The Van Buren press., 1878-11-26
MISCELLANY.
TWO WEDDINGS
CHRISTMAS NIGHT.
-
BY LoTTIE BROWN.
BY LoTTiE BROWN.

"Oh yes, wedding! =
And all the girls put in their voices,
and the gentleman echoed, in true obedi-
enc.
"Oh, yes, wedding! p
1t was Christmas Night, and all the
Leslie family were gathered at the old
mansion to spend that joyous festi
val.
All day long the old rooms had rung
with the music of merry voices and hearts
and feet had been light as air.
The feasting was all over, everybody
had present. they had played games
danced, performed very creditably car
ried out drama, and there was nothing
left now but to talk, and that was small
work, after all the days excitement.
So Clara Leslie said:
LETS have weddingW
And dozen merry voices took it up,
and clamored for wedding.
"Who shall be the happy pair ?"
And Maurice Lawrence sprane.ensaod
favorite of all the aunts, unces and cou-
sins, and said;
1t shall be Amy and me. Will you
marry me, Amvi"
For moment there was a great ST.
lence, in which all the gay company
stared straight at the pretty little ten
year old girl, who stood with pink
flush coloring her round cheek, and her
long lashes yelling the beautiful dark
eyes.
SWAY, you are not going to refuse me,
Amy r. laughed Maurice.
No. said Amy; "but where's my
ring?"
At this every body laughed; but Maui
rice took beautiful chased ring from his
finger, and said:
"Here is one, and as it is too big for
your tiny fingers, | Il put it on that gold
chain around your neck, where it can re
main until you are a young lady, and can
wear it on your finger. Now who will be
the minis .er ?"
ooh, grandpan' said Amy.
So grandpa was brought forward, and
with great deal of dancing and jumping
of broomsticks, the ceremony was per
formed.
/ think that Amy's mamma was hurt
at the turn affairs had taken, for when
Amy, all glowing with Importance and
happiness, had run away, she said softly
to Maurice.
81 am sorry at this. Amy is such a
peculiar child"
THAT baby I" he laughed.
"If she lives, she will be woman
someday," says mamma.
"Of course; butshe will never remem.
Der this"
The Christmas Day ended, and the
merry party broke up. and the make
believe wedding went out of the hearts
of nearly all of them; but Amy would
not let her nurse remove her gold chain
from her neck that night, but said, stout
iy
mo, no! must wear it all the time,
for my Maurice put his ring there Ma
ma wears her wedding-rin all the
time"
SO nurse let the chain remain and Amy
went to sleep, with the ring clasped close
in her chubby fingers.
Maurice was an old-time friend His
father and Amy's grandpa owned the
mills down in the village, and the two
families had been almost as one for many
years. Amy could not remember the
time that Maurice had not played with
her and held her in his arms, and Maui
rice had loved her dearly ever since she
had come into the world.
These holidays found him on the eve
of going away to Europe, for his col
lege days were but just ended, and the
world was almost an unknown thing to
him.
81 am going away said he the night
before his departure, "and shall see all
that is worth seeing before return.
Then we will go to housekeeping, little
wife 2" ....
"Oh, yes," said Amy.
But Maurice only laughed. and went
away to Cora Leslie-Amy's sunt--and
sang DUETS until it WAS after Amys bed
time.
Cora was beauty--a gay, laughing
girl, with the most beautiful eyes and
complexion in the world, aud for ma
nv dav Maurice had treasured an aiiec-
ton for her stronger than mere friend
ship. :,
So that night, after everybody else had
taken themselves away, they sat in the
glow of the bright fire, and talked and
10 Ipya