The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-03-27


went to her uncle's--your father, Will
llam-to live during that time. When
the year was over, every preparation
was made for the marriage; invitations
were sent to all the kinsfolk on both
sides land that included three or four
counties on rough guess,) and we-the
immediate family-were assembled at
Major Scheffer's preparing for the grand
event, when" Beardsley became
now excessively hot and flurried, and
getting up, thumped heavily up and
down the room.
After all, there is nothing to tell.
Why should we bring in famous law
yer to sit in judgment on her as If the
girl were a crlminalp She only did,
Floyd, what women have done since the
beginning-cha her mind without
reason. Paul Merrick was as clever and
lovable young fellow as you would
find in the State, and Louisa was faith
full to him-she's faithful to him yet;
but on the night before the wedding she
refused to marry him, and has persisted
ing cause"
=" Is that all of the story?" I asked.
Reardsley was silent.
"No," said his wife gen tly; "that is
not all. thought Mccormack 8 courage
would fail before he gave you the facts.
1 shall try to tell you"
"Only the facts, if you please, without
any inference or opinions of Others"
The old lady paused for moment, and
then began
"A couple of days before the wedding
we went over to Major Scheffer's to help
prepare for it. You know we have no
restauranteurs nor confectioners, to de-
| pend upon, and such occasions are busy
seasons. The gentlemen played whist,
Majors wines, while indoors we, all of
us-married ladies and girls, and dozen
old aunties-were at work with cakes,
creams and pastry. / recollect 1 took
over our cook, Prue, because Lou fancied
nobody could make such wine jelly as
hers. Then Louis trousseau was very
rich one, and she wanted to try on all of
her pretty dresses that we might see
how
MY dear,T interrupted Mr.. Boards
ley, "this really appears irrelevant to
the matter"
Not at all. wish Mr.. Floyd to gain
an idea of Louisa's temper and mood at
that time. The truth is she was passion
ately fond of her lover, and very happy
that her marriage was SO near and being
a modest little thing, she hid her feeling
under an incessant, merry chatter about
dresses and jellies. Don't you agree
with me, William ?'
The sick man turned on the sofa with
laugh, which looked ghastly enough
on his haggard face. 81 submit, Aunt
Sophie, that it is hardly fair to call me
in as witness in this case. waited on
Lou for two or three years, Mr.. Floyd
and she threw me over for Merrick. 1t
is not likely that / was an unprejudiced
observer of her moods just then.'
Nonsense, William. L knew that
was but the idlest Irritation between you,
or 1 should not have brought you here
now, said his aunt. "Well, Mr.. Floyd,
the preparations were all completed on
the afternoon before the wedding. Some
of the young people had gathered in the
library-Paul Merrick and his sisters
and-you was there, William ?''
"Yes, was there"
And they persuaded Lou to put on
her dress and veil to give us glimpse of
the bride. 1 think it was Paul who
wished it. He was hot, eager young
fellow, and he was anxious to taste his
happiness by anticipation. 1t was a
dull, gusty afternoon in October. / re-
member the contrast she made to the
gray, cold day, as she came in shy and
blushing, and her eyes sparkling, iIi her
haze of white, and stood in trent OF the
window. She was SO lovely and pure
that we were all silent. 1t seemed as if
she belonged then to her lover alone and
none Of us had right to utter word.
He went up to her, but no one heard
what he said, and then took her by the
hand and led her reverently TO the door.
Presently met her coming out of her
chamber in a cloak. Her maid Abby
was inside, folding the white dress and
veil. Il am going down to Aunt HUI
dahs,' Lou said to me. i promised her
to come again before was married and