The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1879-02-21
The Wedding Fee.

beat against the-liouse, as if bound to seek
shelter within.
Little Bobby was sound asleep in his
crib, and the minister and his wife were
spending the evening together in the cozy
sitting-room.
The hour for retiring had come, and
while Mr.. Watson was making the fire
safe for the night, and Mrs. Watson was
bustling about picking up and adjusting
the numberless concerns which nobody but
a careful housewife can see or think OF,
there came violent ring of the bell.
"Mercy! |" exclaimed Mrs Watson,
" somebody must be dying or dead
What dreadful night for you to go out
in p
Mr.. Watson opened the door and peered
into the darkness. Not human being
could he see or hear. A few seconds pass
ed when loud, gruf voice was heard say
ing:
"Can you splice us to ght 2"
For an instant the minister was confus-
ed, not being accustomed to the use of that
nautical term in relation to his profession.
A second thought, however, made clear to
him the possibility that splicing might be
within the limits of his particular province,
and so, raising his voice above the storm,
he replied:
IF you mean to ask me, sir, to marry
you, l shall be most happy to perform the
ceremony. Is the lady with you 2"
''Ha ha that is a good one. Sary
Ann, you mean9 Don't suppose I'd
come to get knot tied without her, do
you2 No, sir, she is right here in the
cart.
Mr.. Watson need not have stepped back
to inform his wife of the great event which
was to take place, for she overheard their
conversation, and was using her utmost
endeavor to expel the laugh from her coun-
tenance before the happy couple appear
ed
1t must be confessed that the sight of
the couple was not conducive to gravi-
ty. They had passed good while since
the bloom of youth, and made no special
efforts to conceal the fact. Both had
evidently come direct from their work
which, indeed, the gentleman proceeded to
intimate.
"Fact is, parson, tits rather a bad night
and says to Sary, what is the
use, let's not fix up bit, but just go as we
are. The knotll hold just as we'll as if we
had on our bib and tucker And besides,
parson, we want to take the old folks by
and they'd be sure to s'pect some
thing if we'd gone to work and put on all
the higgins"
Mrs. Watson was glad ofthis opportuni-
ty to smile, and she did it. What would
she not have given for good, hearty laugh!
The brief ceremony was concluded, and
Mr.. and Mrs. Watson extended their con-
CALCULATIONS.
"Thar," broke in the newly married man,
"is the ticket; guess you'll find it o. X
Now, Sary let's be goin'. Aplagued tough
ride is before US. Goodbye, parson.-
ma'am. Much obliged for the
job. Hope to do as much for you some
time"
The cart ratified away, and Mrs. Watson,
into whose hands her husband delivered
the certificate, made haste to open it, think
ing that, after all, it was not best to Judge
people by the outside, and the strange man
might have done something by the way of
a fec. There it was! A bill! Yes, and
upon it was the magnificent figure of one
dollar!
"Well, I declare |" shouted Mrs. Watson,
isn't this too mean for anything! Shame
on that man, he don't deserve to be mar
ried |"
"Now, my DEAR" said the minister, "you
should not be too hard, for think you had
at least dollars worth of enjoyment out
of the OCCASION"
"Yes, and noticed somebody who SEEM
ed to keep from laughter"
Next day little Bob's shoes were bought
with the wedding fee, the minister's cloth
es were brushed and cleaned for the hun
dreth time, and the good lady, by dint of
extraordinary management, made the old
dress answer an excellent purpose.
The spring passed away, and the sum-
mer in all its beautiful bloom and abund-
ant fruitfulness came on. The wedding on
the stormy night had almost passed from
the minds of the minister and his wife al
bel, now and then she would break out
with laugh, and ask her husband if he
didn't think it was nearly time for him to
splice another couple. One day, as the
happy little family were eating their din
ner, and just as the parents were feeling
uncommonly proud of some smart thing
little Bobby had said, there came just
another such ringing of the bell as that
heard on the stormy night.
swell, there" said Mrs. Watson, Zone
would think for all the world that the
splice had come again."
Before the minister could reach the door
it was opened, and astonishing to relate
there stood the hero of the wedding occa-
sion.
AFTERNOON, parson, and ma'am hain't
forgot me, have yea Never did anything
better in that line, bet your life. Didn't
know then how it would turn out. Get
ting married is kinder risky anyhow. But
you won't find happier pair this side o.
Canaan that's sure. And so l thought it
was about time brought along the rest of
the fee. Where'll you have these things,
parson r.
The minister went to the door, and there
was the cart literally loaded with fruit and
of every description! Such a
store was never before brought into that
house.
"Oh, don't trouble yourselves bout thank
ing for this" said the man. Nothing but
a fair trade you know. But if you must
thank somebody, thank Sary Ann. The
garden sass is from her.
She kinder thought twould relish this
hot weather. Very hot and dry, parson,
this season. Been s'pecting the crops
wouldn't mount to nothing, but they is
gettin' on first rate. The Lord generally
brings things bout right, / notice. Don't
go much on churches, and plaguey little on
some of the members, but you don't catch
me going back on the Lord. Was telling
Sary only last week that we must go over
and hear you some pleasant Sunday, Spose