The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-11-13
CHAPTER XIV.

Everything agreeable must come to
an end a story that ''ends WELL" prov
ing no exception to the never ending
rule.
No story is interesting to the null
titude unless it is love story, and no
love story is completed unless it ends
with a wedding.
Our story, dear reader, shall be no ex-
ception to the general rule. Give heed
and you shall hear.
The Hastings mansion was ablaze
with light. The elegant east parlors,
three in number, with their Wilton car
pets, frescoed ceilings, elegant furniture,
pictures, statuary and novelties, were
thrown together and festooned with
evergreens Of the rarest varieties. Over
q raised dais at the northern extremity
of this suite of rooms was suspended a
brace of mammoth marriage bells, COM
posed of white roses, orange blossoms,
myrtle vines and blue forget-me-nots
In an alcove, at the opposite end of the
three grand apartments, stood a long
table heavily laden with costly gifts
The suite of living rooms across the
broad hall were also thrown together,
making a vast dining saloon, down the
center of which was spread a sumptuous
banquet for the accommodation Of three
hundred invited guests. From observa-
tory to basement, conservatory to kitch-
en-, and from parlor to dining room the
windows were adorned with gaily col
ored lamps, over which delicately
wrought drapery hung in elegant folds,
making the illumination appear re-
splendently beautiful TO spectators from
without and within. The lawn was IL
Illuminated by an equally gorgeous dis
play. Large globe lamps of variegated
hues blazed alike from tree tops and tur-
rets, and the silver poplars and locust
trees, bereft by the Autumn frosts of
their foliage, seemed laden with fruit
age of stars. Nothing of the kind had
ever before been seen in Portsmouth.
People fiocked by thousands to the
streets adjacent, blocking up the ways
till policemen were called into active
service to clear a passage for continually
arriving carriages. Bands of music
were stationed in the arbors with orders
to discourse their sweetest melodies.
Melvin Hastings, senior, stalked
through the grand apartments in a
majestic manner, rubbing his hands in
mute expression of his keen enjoyment.
In luxurious arm chair, in invalid's
cap and wrapper of the eostliest ma
terials, sat his wife, the ruddy glow of
returning health beaming from her
features as she leisurely surveyed the
- scene.
Eight o'clock, DEAR" said the hus-
band, pausing beside her chair and
STOPPING to imprint kiss upon her fore
head.
Mrs. Hastings was surprised. Her
legal head had not been guilty of such a
display of tenderness for a quarter of a
century.
"Are you happy ?" she queried, look
ing up into his face, with a sudden re-
turn of the light of girlhood in her mild
blue eyes.
"Yes," was the ready answer, spoken
in a tone Of tenderness that encouraged
the long neglected wife to reach out for
his hand, which she clasped and caressed
most lovingly.
''It's eight o'clock, darling" he re-
Peated, kissing her, this time upon the
mouth.
''The guests will soon begin TO arrive,
dear and you and the girls must do the
honors. I shall sit here and play com
pany,'" and the wife smiled and blushed
like a schoolgirl.
Upon my word, darling, you look SO
much like the young girl I married in
my bOyhood, that Pm almost tempted
to play that we're young folks and get
married tonight when the rest do.r
aust see the old folks, do ~ said
Rosa, who was from this evening hence
forth, till her own wedding day, to bC
miss Hastings" Of the household
'Just see the old fOlksn' addressing Su,
and Fanny Lee; 'they're billing anC
cooling like pair of turtle doves. Who
ever saw anything like it?"
Nonsense, child" said the mother
with happy smile. "There's the doc
bell, now. I must trust you and you
father to do all the honors tonight"
By nine O'Clock the guests were as
sembled and in waiting for the appear
ance Of the parties principally interested
in the triple wedding.
They had not long to linger. A sid,
door was thrown open and five simply
attired, beautiful girls - the three
younger sisters of the Hastings house
hold, and Fanny Lee and her sister Sue
with whom the reader is already &C.
quainted-who had absented themselve,
from the guests, but few moments be.
fore, TO prepare themselves for the sur.
prise, advanced to the foot of the dai,
and took their positions in front. Mel
win and Annie followed, the latter re
splendent in a gauzy fabric of costI,
lace, worn over pearl-eolored satin. no
filmy veil fastened over the forehea,
with a spray Of orange blossoms, sur
mounted by white tea rose and singh
blood-purple fuchsia, its dark leaves an,
rich coloring appearing in striking con