The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-10-07
DOUBLE WEDDING.

Maiorie Wallace represented TO me all that
was noble, generous, self.sacrificing in wo
manhood My gratitude to her began when
L was ten years old, and she came to the cot
tage where my mother had scraped outscanty
food for herself and for me longer than my
memory recalls, She lifted me from that moth
er's dead, cold form, when was sobblng out
my childish agony, and covering my thin,
chilled limbs with her own velvet cloak, car
ried me to her liome she clothed me In gar
ments as soft and fine as her own; she shared
every luxury Of her splendid home with me !;
she gave me teachers for all studies suited ID
my age. As grew to womanhood she intro
duced me INTO society as her adopted sister.
Best of all, she loved me!
She was twenty-five when she took me
home, and for eight years can recall only
happiness had no within unqualified, no
reasonable wish crossed or denied. If / had
been indeed the sister she called NE she could
not have layished upon me more tender care
and affection.
When | was eighteen had lover who
won my whole heart gave him love. I'M
consciously and when his words showed rae
what my own sensations meant shrunk back
affrighted With the intuition OF deer CRATE
full affection, | knew that Majorie had wrap,
ped up her life in mine. She stood utterly
diOhO IA wv "Oiius liti pau
housekeeper was matron Of middle age,
whose whole soul was absorbed In preserves,
pickles and crochet work In her loneliness
che had taken me into her great, noble heart,
and when left her | knew | should leave
her desoate.
SO shrunk back from the avowal that was
such an ccsacy OF delight, such bitter self.
reproach. | thought [ had conquered all
traces of emotion in my face as | went from
The garden where we had walked--my lover
and myselt-to Msjorle's sitting-roam. But
she looked into my face, with her soft beauti.
ful eyes Swallowed by troubled inquiry
"Have you quarreled with Stephen" she
asked.
"No-I have no, quarreled-we- that isl
do not think he will come again"
For the first time she frowncd sternly.
"Is II possible that you are the base trleer
coquetle," she said, in a voice iull of indg
nation, "ihat you have led Stephen to believ,
that you loved him only from vanity, and have
rejected his honest true love?"
In my deep pain that she could so mis-
Judge me | sObbed out the truth that | lOvrt
Stephen, but that il seemed to me base in
gratitude to desert her
"Child, child" she said softly, gathering
me IN her arms. Heaven forbid your lifj
should be sacrificed to me. Did you eve
hear among our friends of my love story?
Never i said, earnestly. "But knew
there was great grief in your life at som,
time ! could see II in your ewes, even il
your smile. II is tender and sweet, but ncve
joyous"
"When | was your age" she sale. Centl,
stroking my hand as she spoke, 81 was called
handsome, and was as lighthearled as
bird. Ny orphanhood was an event so lon.
past that have no recollections of my pa
rents: but my uncle was father an dear cou
panion to me. He was a wealthy man, an,
gave me every advantage that wealth can b,
stow. And when Arnold Halcombe-"
i started at that name, but Majorie dId M
notice, continuing her story:
"Wooeu me for bis wife. Uncle Charles mad
no objections. though my lover was a poe
man, compared 10 my uncle. We were yer
happy in those days, very happyi Arnol
was true, noble man. one TO whom love vi
q sacred word, q womaR's heart sacred trus
We had been engaged nearly six montf
when Uncle Charles decided 10 accept an Il
yitaiion to spend a week with some eli
friends TO give me an opportunity TO do shol
ping, for In the spring / was TO be Arnol
Halcombes wife. We started of gayly, an
spent 9 most Delightful week in Londol
Uncle Charles was g resident there durin
several years before he retired from bushes