The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1878-10-29

10 tuat old'oWu cuuTCu yOnucr, ii
you please sir p
A girl spoke to me. turned and look
ed at her. There are women of l6 and
children of 16 This was a child. She
wore the sea. tiest of cotton dresses, bel,
ted at the waist, pair Of leather boots
and white apron. In her hand she car
rled sun bonnet, and her hair cropped
close like boys, curled in black rings
about her head The face was a baby's
face in sweetness and innocence; the lit.
tie brown hands the hands of toll. No
young lady this, yet there was nothing
coarse or vulgar about her unless it was
her hands.
That is Oldtown church, my DEAR"
| said, care you going there I"
F." Yes, sir, to see the wedding Are
you y
l was. more fool l, though l did not
say SO to this child The bride for whom
the bells were ringing was to have been
mine once-would have been but for the
accident which had crippled me an chan
ged her heart. She had done nothing
treacherously, but saw the truth and
set her free. She took her freedom glad
ly and we were two. She had quite for
gotten me, no doubt | believed that
never could forget her.
knew exactly now she would look in
snowy silk and lace and coronet of pearls.
I dftte sa dr"""'"a Of ''"" 10 ''-''''-' ---
nodded to the little thing beside me,
trudging over the meadow path, with the
tall grass almost to her waist, and look
ing at me so wistfully.
al never saw wedding she said
"Eo?"
mo, sir. Grandfather said | night
come. He didn't care himself. It's a
long walk, too, from the tavern, and he's
very old"
docs your grandfather keep the tav-
n" | asked
"No, sr--I wish he did ~ said the
child. "He has only his fiddle, and peo
pie half the time don't care for tunes.
What can he do. thought TO night
Tiers a dance, and he's to play for them.
That's why we stopped"
A poor liddler's unlaught grandchild
AS poor as decent poverty could be
yet her presence somehow cheered me,
Half-child, half woman, and all child
at heart. Innocent, beautiful and kindly,
| encouraged her to linger at my side,
] said to her:
81 will show you place where you can
see the bride well. 1t is in the gallery.
Will you like that p ...
~ Ia co;1 CT b,vorj 4
Gifted been to church, We pray together
in lonely places, grandfather and |. Will
you be there, sir!"
Yes"
81 know | should like it,"
I had meant to hide myself in the gal
lery, and see my lost love married quite
unseen. This companion had not been
in my roll at all, But liked it. No
friend, no relation, not my own sister
would | have had beside me; but this
selfish thing was too innocent to fear. !
led the way up the dark old stair, and to-
ward spot quite sheltered from general
view Then | sat down and she stood
leaing over the balustradc,
The church was full of bonnets. Here
and there only a masculine head. The
minister was in his seat reading, in po-
sition taken for effect. He WAS a hand
some man, and be knew it pefectly
we'll.
Girls whispered and giggled, matrons
famed themselves and men yawned.
Soon the soft roll of carriages on the
gravel path was heard, and the bridal
party entered. | saw, at last, Aietta
as that the BRIDE" half sobbed the
girls voice at my side. SIS it real la
dy? Oh, how pretty, how beautiful
Look look -
She touched me with her little brown
hand and looked at me, her eyes spark
ling.
"Did you ever see her before?' she
asked. as she like that in everyday
clothes? Oh, how pretty, how pref
typ
Men have no right to weep. | put my
head down upou the cushion of the pew
and hid my eyes. felt the ch'ld CREEP
down beside me-
"poor man, he's tire" l heard hel
whisper, and she put out her little hand
and pattyd me softly by stealth.
"is it all over p asked the girl.
"Yes, child said, "all over
"Then | must co." she said. "Thans
you for beng SO kind to me, sir Good
bye" ,,
/ "Good bye" I said, and her li'tl'
leather shoes patted over the aisle ant
down the stairs, and had seen, as
thought the last of her. When she wa'
gone ] missed her strangely.
went home when the church wa
quite empty. 1t had not been as hard t