The Western advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1872-1874, 1874-07-25
Mrs. Woodcock's

so there l sat and saw it ALL" pur
sued Mrs. Woodcock, "And what do yo,
think, Mademoiselle, but Earnest cam
in with lady on his arm older than hi
mother. My wife, said he, and yo,
might have knocked me over with one O
your feather poppies. There never wa
such surprise in Throckmorton before
Mon Dieu!" cried mademoiselle, will
little foreign scream. did you learl
how it happened?
" No more than the dead" replied Mrs
Woodcock, solemnly. "Mrs. Seacres
tried to pass it Oft with her smooth-it
away manner, but she couldn't deceive
me. | could see she had hard work tt
keep her feeling in. But there she poured
the tea and passed the cake to that ole
thing as smiling as moon. She is sucl
a hand to cover up and make as every
thing is Just right that happens to her.
$50 you staid to lunch?" quericd mad
emoiselle, helping herself to third cup
OF beverage from Mrs. Woodcock's round
black pot as she spoke.
Yes, they asked me and didn't wait
to be deemed. I thought it would be a
good chance to see the bride, how she
looked and how she appeared"
Well, how was it," asked the milli-
ner, between her sips of tea.
"She appeared we'll enough, as far as
! that went, if she hadn't seemed old
enough to be his grandmother. You know
Earnest is master young-looking for his
years, and don't suppose he is day
| over TWENTY
But didn't you have any surmise how
1t happened to take place." pursued
! mademoisclle.
"Wcn, l suppose she must have been
| worth property" returned Mrs. Wood
cock, who like a wise general, never ac-
know1edged defeat "But for all that
| don't commend it in him, and had as
lief tell him SO at his dinner table,"
While thus the hidden affairs of the
doctors family were being discussed and
stirred up in the Hollow, as a hen stirs
among dead leaves, on the hill they were
being covered over like the lost babes in
the wood. 1t was never the Seacrest
fashion to parade the family skeletons
like the family jewels. So they ate and
drank and la1g ghed, and tried to look at
the elderly bride without shuddering.
But the age was not the worst of it.
She was honely. And her LONELINESS
was not the worst; she was stiff and unat-
tractive in person. And it was hardly
the consolation that perhaps it should
have been to perceive the unlimited fond
ness that the boy bridegroom had for his
aged companion. For it is really COM
fort, though small one, to see our
friends chafe under degradation. Accept
ing slavery with contentmcnt makes the
captive twice a slave
However, the less the family felt like
saying sweet things, the more they
pressed the sugared cake, the ice-cream
and strawberries upon their new member
But all this time there was something in
the background waiting to be brought
forward, and it was the bride who had the
courage first to touch it,
Earnest" she began, with the domi-
nant air of an elderly aunt, "an explana-
tion is due your father and mothcr-and
sister, she added, glancing sharply at
Miriam, who was fairly seasick with dis
gust and sorrow and modification.
Yes, Lily, tell them," answered Earn
est, looking at her as though she were
sugar candy.
The idea of calling that old, black,
greasy thing Lilly"
"The truth is, then," said Lily, turn
ing her withered face away from
Earnest as though it cost her an
effort, "by the will of the uncle
from whom 1 had my money, un-
less l married before a certain date | lost
it all. And a kinsman, who was heir-at-
law, was very anxious to inherit it,"
"The old cur wanted Lily himself" in
terposcd Earnest, land he thought if he
got her money he would be sure to get
her. At any rate, he was resolved to
have that. This was why we had to be so
secret"
Miriam fairly groaned; and even fairy
hearted Mrs: Seacrest dropped her nap
kin-ring on the floor, and came I'D from
STOPPING for it with wet eyelashes. To
think that Earnest has sold himself for
this womans gold! So Mrs. Woodcock
down in the Hollow was right after all.
But, as though she suspected the nature
of their thoughts, Lilly went on.
had some trouble in pcrsuading
Earnest she said, looking at him fondly
through her blue glasses, while she pat
ted her gray curls and settled her cap.
(''l knew you had" calculated Miriam,
inaudibly.) "Hc had foolish notion of
waiting till after had lost my property.
But l had right to it and I wanted to
keep it."
1--WE had jolly time, though, dodg-
ing old Drymar. He is about discover
ing now, Lily, that he isn't so smart as
he thought he was," said Earnest, burst
ing into joyous laugh, and nobody felt
the heart to join in.
Then he took from his pocket the mar
riage certificate, dated that very day. 1t
seemed he had telegraphed to his father
to meet him and his wife at the station
not more than five minutes after she be-
came his wife.
s. We had to turn pretty sharp corners
to keep out Of Drymar's way" continued
Earnest, still chuckling. SHe thought
he had Lily safely locked in her room,
while he sent for justice, thinking he
would frighten her into marriage with
him, or, at any rate, keep her away from
other men till the day had gone by. But
Lily was better at picking locks than he
thought; and she came to me, poor
thing, so out of breath and frightened"
Earnest's voice grew tcnderer and
pitiful at the thought, and he took Lily's
hand in his with caressing gesture.
g. loved her ever since have been in
college, and she knew it, but we had to
keep it to ourselves on old Drymar's ac-
count. And was dying to marry her,
but l didn't like the idea of marrying
for money exactly. However, there
wasn't any help for it then, mother, you
see: Drymar was her lie gal guardian
until she married, or was of a certain
age: So chum and fixed her up in her
bridal dress, and here we are!
Upon that the irrepressible bridegroom
got up and kissed his bride, then led
her from the room, saying over his
shoulder:
1--WE will be back directly"
When they were gone, q sOrrOWful sigh