Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1878-06-19
THE pRErTIEsr BABY.

deedl God bless me no, indeed
Had the youngest sister of Mr.
John Trueax livery bright and pref
ty she was, with short, curly, black
as-the-raven's-wing hair, and large,
sparkling, Observation-Disclosures
sky eyes) proposed that he should
enter a cage of the widest kind Of
wild animals-lions, tigers, leop-
ards, and panthers, for instance
he could not have shown more con-
sternation and horror.
Mr., Trueax, albeit he only num-
bered some six-aud-thirty years,
was a misogynist and a misogamist.
He outbachelored all the bachelors
of his acquaintance; and they were
not few, as he associated with none
but single men, never attended a
wedding, shuddered when he heard
Of a birth, breaking off all COM
municatiou with friends who plung-
ed iuto matrimony, and carefully
avoiding all women, rich and poor,
proud and lowly, with the single
exception of Winifred, his young
est sister, mentioned before, who
had been left to his care when she
was l2 years of age-being now 20
by a dearly loved dying mother.
The reason! I'll tell you.
Once on a time John Trueax,
then called Jack Trueax, a good
looking, jolly young fellow of five
and-twenty, was about to be marri-
ed. The wedding day had arrived.
The groomsmen and bridemaids,
the parents of Jack and the par
ents of las he fondly thought) his
Lily, and large number of invited
guests were present.
A bell formed of lovely flowers
hung from the ceiling, prepared to
strew its sweets upon the heads of
the happy lovers; the minister
waited, book in hand; a hundred
wax candles helped the gas jets to
lend brightness to the scence; the
wedding supper was laid-wnen the
brides own maid, who had been
sent to tell her all was ready (she
had requested to be left alone few
moments before the ceremony, and,
being an odd sort of a girl, nothing
strange was thought of this re-
quest), returned, pale and trembl-
ing to the room where the bridal
party waited, with a note which
she had found, instead of her mis-
tress, and which read as follows:
DEAR FATHER AND DEAR MoTH-
FRI do not love him. The feel
ing l mistook for love is only that
of friendship. Since we were en-
gagged | have met one whom / do
love, and at the last moment ! hy
to meet him and become his wife,
convinced that, dishonorable as my
conduct may seem, it would be
thousand times more disbonorable
to stand before the alter with lie
upon my lips, a lie which would
condemn me to live a lie forever
after. Tell Jack I wish him all
prosperity and happiness.
LILLY.
The bell Of flowers was taken
down, the wax candles were ex-
tinguished, the minister departed,
the guests we're dismissed, and John
Trueax left the house with a curse
upon his lips-for he knew, in spite
of her romantic note, that the girl
had been won by the wealth of his
rival-to become hater of women,
a foe to matrimony, Vice President
of the "Stanch Old Bachelors
Club" and perfect Herod in re-
gard to children.
What wonder, then, that be
shrunk back in alarm when Winnie
proposed {they were on their way
to the Academy of Music to hear
some man make specify that they
should stop few moments at the
baby show, whose flaming posters
suddenly confronted them as they
reached the corner of Fifth avenue
"Do come, brother" said Winnie
coaxingly-and you never in al
your life saw any one who could b.
quite as coaking as Winnie.
IL won't!" said brother, emphat
ically.
"Just q wee little while"
81 will not" with increased EN-
phasis.
"John, il you don't, III invit
cousin Mary and her twins, an
sister Lucy and her eldest boy, tn
one that is named after you, 10 th
house to stay week"
"If you do, I'll burn the hous
over their heads, collect the insul
ance, and fly to Europe"