The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1872-11-05

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which seldom do, l want some strength to
| it
Pm sorry I made it so weak in the first
place, but didn't think
| 80, no matter. OF course what suits me
amt of no consequence to nobody, whined
Miss Crusty, with the look of a martyr Mrs.
Makepeace's lucid explanation of the little
piece of domestic scandal she had served up
about the minister's family still ranked in her
heart. Notwithstanding she seldom drank
tea, before she left the table she managed to
swallow the contents of her fifth cup.
As all tea-drinkings have an end, SO did Mrs.
Woodman's, and with tongues more nimble
than ever, the ladies of Tattlewood returned
to the parlor, Mrs. Woodman and Jane re-
manning behind to clear away, and in their alb
sence their guests had fine chance to discuss
the merits of their late entertainment
Il don't WONDER said Mrs. Smalley to her
Crusty ally that Miss Woodman made ex-
cuses about Them preserves. | really b'Peve
what I've eat now is going to make me sick ;
You should have let EN- alone, as | did,
was the sharp retort. The looks on EN- was
/
| never see before in my life.'
why, Miss Crusty, thought l saw you
send back your cup to get filed several times
well, if folks would mind their own biz
ness, they wouldn't know every swallow their
next neighbor takes
This remark greatly incensed Mrs. Smalley
who Indignantly withdrew to the other side of
i tba t..
tered, and announced the fact that several gen
tlemen were to be seen in the road, on their
way to the house. Whereupon Mrs. Make
peace requested the ladies to deliver up their
work into her careful keeping and they pro-
ceeded to do so with great alacrity.
There was futter of excitement among the
girls when the young gentlemen began to ar
rive, and many fair ones heart beat faster
as the handsome Arthur Locke exchanged
with her the usual greetings. In due time
Mr.. Ashley arrived, accompanied by his wife,
who had entrusted the care of her babe to an
aunt who had providentially arrived that after
noon
1t seems Miss Ashley can leave home to
come to the circle in the eyenin', after all the
works done,' growed Miss Crusty
The remark was overheard by the lady in
question, but considering from whence it came,
she triei to dismiss it from her thoughts. The
possibility that others for whose opinion she
did care, might thus misconstrue her frequent
absence from the circle, threw shadow upon
her heart the rest of the evening. After an
hour so spent in the most social manner,
Mr.. Ashley stepped forward and rapping upon
the table to enjoin silence, said
Ladies and gentlemen, if you will give me
your attention for few moments, will pro-
mise you that you shall be amply repaid for so
doing
AT this moment the door opened, and Jane
leaning upon the arm of Arthur Locke, and
stood before the minister A simultaneous
exclamation of establishment was about to
burst forth, when the words, let us pray
caused a profound hush.
After a fervent petition for the Divine bless
ing to rest upon the bridal pair, in a few words
he pronounced them husband and wife, and
amid an array of faces expressing the most in
tense wonder, the happy couple retired to the
same room from which they entered.
MY good friends, said Mr. Ashley, 'Mr.
and Mrs. Locke the younger have authorized
me to invite the entire company over to their
new house which has been building for them
this summer under the superintendent of our
friend Mr.. Pynchon. With such large COM
pany we can give the house most excellent
warming, and | propose that we all accept the
invitation in a body, and adjourn there imme-
diately.
They needed no further urging, and there
was rush for bonnets, sllawls and hats, amid
ordinations of did you ever?' My consci-
ence = 'Sakes alive = Mercy on us = sWho
ever saw the like ! 1T beats all natur' =
The parents of the newly married pair were
not the least astonshed of the crowd, and as
Mrs. Woodman neared the house with her
husband sudden feeling of exultation came
over her, that her daughter was going to be
mistress of the new house instead of Miranda
! Locke and she was about to express it when
it flashed upon her that Betsey Locke's son
was the owner of the house, and was silent
In conspicuous part of the room stood the
bridal party, and with dignity and grace COM
bined received their astonished visitors. Miss
Crusty could not be prevailed upon to pay her
respects to them her indignation was so great
that a couple had actually got married right
before her eyes and she never had the remotest
suspicion that it was going to happen. Such
an unheard-of thing had never been done in
Tattlewood from its first settlement to the
present time The crestfallen dealer in news
was, however, induced to accept piece of
wedding cake, and very liberal slice found
its way into her capaeious pocket, notwitll-
standing she protested to everybody she never
ate such detestable stuff for wedding cake in
her life
The rest of the company enjoyed themselves
finely, and in due time they departed, to dis
cuss the astounding events of the evening" on
some future occasion. The parents Of the
bride and groom remained after the other
guests had left, and the fathers were extremely
! 6a1iohfo6 OF tha r,r,tf il, ot