jews, and
were brought from AK 20 Marseilles in !.
prison van, "a rabbi attending upon each
prisoner. The guillotine was sent down
from Paris on its wagon, strange-look-
ing vehicle, strapped on ordinary carriage
trucks. The prisoners were then taken
to house near by, where the legal au,