The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1875-12-23
The Wooden Wedding!

"Of course Louison must come
home for the wooden wedding" de-
cided the whole of the Gruhners as
sembled in family conclave; the said
family conclave being composed of
Grandfather and Grandmother Grub
ner, Widow Gruhner and her two
daughters, Margot, whose fifth we'd
ding day was to be celebrated, and
Gretchen, the laughter-loving young
est OF the family. Besides whom we
present Wilhelm Rams, Margot's hus-
band. and Hans.
"Yes, yes, Eralein Louison must
come home for the wedding, of
course" echoed Hans.
And then everybody laughed. First
of all, because no one in the world but
Hans would have thought Of dignity
ing little Louison Gruhner with SO i'm
posing a title and next because Hans
could never so much as mention Loui-
aOn's name, titled or not, without
causing laugh in the family circle.
His admiration Of that young person,
freely expressed on all occasions when
the object of his affections was not
present, and his extreme shyness in
her society, had long been standing
joke in the village of Brushofen, and
had earned for him the title of the
''bashful lover"
When they all laughed, Hans blush
ed very furious and unbecoming
red.
"Never mind, never mind, said
Wilhelm, clapping him on the shoul-
der encouragingly. 81 was young
once, and timid too. and yet thou
seest took the bull by the horns at
last and 1 would advise thee
But the advice was lost in chorus
Of laughter and expostulations. Mar
gat, perhaps not unnaturally, objected
to being compared TO horned bull !;
and WiIhelm's timidity had not yet
been SO patent to the world, even in
his younger days, as to have made
much impression upon 1t, 1t would
seem.
However, it was quite decided that
Louison should come home.
She was bright, dark-eyed girl Of
about seventeen, an orphan niece Of
the widow Gruhner, and the bosom
friend Of her cousin Gretchen, who
was her junior by few months.
Louison lived, as a rule, with some
distant relatives, who were farmers, a
miles from Konigsberg ; but her holi-
days, somewhat few and far between,
were always spent in the Gruhner's
little cottage, which from her child
hood had been coneidered as her real
home, and her visits to Brusholen
were looked forwarda to by all the
msmbers OF the family with great
pleasure. 1t was now almost a year
since she had been to see them, and it
was quite impossible to allow the
gran Festivities of the wooden we'd
ding to take place without her. So
after q somewhat elaborate cores
pondence between the widow Grub
ner and Frau Lieb, the farmers wife,
whose right hand Louison was, a
leave Of a fortnight was obtained. and
the day fixed for the young girls arri-
val at Brushof,n.
Old Gruhner, accompanied by his
granddaughter. Gretchen, went to
meet her at the coach.
"Two weeks, two whole weeks, my
Louisop," cried Gretchen. grasping
her friends hand as they walked 10
gether up the steep cliff path that led
to the cottage. "Only think how de.
lightful! And before the eud of thai
time Hans Steiner will have asked
thee to marry him, and then thou will
stay here always, aud live in the pret.
ty new cottage by the mill, and we
shsll meyer part with thee again"
"Come, come," reterted houison
thoW dost thou know that by the
time Hans Steiner pleases 10 say
wilt thou? p l shall not please to say
May"
I But as she smoke emile curled the