The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-02-23
You're to be bridesman at the we'd


ding?"
eyes"
$50 am l."
Had he penetrated the gloom of Rus
sell Square, which lay out of his way,
only to say that?
No, he had something else to say, and
said it; looking the while into my eyes as
if he would read my very soul.
"You remember what Chaffner said
last night at SUPPER"
Now you know, Chaffner, that you
say so much whenever you get the
chance-more especially at supper-that
to remember aohdt would be just as i'm
possible as to remember how often your
glass was filed.
Mr.. Shippers ferret looks were still
peering into the depths of my soul, where
was dark.
"He said that the O'Manady would do
something outrageous at the wedding
forget the wedding-ring perhaps. And
it's my firm belief, Grizzleton, that he
will"
1t was my firm belief too, and L said
it,
whats to be done ?" asked Shipper.
"Trust to fate, and to the young lady's
reminding him of it" answered sol
EMMY.
And we parted, feeling very nervous
and cast down.
To you it may appear a matter of but
little consequence that bridegroom
should appear at the altar without ring,
when so many other essentials to
proper union are sure anyhow to be
wanting. But on a well-regulated mind,
such as mine, it made strong ane pain
full impression, which found it impossi-
bic to shake off.
Walking home, / reasoned with my
self long and closely, and came to con-
clusion.
My reasoning ran thus: the O'Nlanady
being public character, his character
must to a certain extent be public
property And as the fatal consequences
of one man fruit will be too often felt
by others in no way concerned, so would
it be in this instance. The O'Manady in
| fault, Joe Grizzleton, to suffer for it
Could he possibly get more red about the
ears and damp about the hair-roots and
shirt-collar than / should? And as to
the trembling in the knees that would be
sure to follow upon the discovery of the
omission-why, it was mine already at
the bare supposition of such an omis-
sion, and its inevitable result-my hav-
ing to go for the ring.
There are persons who are somehow
always being led into offering their ser
vices, and getting those services accepted
with but little credit to themselves and
no gratitude whatever from others. am
one of these. Inevitably should offer
to go for the ring, and my offer would be
accepted. With no sin of my own to
atone for 1 should share the fate of the
hapless scapegoat-be separated from
among my fellows, and sent forth pur-
sued by the curses of the congregation.
"Confound the fellow, he might look
sharper about it {" from my friend the
o Manady.
"Why, bless my soul, if couldn't
have done it quicker myself y from his
friend the rector, who weighs more in the
way of stone, good worthy man, than
ever did st. Peter, though upon him was
to be built church strong enough to
defy the assault of successive ages.
"Lor, how slow he is !" from all the
fair bridesmaids, who can't say anything
IL
slO,U. And so on.
And / meanwhile, the victim of mans
ingratitude and broiling sun, go tearing
through the streets, an object of derision
to all the little vulgar boys who meet me
on my way, and of suspicion to all the
policemen who happen to meet with me
on theirs-and get back in less time than
any one else could have done, gasping,
lobster-red and sadly disordered in my
attire, to find my popularity more ire
trievably gone even than my breath. 1t
was for me they waited, and on me they
resent the delay.
At the breakfast the spirits of all re-
vive-of all but Joe Grizzleton, the vic
tim of ingratitude and broiling sun.
Every dish, every glass of wine, every
sally of my fair neighbor, could but
make me grow more hot, more nervous,
more miserable. Chaffner, when my
reasonings had brought me thus far,
though not of an over-sensitive nature
far from tiny feelings got the better of
me, or rather. they did better for me
than | could have done for myself, for
they brought me to a conclusion to which
/ am far less easily brought by myself
than by any one else.
The conclusion I arrived Mt was this
that rs the O'Manady would most cer-
tainly forget the ring-for you had said
so, and it was Reginald Shippers firm
belief also-I would provide myself with
second ring in case of need. Should
our sagacity prove at fault, which was
most improbable, then No, Chaff-
ner, upon my soul, my thoughts did not
turn in the direction of Miss Julia Brand;
indeed, they did not get beyond the mo-
ment when the pastoral blessing and the
buzz of congratulations, and the involun-
tary uplifting of my handkerchief to my
face to wipe away whatever of moisture
anxiety might have gathered there, would
tell me that the ordeal was past
The ring was bought, tolerably large
one; for the poets bride was, / knew,
tolerably large young lady-as was quite
right and proper, he being all imagine
ton and hair which things, though the
making of the great O'Manady, would
not certainly be the making of the little
O'Manadys.
The wedding-day arrived. OF the we'd
ding itself L need say the less, as an ac-