The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-10-28
RICHMOND,
NELLIE'S WEDDING.

the white hairs that Kitty points
out to me in my hair and whiskers.
I do not know where the years have
gone. Kitty and I very often
speak of these years, but not as if
they had passed away from us; they
are more like old friends who are
just as dear fs when we first knew
them; just as securely nestled
among the good things in our
hearts.
Yes, God has been very good to
us. This thought is never out of
my mind. He has guided our lives
with so loving hand that the
years have passed away and left no
sign.
Not that they were all sunshine
or laughter. Nay, they were many
days of weeping, and there is a
tremor, even now, in Kittie's voice,
whenever she speaks of two little
hearts that were taken to heaven
before they had reached their tenth
year. All laughter! No, thank
God, no, truly and heartily, for the
sadness that came to us, just as
truly and heartily as I thank Him
for all our happiness.
Death has no terrors for us when
it will but take us from our children
on earth to our children in heaven,
and if We had not known what it
was to suffer we could not have
understood how to sympathize with
others who mourned.
And yet, as l said before, 1 could
not realize that all these years have
passed over me, and that our Nellie,
our darling, was old enough to
leave us.
To be sure I saw that Tom Baron
was constant visitor at our house,
but he played and sang great
deal more with Grace than he done
with her oldest sister, Nellie, and
he always had some question to
ask me, and was sure to find some
occasion to have a chat with Kitty;
so that had no reason TO think
that the boy had any idea of mar
rying our Nellie.
Kitty saw it all and supposed
that l did; and then Kitty is much
quicker to see to the bottom of
things than I am.
I was quite taken back when
Tom told me he wanted to marry
Nellie.
marry Nellie!" said I, "why
bless us, Tom; you are only couple
of children
Tom laughed, as he answered, 81
am twenty four, and Nellie is
twenty"
Il know" said 1; sbut then what
is twenty! Why the girl is but a
child yet"
1--WE are old enough to love each
other" said he, and with a quiet
dignity that made me respect him
more.
"You have spoken to Nellie9"
asked.
"Yes, sir, I have told Nellie that
I loved her,
"She consented to become my
wife if you and her mother consent
ed"
"But she did not say that she
loved you, did she?"
"There was no need of saying it.
I saw it in her face"
just then Kitty came into the
room, and must say felt relieved
to see her.
"What do you suppose Tom has
been telling met asked her.
'From the puzzled look on your
face, I should immagine it was
something strange"
"Why," said 1, dashing into the
subject, "the boy wants to marry
Nellie"
"Well," said she in her tenderest
way, 1--WE haven't any fault to find
with Tom, have wee"
Fault" said 1, more puzzled
than ever at the cool way she took
it. But they are a couple OF
children yet!
"Just two such children as you
and were, Dick We can certain
ly trust our Nellie with Tom, father
and I am glad and thankful that
she has won SO good mans love.
She stepped over as she said the
words and kissed Tom, and 1 knew
' that she had taken him into he,
heart of hearts where she held me
and the children.
Of course there was no use O.
= my saying anything moro except te
t give him fatherly counsel, ant
r then to call Nellie in and kiss then
4 both.
AS she came into the room ] &C
knowledged to myself that she wal
woman, and 1 had no fears bu
' that she would be a good wife; fol
t better or more loving daughter
9 never lived.
It seemed to me Tom was yer,
, impatient to be married, but when
! ever 1 said this to Kitty, she laugh
j ed and recalled some of the speech
!. es I had made in our young days
s Nellie was not 80 CONSTANT,
: sewing but that she and 1 had Ion.
t walks and talks together, and th,
!. dear child was SO like her mother
I could fancy I was young ant
i chatting again with Kitty.
Q And Tom and 1 were often togeth
n er, too. I found him as full of hop
e and ambition as he could we'll be
but with thoroughly good heart
: aud a desire to be happy an
: comfortable rather than rich an,
f stylish.
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