The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1875-01-08
THE WOODEN WEDDING.

AOAhC lOI Ol6 WOUu6n NeuOluks Q6'
cided the whole Of the Gruhners as
sembled in full family conclave, be-
ing composed Of Grandfather anC
Grandmother Gruhner - Widow
Gruhner, and her daughters, Margot
whose fifth wedding day was to be
celebrated, and Gretchen, the laugh
ter-loying, youngest of the family
Besides whom were present Wilhelm
Raus, Margot's husband, and Hans,
the miller's son.
"Yes, yes, Fraulein Louison must
come home for the wedding, Of
course" echoed Hans. 4slot q
And then everybody laughed.
First Of all, because no one in the
world but Hans would have dreamed
of dignifying little Louison Gruhner
with SO imposing title; and next,
because poor Hans could never so
much as mention Louison's name,
titled or not, without causing laugh
in the family circle. His admira-
ton for thai young person, freely ex-
pressed on all occasions when the OBJ
ject of his extreme affections was
was not present, and his shyness in
her society, had long been q standing
joke in the village of Brushofen, and
had earned for him the nickname of
the "bashful lover"
When they all laughed Hans
blushed very furious and becoming
red. Av '
"Never mind, never mind, friend
Hans" said Wilhelm clapping him
on the shoulder encouragingly. 81
was young once, and timid too, and
yet thou seest l took the bull by the
horns at last; and l would advise
thee Wl 5at o fl
But the advice was drowned in a
chorus of laughter and expostula-
tions. Margot, perhaps not unnat-
urally, objected to be compared to q
horned bull; and Wilhelm's timidity
had not been so patent to the world,
even in his young days, as to have
made much impression upon it, it
would seem. MIS-.
However, it was quite decided that
Louison was to come home.
She was bright, dark-eyed girl of
about seventeen, on orphan niece of
widow Gruhner, and the bosom
friend of her cousin Gretchen, who
was her junior by few months
Louison lived, as rule, with some
distant relatives, who were farmers,
o few miles from Konigsberg; but
her holidays, somewhat few and far
between, we're always spent in the
Gruhner's little cottage, which from
her childhood had been considered
as her real home, and her visits to
Brushofen were looked forward to
by sll members of the family with
great pleasure. 1t was now almost q
year since she had been to see them,
and it was quite impossible to allow
the grand festivities of the "wooden
wedding" to take place without her.
So after o somewhat elaborate cor
respondence between the widow
Gruhner and Frau Liebe, the far
mer's wife, whose right hand Loui-
son was, a leave Of fortnight was
obtained, and the day fixed for the
young girls arrival at Brushofen. I
Old Gruhner, accompanied by his
granddaughter, Gretchen, went to
meet her at the coach. in
'eTwo weeks, two whole weeks, my
Louison," cried Gretchen, grasping
her friends hand as they walked to-
gether up the steep cliff-path that led
to the cottage. "Only think how
delightful And before the end of
that time Hans Steiner will have
asked thee to marry him, and thou
wilt stay here always, and live in the
pretty new cottage by the midi, and
we shall never part with thee again"
"Come, come" retorted Louison,
show dost thou know that by the
time that Hans Steiner pleases to
say, Wilt thouY l shall nos please
"a sav ,Nay?'
But as she spoke q smile curled
the corners of her pretty mouth, and
her ewes sparkled all hidden though
tbev were by their long lashes.
" f;Well we'll we shall see," re-
turned Gretchen. wisely resolving
moi h nress the matter. at least for
tbe present. tuc
And there were naturally many
other Subjects of conversation inter-
est;ng 70 HE family party, or at least
to t5e female portion Of it; many
opestions 70 ask and be answered,
many friends to be inquired for and
discussed.
A merry and laxative group we're
they as they sat together that even
inc at work. by the open window Of
the cottage kitchen II seemed as
though they could never get to the
end Of their absorbing topics-births,
MARRIAGES deaths changes of one