The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1880-12-22

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q merry company, and We're welcomed by
father, mother and daughter, the latter
resplerdnnt in robes Of fleecy white.
abundantly trimmed with soft, floating
laces and looped with artificial flowers.
while natural roses, fringed with myrtle
and smilax, were half hidden amid her
golden hair and pulsated .pon her joy.
ollsly throbbmg bosom.
For an hour there appeared to be
ceaseless Ginning OF sleigh-bells, and
rosy, laughing loads deposited at the
door, Indeed, so many were the teams
that Mike was frantic to know what to
do with them. But the Deacon believed
in "the more the merier" principle, and
kept every one busy and contented. Yet
for all the gaily dancing and singing
company, shade of perplexity now and
then crossed his face He had not solved
the mystery Of the tabieau, md it hung
upon him MS troublesome nightmare.
For hours the house rang and trembled
upon its strong foundation. 1t was n
veritable beehive Of fun and frolic, and
many soft cheek took on deeper roses
from stolen kisses; many an innocent
heart bounded more swiftly from the Gu
circling arm and many pair OF ears
tingled from the slappiEg Of white hands
i'll payment for saucy Jest or pilfered
caress.
| But good, buxom dame Hannah had
almost as much pride in her cooking as
in her one dear lamb, and when the
ancient clock made its huge, heavy,
coftin-like case throb with the ringing OF
ten, she whispered 10 herhusband, good,
prudent soul that she was, that "the
children must be getting hungry, and
she was going to see about the tables"
In response to her suggestion, he
sought their daughter and told her they
were going to have supper, and that the
young folks had better stop romping and
cool of, or some Of them would be GER
tain to take their death.
"Yes, father" she answered; "but we
must have the taGlcau first" and she
looked up, blushing more deeply than q
damask rose in June into the face OF Mr..
Frank Emmons, upon whose arm she
happened to be leaning,
''All right" responded the old man
| with sigh Of relief, for the burden would
soon be lifted from his soul. .'Do you
want me TO help you?"
mo; but tell mother, please, / want
her." And Miss Minerva darted away
to her own private room, while the old
man told the fiddlers to adjourn to the
kitchen and make themselves comfortable
until wanted again.
Evidently some Of the girls understood
what was going on, if the Deacon did not,
for they cleared one end Of tho hall
hung great patchwork bed-quilt across
and marshalled the company into some
thing like order. Then, after brief
pause, in which there was much whis-
pering, the improvised curtain was drawn
aside and disclosed Miss Minerva stand
ing hand in hand with Mr.. Frank En-.
mons, with young lady and gentleman
rs supporters, and the old minister be-
fore them.
Amazed, but silent, the Deacon looked
on. He did not comprehend the affair
at all, had no practical knowledge Of
charades, but when certain words had
been spoken and ring passed, sud
den light broke in upon the darkness Of
his understanding, and he exclaimed
with an earlestness that startled all:
"Je-rusa-lem! 1t looks like q mar.
ringe!"
The hearty laugh that followed sufficed
for full explanation and it needed not
the assurance Of the minister to convince
him that lis daughter was honestly and
legally married TO the man Of her choice.
And yet ut first he was disposed to be an.
cry. Then he saw the foolishness of
such proceeding, especially rs he had
previously given his assent to the SO,
lection Of his daughter, and entered
heartily into the laugh against him
self.
"That's what You call a-Jerusalem!
I can't speak the new tangled name-is
it? Yet it wasn't hardly fair to fool the
old man so, Minerva. I did expect you
would find something in your stockings
tonight, child, hut not great, live man.
However it is all right (anything she
could have done would have been SOY and
we'll make the lest Of it, and your moth.
er and will have plenty to do in getting
things ready to I'll! the little stockings
that"
A soft white hand stopped his words,
red and ripe lips were pressed upon his
own, a sill;en ftce was laid upon his
wrinkled one, a few tears Of happiness
were raincd down upon his broad breast,
and with fGlteging tongue the old man
called the young husband to his side.
gave him tae hand Of hisdarling, and
said, "Take her and may God bless YOU
both, my children. II l have lost
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