Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-02-26

grade, and the neck and sleeves were
finished with an intensely "showy"
pattern in white blonde lace. Alto
gether, it was the wreck of an attempt
at cheap display, and bore the marks of
usage.
Why, Diana, thought you had
agreed just to wear your best dress,
and look like sensible woman 1 said.
I" You would look much better in that
gray suit, with collar, cuffs, and some
ribbons 1 have for you. 1t is more
usual, too, to wear a colored dress for a
second marriage"
Miss Jasmin, I amt never been
married before, an / don't want folks
sayin', La, look yonder; he done mar
ried ole woman!'''
"But thought you said you were not
going to spend your money on wedding
fixings, and let your children 60 without
new clothes.''
"La, Miss Jasmin, so 1 did, an 1 tole
him SO, an he said he'd git me the finest
dress, eff I'd gi' him my MEASURE
"And did you?"
"No'm; t'wouldn't do, Miss Jasmin.
Men can't never git over it eff you let
'em gil you anythin'; they'll throw it
up to you after you's married, how good
they was to you. Huh!'' with scorn.
"No, ma'am. I'm gwine to git me
dress myself. Dom make no diffrunce
bout de chillun. amt goin' to have
dem 'roun' dat night; nobody ain goin'
to see DER cloes.''
"They are not to see you married."
"No'm! Why, folks'n say rs ole eff
dey see dose chillun stan'in' roun'.
Marthy's got to take 'em off'n my hands
dat night, TO- SHOT,
"But you say you only want to ask six
or eight people, that know you very
well-isn't that all?''
"Yes'm; Brother Peter Davis an his
wife; Uncle Jerry an his wife; Fanny
Favors an her husban'; Aunt Julie, an
Aunt Charlotte, an Marthy, an Wes--
ley Jordan; OATS eight, aim itP''
"Well, they know you've had chill
dren, and they know the children them
selves.''
"Tain't like SEEM 'em, Miss JAS
MIMI
"Poor things! They'll want some of
your cake and ice-cream.
"I'll save 'em some. Miss Jasmin,
would you buy dis dress?''
81 wouldn't, but I've no doubt you
will.''
GA white lady was married in it at
the Second Baptis' Chu 'ch, Aunt Char
lotte say an Aunt Charlotte's daughter
bought it from her fo' Sc, an she was
married in it two months ago; an now
she say 1 kin ha' it fo' So; but don't
b'lieve I'll buy it; I'll git her to femme
borry it-wouldn' you, Miss JASMINE"
"Why, she won't lend it to you if she
wants to sell it,
"Yes'm, she will. Huh! Comm to
my weddin', an eatin', an frolickin',
an not lem me dress to war! Yes'm,
she will femme borry it,"
And out went Diana, carrying her
finery.
In the afternoon I went out to the
kitchen and called Diana, gave her the
keys, and told her to bring eggs, sugar
and so forth from the store-room, and
we would make her wedding cake. l
was determined to practically as well as
theoretically, encourage so moral pro-
ceeding as matrimOny.
"I'll git 'em; but it'll be your cake,
not mine, Miss Jasmin,'' Diana said,
soberly.
s'What is the matter?''
"Dat nigger's goin' to fool me-"
"Why do you think so?''
"He didn't come las night, but 1
thought he'd git aroun' here to-day or
tonight; but 1 heerd dat ne was en-
gagged to another woman, an had done
skipped de country wild some O. her
money. You reckon it's so, Miss JAS
min?''
I asked for her informant, but, as the
news seemed to come very indirectly,
advised her to suspend judgment and
see if he did not appear tonight; so we
mixed and made cake, and got all in
readiness.
The night came, and also the day
the wedding day; afternoon, night, and
still the lover came not!
Never was woman so inconsolable!
Diana amazed me. She wept. She
who had always vowed she did not love
the man, declared now that she did;
tried to comfort her with the assurance
of his rascality; congratulated her; 1
tried to stir her pride; all was in vain.
She brought in our dinner with the air
of one who serves up a solemn sacrifice,
and handed the water-pitcher with tears
upon her cheeks. felt inhuman, to sit
calmy and be served by her; felt, with
real compunction, a genuine alarm at
remembering that we were to have COM
pany to dine next day.
~ <~sx,, D;oro l1ox I,,o loxro,or H.