Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-11-05
TATE'S DOLLS WEDDING.
BY PENN SHIRLEY.

1aJe BeQeu was gong 10 nave birth
day the next day. That, in itself, was
something for little girl to be proud
Ofwho only had had eight birthdays in
her life, and couldn't remember half of
those. But more than that, she was to
give party in honor of the occasion
her mother had said she might-and be-
sides, and beyond, and above all, it was
to be wedding party, and Tate's doll
the open-and-shut-eye Luella Viola
was to be the bride And though that
small lady couldn't, by any manner Of
means, be married before tomorrow, be-
cause her bridegroom wasn't expected
till the morning train, she was already
dressed for the ceremony in white mus
hn-with such a trail and lay on the
spare chamber bed under pillow-sham,
face down, for fear of crushing her long
veil and wreath of orange blossoms.
Tate herself was on her knees by the
bureau packing the bridal wardrobe into
the japanned cake-boX, leaving out the
travelling dress, of course, for Luella
Viola to wear on her wedding journey.
Was there ever an outfit like it? Six
complete suits; and by changing them
about little-putting the polonaise of
one over the underskirt of another, you
knOw-you could make as many more :;
six hats, all of the latest styles; a hand
kerchief, bordered with real lace; be-
sides two entire sets of underclothing
that had been sewed by Tate, every
stitch of them, without thimble.
" Got the notes ready, Tate?"
That was Minty MOzier's voice in the
hall, and that was Minty's happy little
self dumping upstairs after the wedding
invitations. She was to carry them
around. Tate couldn't, of course; for |
forgot to say dear little Tate was lame
and not able to walk beyond the garden,
even with her pretty rosewood crutch.
And it was very stupid of me not tomen-
ton this before, since but for her lame
ness and her sweet, patient way of bear
ing it l suppose her mamma would never
have taken the pains to plan the dolls
wedding of which am telling you.
Dear me! No, Mintyr' said Tate
moving along to give Minty kneeling
room by the trunk. "Toney hasn't
printed 'em yet!'
[ say he's poison slowm grumbled
Minty, folding Luella Viola's balmoral
into a neat bundle.
"And he's been teasing to take the in
vitations round himself. Do you care if
let him."
"Pooh! not the least Bit" said Minty.
"'Cause, you see, he thinks Pm real
mean not to have boys at my party" said
Tate, looking relieved; and l ought to
make it up to him somehow"
" As if you wanted to play with boysw
said Minty, Indignantly.
"'Oh, of course don't a0ant 'em" said
Tate, decidedly; {" but Toney says 'twon't
I, e Il IL
'em, cause at grOwnup weddings they
always invite men,"
{" But then, men behGUe" put in Minty.
" Boys are horrid-all but five or six,
you knowr
" Well, I can't have 'em, anyway" said
Tate, cheerfully. Mamma says Pm not
to my birthday, cause l shall be nine
years old-and going on ten, just think"
Yes" said Minty, very meekly
She was only seven and a half, and it
mortified her dreadfully. But she forgot
this affection before long in helping
Tate pack the trunk and buckle her
mammals shawl-strap about ii; and when
she trudged home at noon she was just
as happy as a girl only seven and a half
years old could possibly be; for wasn't
she going to a Wedding-party III her new
pink sash and bronze boots? And loaSnt
Toney coming that very afternoon to
leave her a printed invitation? To be
sure he was! She knew that as we'll as if
Tate had said it,
Indeed, as it happened, Toney was
rushing into Tate's house at precisely
this minute with the notes he had Just
struck off on his little printing press
Theyzwere the daintiest affairs in the
world, printed on pink satin paper, and
reading this way:
Miss TATE BEDPIL
Requests the pleasure of your presence at the
Marriage other Doll,
LUELLA VIOLA BEDELL,
CLARENCE OSBORNE,
On Thursday, Sept. 4. 1873, at Three O'Clock
P. S.-Please bring all your dolls.
Tony had slightly objected to the post
script, but he finally added it to satisfy
Tate. She had now only to double these
sheets across the center, and they filled
their envelopes exactly: such pretty en-
velopes, with the monogram "B. o."
embossed on them. That stood for Be
dell and Osborne, of course.
TOney walked up and down the gravel
path, whistling, while Tate directed the
VI IiCPCS W uCl uluC JIIIIC 1llCAho1 anu
just before he lost his patience she
brought them out to him, in a neat will
low basket, with a white satin bow
perched on the top, to give it bridal air.
And then he carried round the notes, de-
livering funny speech with each one.
But, alas! for poor Minty There was
none for heri From the back-door step,
where she was amusing the bald-headed
baby with tin mufin-rings, she saw
Toney call at the door opposite and hand
Jenny ellison note, and then walk
straight on-never so much as looking at
her house! No wonder Minty nearly
cried her eyes out, and went to bed that
night thinking this was a dreadful world
for a little girl only seven and halt
years old to live in!
Papa Bedell came next day in the early
train, right from New York, and brought
with him Clarence Osborne, Luella
Eiola's bridegroom, a handsome Young
gentleman in a black broadcloth suit.
with white gloves and waistcoat, and a
watch no bigger than buttercup. Tate
took him up TO the front chamber, to wait
till II was time to hand Luella Viola down