The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-05-14
A Grand Wedding.

Il Jldtl Dttn btub UOWn
that summer, while father and mother
were in Europe. / had never been away
from home alone before, and was rather
homesick until Rob came down to spend
his vacation. Even then was afraid 1
was going to be; for he was just the age
when boys consider themselves SO much
superior to girls and pride themselves
upon it. L think he was rather inclined
to plague me but grandmother came to
my aid, and after that we got along
nicely. Rob found some new amuse-
ment every day. remember thought
him remarkable boy, to be able to
think up so many plays. We rode home
from the fields on the hay we hunted
hens nests we picked berries we
drove the COWS home from pasture we
made boats we went to mill with grand
father. All this on pleasant days; and
rainy weather we resorted to the garnet,
where the treasures of half II century
were stored. We seemed to have ex-
hausted the list of amusements, until one
day happened to think we never had
made use of grandmother's cats.
1t came about in this way. Belinda
Paige was over spending the afternoon
with grandmother; and L heard her
telling about grand wedding that was
to take place at the Squire's the next
week. Belinda was one of those persons
who, having met with disappoint-
ment" in youth, bear about the evidences
ever after. She could give you minute
account of every wedding or funeral that
had taken place in the village for the
last twenty-five years. Weddings were
her special grievance.
Grand wedding at the Squire's, next
week, Miss Thompson" said Belinda, in
a heartrending tone. "Twenty loaves
of wedding cake Just think of it All
frosted, too! They'd better save the
money, and give it to them poor tenants
of his. Laury Ann Garfield told me
there were to be five bridesmaids, all in
white gowns"
/ did not stop to hear the rest of her
story, but ran out to find Rob. L had
got an idea, and must tell ii to him.
Now we would have new play. We
would have a grand wedding, too. Rob
was in the wood-shed, constructing
another ship to add to the already large
fleet that had been wrecked on Little
Pond. Somehow Rob's ships always
keeled over and went down, like the
Royal George.
ooh, Rob, let's have wedding !"
said I.
"a what ?" he queried, still intent
upon his work.
"a wedding, Rob, you know. Marry
somebody to somebody else"
81 don't see how we can" picking up
q nail from the floor. 81 can't be mar
ried to you, because you're my cousin
and I'm sure | won't marry Old Belinda
Paige" This last very emphatically.
Every one else in the house is mar
ried."
81 don't mean truly wedding, Rob;
but a play one" 1 replied. ave will
marry the cats"
Marry the CATS Let's see you catch
them first"
You can catch them, Rob. Please
do. Take them up in the shed chamber
and I'll get some things to dress them
in," 1 continued. "We'l have a real
nice time. Please do, Rob seeing
that he hardly appreciated the "real
nice time"
"Well, I'll do as you say" he answer
ed. 81 go home tomorrow morning,
and want to leave good impression
with all my friends, bowling condescend-
ingly to his little cousin.
SO off Rob started in search of the
pussies, whistling "Tho girl 1 left be-
hind me" as he went, while l went to
the house for the wedding feast and gar
ments. / procured slice of ginger
bread for wedding cake, spoonful of
sugar with which to frost it, and saucer
of milk. A search in the rag bag secured
to me n green barege veil and an old
black silk handkerchief. 1 then hurried
to the shed chamber, where 1 found
Rob, with the five cats tied up in an
empty meal-bag, singing a new version
of Saint Ives:
ain each sack were FIVE cats"
I've caught them at last. But didn't
L have fine chaser"
AS a rule grandmother's cats were
well-behaved animals, but they were not
used to such close confinement, and
made known their disapproval so heartily
that Rob was glad to release them.
"Now we must get some wedding
presents" said
"I'm sure l don't see what you can
give CATS" Rob replied.
"Why, rats and mice, and lots of good
things to eat. That's what you would
want if you were going to be married. y
Rob understood me, for there neve,
was a boy who liked "good things to
eat better than he. We left the pussies
in the chamber and went in search oi
mice, two of which we found in the trap.
Rob caught six grasshoppers as his pres.
ent. 1 said "No; for they make ktties
poor, and grandma wouldn't like it. y
So he contented himself with arranging
a huge bouquet of sorrel blossoms and
white weed.
Before proceeding to the wedding fes-
tvities / must tell you something about
these cats. There were five of them.
Jenny Deans, the mother of Flossy
Whitefsot, was the oldest. She came
from England, when kitten, on q ship
commanded by my great uncle. / ALWAYS
had great reverence for that cat. Great