The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-05-28
HATTIE HYDE.

happened.
[ am thirty FIVE, and not abgolutel
ugly-at least, when I look in the glass
/ see reflected there a good fresh com
plexion, sparkling hazel eyes, and al
abundance of brown hair.
might have married two or three
times, only wasn't really in love.
But when Clarence Raymond came
aunt-Mrs. Ricbford-I must confess
heart, for he was tall and handsome
and, in short, just the hero OF romance
that | had always dreamed about.
Hattie" said Mrs. Richford-wt
were quite confidential friends, anC
ca led one another Hattie and Pamela
and borrowed each Others books, and
all sort of things; Hattie, [ think
| Clarence rather fancies you"
"Do you?" sad [, feeling the tell
tale bushes coming into my face, and
my heart began to thrump beneath the
pretty lace fuckers of ValeDciennes and
pink ribbon that [ had taken to wear
ing every day.
81 am certain of it," said Mrs. Rich
ford and how nice it will be to have
you for a cousin"
eyes"
IT was very nice to be engaged.
He gave me a lovely cameo ring,
chOicer and more antique than any dia-
mond could have been.
1t had been his mothers ring, he said,
and he repeated the most delicious
poetry, and vowed that it expressed the
very sentiments of his heart.
And we had wanderings in the cool,
fern scented woods, and I began to
wonder whether I should be married in
white satin or dove colored travelling
dress, and pink ribbons in my hat.
One evening, just after Clarence had
returned to his unavoidable engagement
in the city, old Uncle Elnathan came to
visit me.
Uncle EInathan was one of those per-
sons Of whom we are apt to ask, Why
were they ever created ?"
He was q venerable old gentleman,
with long silver hair, that fell over the
collar of his bottle green coat, and cloth
CATERS that irresistibly reminded one of
a black pussy cat, and he took snuff and
talked through his nose.
Harriet" said Uncle Elnathan, 8 is
this true ?"
els what true, uncle %
Gail this fol-de-rol about your being
engaged to a man ten years younger
than yourself. Harriet Harriet I
thought you had better sense"
cts only five years, uncle" said |,
pouting, "and [ suppose have right
to get engaged without sending to you
for permit.
EE = - 10 Ia
fiippant about" said Uncle Elnathan.
"You may depend upon it, that this
young man is a mere fortune hunter.
You have property, Harriet, and he has
found it out"
"Uncle !" I cried, starting up, 81
will not listen tamely to such aspersiOns
upon the character of one who"
"Well, my dear, you needn't get ex-
cited" said the intolerable old gentle
man, tapping his hand upon the lid Of
his silver snuff box.
"You are not a child, Harriet, nor
yet sentimental school girl. Let's talk
the matter calmly over"
81 decline to discuss it, SIR" was
my dignifed reply. My mind is
made up and no amount of meddling
interference can induce me to alter IT.
"But aren't you Just little pert to-
wards vOur old Uncle, Hattie
So my Uncle went away, silver hair,
snuff box, pussy CATERS, and all, and L
sat down to make a memorandum of the
things l should require for my wedding
outfit For [ had resolved to make an
especial journey to London on that
Ah, the delight of reveling over
counters full of choice, fiimy laces,
billows of bridal silk, oceans of tuIlel
it brought the color to my cheeks only
to think of it.
And besides, was it not necessary
that Clarence's wife should have all
that custom required?
[ didn't care for myself so much,
but I was determined not to disgrace
Clarence.
50 one radiant September day, when
the sky was as blue as blue ribbon, and
the very leaves hung mOtiOnless i'll the
yellow atmosphere, like ships at another
on a sea of gold, took the early train
from c. with purse full of money,
buttOned in an under pocket of my
polonaise.
I had read all sorts of horrid stories
about pickpockets, and didn't mean to
part With my bank notes except for
value received.
I felt a little futtered at first, and
scarcely ventured to look around me,
for it seemed that everybody must know
that was going to London to buy my
wedding outfit.
If I attempt to tell you anything about
the adventures of that day l know I
shall not succeed.
Women could perhaps understand
how I felt in that fairy land of those
great circles of fashion that exist only
in London-glittering halls where the
poor sewing girl or the laborer's wife
are treated with as much consideration
and respect as the millionaire's lady or
the Young damsel who can't get or
glove for the diamond ring on her fin
l bought the wedding dress, white
rep silk and veil of tulle, suspended
from a garland of orange blossoms, and
I selected a blue silk, and a peach col
ored silk, and maroon silk, and dear
me what is the use of cataloguing them
all?
Other girls have been brides elect be-
fore me, and they all know just how it
all was.
And as for those who haven't, Just let
them wait until their turn comes.
And then as the sun began to decline
on it's western way, I felt excessively
and unromanticallv hungry.
"Is there q nice ladies' dining-room
near here ?" | asked.
One of the shopmen went with me to
the door to point out a glittering estab-
lishment, with its windows full of hot
house fruits, and morsels of PAGES and
delicately tinted cakes.
Dear me London is the place to
feel ones insignifcance.
do not think that I, Hattie Hyde,
ever felt so small in the whole course of
my life as | did walking over the floor
of NJ. Rechamier's Partisan restaurant,
with a waiter running on before to point
out marble table sparkling with cut