The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-02-13
THE MOCK MARRIAGE.

"One, two, three" counted Grace
Lewis as she went on narrowing the
toe of gray wooden sock she was knit.
ting for her father. SO busy was she
with her work she did not heed the
warning from the old-fashioned brass
knocker. But she was soon made aware
of the presence Of stranger by loud
knocking; she Immediately dropped
her work to obey its summons.
"Can you inform me where Isaac
Sterling resides?" was the inquiry of a
dark-eyed distinguishing stranger
His house is on that rise of ground
few rods distant" was the reply, while
the pretty hand of Grace pointed out
the direction.
With a "thank you" the gentleman
took his departure, while Grace gently
closed the door and went back to her
work.
"One, two, three" again counted
Grace, and then she soliloquized.
what splendid black eyes he had.
1 wonder If he is relative of the Ster-
hngs; he is certainly very fne-looking !;
his hair and whiskers were SO nicely
trimmed that any one would know al
most TO a certainty that he was just
from the city: Therel I've forgotten
to narrow. 1 wonder what was think
ing about" murmured the maiden, as
she raveled out the work the nimble
fingers had wrought while the thoughts
had been reaching out after the
stranger she had seen for scarcely q
moment. The stitches were soon taken
up and the work arranged, and again
she resumed her soliloquy, for the fair
young girl was much IN the habit of
talking to herself when left alone. as
was the case this afternoon, her parents
having gone to town to do their annual
trading.
I'm sure that fine, open countenance
is the index of well-balanced mind, and
that he IS to be trusted and honored. He
could command, if necessary, but he
would sooner rule by love-"
Then she began to compare the faces,
forms, and manners of her country as
sociates with this elegant stranger.
Ahl Grace, do not forget that be-
meath those rough exteriors beat warm,
trustful hearts; those toil-hardened
hands are quite as capable of support
ing pleasant homes as the smooth,
white ones of the city gentry. The
eyes beneath the bronZed forehead can
express the tenderest affection as well as
though the burning sun and biting
blast had never beaten upon the stall
wart forms of their possessors. Yet
you have perfect right to admire the
manly form and cultivated face of the
new arrival.
Country customs made it an easy
matter for Albert Sterling to visit his
pretty neighbor in company with his
cousin, James Bronson. And thus
Grace Lewis was introduced to the
strange gentleman, whom she had that
day directed on his way.
Two weeks later the roses on Grace's
cheeks grew broader and her violet eyes
brighter, when Mr.. Bronson asked for
the honor of her company to attend a
very select party to be held about ten
miles from Greenville.
Never before had she been so fastid-
ious about party dress. There was
positively nothing in all the village
stores that she would wear. Father
must go with her to the next town,
where there was choice selection of
goods to pick from. And as Mr..
Lewis was very indulgent father, and
loved his only child with more than or
binary affection, her caprices were in
dulged on this occasion to the full ex-
tent of her desires.
1t was a merry party that gathered in
the great hall, at "The Travellers Rest"
on q beautiful evening in the early win |
ter, not so many years ago as to need |
the memory of the oldest inhabitant to
chronicle the event.
Among the bright, bewitching faces
that we're to be seen ON that particular
occasion, not one was so intellectually
beautiful as our Grace. At least SO
thought James Bronson. The sweet,
bright beauty of the little country
maiden had taken his heart by storm
on that dark, wintry day when he called
at the door of the comfortable-looking
farm house to inquire the way to his
Uncle Sterling's. And now, after bet
ter acquaintance, love real and abiding
had taken the place of admiration for
the lovely girl at his side.
Grace Lewis was rather below me-
dunn height; she possessed we'll
rounded form, low, wide forehead, q
pair of blue eyes that could sparkle
with mirth when one rejoiced, or weep
with those vino wept; her cheeks wore
the delicate bloom of apple blossoms,
while the well-formed nose, though
possibly q trife too large for artistic
beauty, betokened energy and per-
severance; the dimpled chin was not so
small as to have lost itself in the gen.
eral outline of the face, but was per-
fectly characteristic feature; the mouth
was neither of the rosebud" or cherry"
order, nevertheless it was pretty and
expressive OF womanly tenderness and
refinement. And as Grace energies !