The Lake County star., 1876-06-01
THE MISSING BRIDEGROOM.
10; l don't like him."


"No; don't like him."
John Hammersley's fist fell heavily
upon the table to give emphisis to the
brief sentence, uttered in loud tone.
Margaret, his niece and orphaned charge
from childhood, looked up appealingly.
Then her voice, very sweet and low,
made answer:
81 love him."
"More's the pity" growled her uncle.
"Why can't you love some one else ?'
i. Just a shy smile, with lurking of fun
in it, for an answer to this question.
"Here's Will Hall been courting you
ever since you were a baby; and Mark
Halstead would give his eyes for you ;
both smart young sailors. No; you
must turn up your nose at them, and fall
in love with nobody knows who"
"I thought he told you he was a
junior partner in wholesale house."
''TOld mel" was the contemptuous
reply $50 he did. And you love him 2
Now, here you've lived all your life on
the sea-coast, amongst strong men, and
you set your heart on pretty curly
headed doll, with hands like girls"
"He's tall and strong, and manly. toe" "
urged Margaret; "he does not know any
thing about boat or ship, and his
work does not require tarred hands and
coarse clothes; but he is not effeminate,
uncle"
Humph Will Hall is man fit to
marry sailors daughter; mate of a fine
vessel, and making money. 1t is rough
60 l.. I, aparhaa ri for ohov
none of us had ever seen six months ago.
l wish he had drowned before he came
to Brashaw to turn your head"
"Uncle," Margaret said, very earnestly,
eff Harry Craige had never come to
Brashaw, it would have made no differ
ence in my answer to Will Hall. I
would not marry him, if l had never
seen Harry"
A dark, evil face that had been pressed
close to the closed blinds of the room
where this conversation took place was
lifted here for a moment, and clenched
fist was shaken in the air.
"Bah! If you had never seen Harry
Craige, you would have married Hall
when he asked you six months ago. If
your fine beau was to 60 home again,
you would forget him in six months, and
marry Will, like sensible girl"
Margaret's lOw-spoken but sensible
reply, "Never! was lost in the snap of
the garden gate, suddenly closed, and
the rap on the cottage door.
The listener skunk around the corner of
the house, and sped away. But the Wis
itor entered the cottage, and greeted
uncle and niece. A tall, handsome man,
with very frank expression.
Though Uncle John growled and
fumed, Margaret was the very darling of
his heart, and he could never seriously
oppose any wish of hers. So, while the
evil.faced man who had listened at the
window sped over the fields, Harry
Craige pressed his suit till John Ham,
mersley was won TO give his consent to
a marriage that was really worldly ad-
vantage to his niece.
Consent once gained, Harry pleaded
hard for speedy wedding. so the bans
were published, and the guests invited.
Mark Halstead, second cousin of
Maragaret's, and with disappointed
heart, consented to be groomsman, but
Hall kept aloof, though he met Harry
often, and gave him grudging civility.
The wedding day came, and the cot
tage was decorated for the festivities
after the marriage. Margaret's wedding
dress was already donned. The bride
was waiting, but Harry did not come.
Mark Halstead, after a whispered con-
sultation with Mr.. Hammersley, went
10 where Harry had boarded. Here he
was informed that on the previous even
ing a note had been handed in for Mr..
Craige, and Immediately afterwards he
had driven away. That was all Mark
could find out that night.
The guests dispersed, Margaret refusing
all companionship but that of her uncle.
When they were alone together, she
crept into the strong arms that had been
her protection and shelter from child
hood, and lay there, white as the bridal
dress she wore, shivering and fearless.
And, looking at her mute misery, John
Hammersley restrained the torrent OF
indignant words trembling upon his
tongue, and soothed her as il she had
been an infant.
"He is sick or hurt" the old man said.
In mis- heart he added, "And if the
false william is deceiving my girl, ] will
shoot him like dog" But he had no
opportunity to keep the unspoken threat.
A letter was written to the firm, and
one of the senior partners came to Bra
shaw.
IL was some comfort to rt-broken
Margaret to hear of the high esteem in
which Harry was held, and see the
evident sorrow of the elderly gentleman
who spoke 80 warmly of his partner.
at is absurd to suppose he has run
away" said his partner; "he is man
of influence in business, and his social
standing is of the best, and "-here
he turned TO Margaret-"his love was
pure, honorable and sincere. j, who have
known him from boy, know that he
was a man who would scorn to play with
any woman's heart"
Only a piteous cry OF, "Where can he
be 2' burst from the girls white lips.
Had he any enemies hcre?" was the
next stern question.
No one knew of any. The frank,
bright nature had won friends all about
him. Even Hall had been seen in
friendly conversation with the missing