Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-22

heart means honorably he'll marry you with
out wanting TO borrow your savings, and as
you are on the right side keep so, Susan.
= now nS n 60 seoy your work like I'D girl,
thank me for not lett ng yoI have the money
until agter you're married"
susan curtsied submlssi vely and lie II the
room, Tor she knew one might as well at
tempt TO lift the monument as turn RS.
j ooins when she had once made up her
mind. Re5ellious cook said it was a great
ever trustee for her; and Kiddini, as may be
imagined, became frightfully moros But
there the matter stood, and not all the re-
marks OF cook, the anxiety OF SusR n, or the
sullen temper of Kiddini could altef it.
GIVE got couple of pounds by me-"
grOwled kiddini, and with that must put
up the banns and live meantime. Suppose
we say this day mouth-will that do?''
Susan blushed, and on the principle that
silence gives consent, Kiddini stalked away
with the understanding that he was to put up
the banns and claim the pretty housemaid
as his bride on the day signifed. 1t was in
no amtabie spirit Kiddini sought his LODI
giT gS in street of Drury lane; and If the
alderman's wife could have heard what he
muttered relative to her welfare as ne passed
through the crowded courts and alleys she
would have been more opposed TO the mar
risge than ever.
On, what an anxious period was the four
weeks prior TO the day when Susan was TO
become wifel The pretty housemaid was
an expert needle woman, and, like an ecOno-
mic creature as she was, made the wedding
dress Lerself-a slate-cOlored silk with spots,
something that would prove useful on a fi-
ture day, and W hich had been presented her
by the Misses 10 bbins, who, despite the fact
that ~ was only one OF their servants who
was about To be married, too a wonderful
interest in all that was going on, and spent
good deal more time In the kitchen than
cook desired. Then there was Mrs. Jobbins,
full of wise counsel and cautious as to the
pitfalls of matrimo NAL life. Every one in
the house thought il their duty in some way
to Interfere In the marriage preparations.
AT last came the eventful morn, and Kid
DIM, leapi ng from his couch ana peering
through the slip of blind which adorned the
dirty window of his lodging, observed with
no feelings of delight that the rain was de-
scending In torrents.
..Humph!" he growled; "obliged to have
cabs now, / suppose"
Involuntarily his hand sought his trousers
poe ket, and then, finding that the sum of
ye-and-sixpence was contained therein he
began to maze his toilet
IL certainly was a depressing morning-the
bOughs of the trees In the square dropped In
the wet, the rain battered steadily upon the
pavement, and a warm close atmosphere in
creased the general gloom and detection.
Susan was to be married from the house
In the news, where her intimacy with Kid
dlnf had begun; and wishing good Mrs JOB
pins and her dau ghters farewell, with tears
In her eyes she started for her friends house
the night prior to the bridal. Cook, of course,
was to be principal bridesmaid, and insisted
that none but herself should arrange the
slate-colored silk, lace shawl "a parting
present from Susan's late mistress), and
white tulle bonnet. Nine, ten, eleven O'Clock,
and still the rain descended as steadily as
ever Poor girl, 1t was not very pleasing
commencement OF her wifely career, but
cook succeed ed in eradicating all traces of
her emotion just as the bridegroom with
three caps ratified up 10 the door.
On their way to the parish church they
were compelled TO pass the shop OF the re-
jected Perks, and Susan could not refrain
from turning her eyes In that d ERECTION. She
noticed that the shop was full of customers
thpra hatrn
win black apron tied tightly round his
waist, darling about his premises as busy
as bee in his efforts not TO keep his custo-
mers waiting.
He seems to be doing well; the shop is
1ull," remarked Susan 10 her chief brides
maid.
"People say he's got the best business in
the street, responded the cook.
Susan breathed sigh, and wondered after
ali whether she had taken sufficient notice of
Perks's caution, and had indeed made a mis-
take-whether a penniless dancing master
was so many degrees superior 10 a prosper
Gus grocer. She had not much time for rev.
erie, as In moment the cabs dashed up to
the church door, and Susan had to run the
gauntlet of a line of admiring women and
children, who, despite the drizzling rain, had
gathered TO witness the marriage cOrtege,
The bride shivered as she got out of the We
hlcle, and without waiting for her lovers
arm hurried out of the damp air into the
church. Expecting that Kiddini would inn
mediately follow, Susan become somewhat
surprised when five minutes elapsed and he
had not made his appearance; still more as
tonished was she when, going to the church
portal TO see what detained him, she OBJ
served her betrothed tightly clasped by a
gaunt, Notwithstanding woman, and i've
poorly clad children hanging on to his arms,
legs, coat-tails, and other positions of his
clothes capable of seizure.
'What-what is the meaning of this?" iu-
qulred Susan, her eyes flashing with indigna-
Not n word escaped Kiddini who, with
paIlld face, remained perfectly helpless In
The hands of those who had taken possession
"Kiddini," exclaimed the bride, "why
By this time the women and children had
dragged the bridegroom into the church, and
Inc doors had been closed upon the rabble at
tracted by the disturbance outside.
Wnen the woman knew that her prisoner
could not escape she released her hold and
turning to the indignant Susan, said:
"Begging your pardon, miss, this is my
husband, and these are our five children born
little ones two years ago at Manchester, and
since then I've been roaming about In search
OF him, and IL 1t hadn't been for the rain this
blessed morning, which made me take shell
ter here, perhaps shouldn't have found him
At all. His names Tom Kidd, and not Kid
DIM, as You call him. Oh, miss, you've had
All the time the woman had been speak
ing her five children had not in the slightest
degree relaxed their hold upon their long
lost father, but chung TO him with a peril
a pillar for support. AS for poor Susan, the
words seemed to scar into her brain; but to
doubt what she had heard was impossible
when she glanced at the helpless harleq uin
and saw his wretched plight.
Take me home, cOok-take me home"
she said, resigning herself TO her faithful
friend! then entering one of the cabs which
had awaited the conclusion of the projected
marriage, she fell into swOOn.
When she got back to the little house down
the news IL transpired that her friends knew
scarcely any more of Kiddini than did Susan
herself; they had met him at the abode OF an
and, on the strength of q
vague intimation that at any time they
would be glad TO see him whenever he passed
that way, he had become a constant visitor
to the house for some weeks prior to his meet
ing with Susan
An overwhelming sense of the narrow es-
cape she had had so preyed upon the mind of
our heroine that q severe illness followed;
but the Jobbinses-kind-hearte people as
they were-insisted upon her being removed
back to their house, where the skill of the
family doctor and the tender nursing OF cook
soon restored Susan to health. While she
was i'll there was daily inquiry made at the
area-gate by Mr.. Perks's shop-boy relative to
the invalid's progress and at last, when the
roses again began TO appear on her cheeks,
Mr.. Perks himself called. He blushed deeply
when he encountered the gaze of cook, and