The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-19

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she didn't like, he would refuse to fulfill
the condition of the will himself and so
generously bestow upon her the property
and freedom at the same time.
But Give disclaimed all pretentions to
unselfshness, and candidly told her if
she had such an invincible repugnance to
him, she had better give up the property
and secure her freedom at the same time.
He thought it would be a pity to
marry man she disliked so much as she
seemed to do. Now with him it was diff
ferent. He didn't dislike Pen, by any
means; he was rather thankful, on the
whole, that dear old Uncle Reese hadn't
thrown Ann Thompson in his way in
stead of Pen Bradshawe, he could think
of plenty of worse membranes to fine
property like that than Pen.
Vastly consoling, this style of talk, was
1t not? Was he laughing at her, or was
he in earnest? Had he only been playing
with her all that past time, when he
seemed to live on her smiles-when a
frown or petulant word would make
him apparently the most wretched of
men? or had he (oh! most heart -rending
supposition) the money in view all the
time, and only sought her to secure that9
1t looked likeit certainl y-this sudden
assumption of indifference to her pleas
ure; this open exultation at the terms Of
her uncle's will. Pen, the beautiful, the
bewitching, the tantalizing, was quite
nonplussed. If she really thought, if she
were positively certain, that he wasn't
doing this to plague her, that he didn't
care for anything but the money, she
wouldn't have him to save his life; she'd
60 off and be a governess, or take in sew
ing for living before she would marry
him.
No, she wouldn't either; in that case
she'd have him out of spite.
In short, besides having natural
shrinking from sewing for living, Pen,
consciously or otherw Sc, did not dislike
her future spouse quite to the extent she
pretended.
Somewhere in her capricious heart
there was soft place for Give Soulard
all the time.
He was SO handsome, so graceful, all
the other girls were in love with him if
she were not.
And SO the week wore away till the
wedding day; Give, light-hearted, care
less, laughing, banteringly sympathetic,
ten times as handsome and agreeable
as he had ever been, but not in the least
lover-like-anything but that; Pen, sulky
and saucy by turns, but really misera-
able, and secretly, for a reason she could
not confess to herself, but much less so
to Mr.. Give Soulard.
Pen, the invincible, was in love at last,
and of all men, with Give Soulard. IT
Give suspected it, he kept his suspicious
TO himself, and never, by any chance,
lropred word or look that could be con-
strued as symptomatic of the tender pas
sion.
The change in Pen Bradshawe since
the reading of her uncle's will was too
not to be apparent. People COM
mented variously upon it. Some pitied
her for being compelled to marriage so
distasteful; Others thought, with Give
that if it was distasteful, she
alone was to blame if she did not choose
The uttermost poverty in preference to
It.
Pen, meanwhile, meditating and spec
Hating constantly upon Gives changed
concluded at last that he was
Is Indifferent to her as he pretended to
De; and she resolved, if nothing occurred
before the wedding-day, to refuse then to
marry him, whether or no.
She had made all the usual prepara-
lions. Her dressing-room was strewn
with snowy lace, silk, and muslins; the |
bridemaids for the occasion were being
duly drilled and otherwise got ready for
their part in the approaching ceremony.
The wedding morning came. |
Forth from her chamber foated the
bride, clad in flowing snow, and SUR
rounded by her bridesmaids, like the
]ueen-rose in garden of blossoms; forth |
stepped the bridegroom, handsome, grace
ful, light Of heart, and exultant. PEN
slOpe let him take her hand, and lead her
without lifting her eyes till
they stood at the very altar steps. Then,
suddenly, she looked up, first at him,
then at the assembled guests, and draw
ng her hand from him, she said, with
'low, deliberate enunciation:
II can not do it. Better poverty, bet
,er wretchedness, better anything, than
uch marriage as this. have changed
ny mind. Good friends, it is pity to
lisappoint you, but there will be no we'd
ling to-day"
So saying, she glided through the as
onished groups and left them staring
,reathlessl y after her.
The luckless bridegroom knew not
What to say, or to do, or where to look.
lie was taken at disadvantage wounded
ull sore at a point where, being tender,
'ut unsuspicious, he had not sufficiently
.uarded himself.
Was it the modification, the slight, the
'eing 80 publicly rejected by so lovely
.irl as Pen Bradshawe7 |
Or did his very inmost heart quail with
ear at the thought of losing, after all. a
woman who, with all her coouettish
rivolousuess, was worth more to him
han all other women together-than
wenty fortunes like the one she forfeited
o him by refusing to become his wifef