The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1881-11-16
CARRIES FREAK,

CARRIE'S FREAK,
The lights flashed, music lent its vol
uptuOus swell, graceful feet trippcd in
Joyous cadence, and flushed cheeks and
| beating hearts made still more attractive
a scene Of festive happiness, A brill
int assemhlage had found itself under
the hospitable roof of the wealthlest
banker OF the city, and beauty shone
and wit sparkled at the gayest reunion
Of the season. In one OF the intervals
of the dance Il proposition was made to
vary the entertainment, and was warm
Iy received, and the question was asked
"What shall it be ?"
A score of proposals were made, but
all contemptuously y rejected as too child
ish or too tame, when the clear voice OF
Carrie Barton rang out in joyous tones {:
"Let us have IA wedding"
She was the reigning belle Of the city
and the acknowledged beauty Of the sur
rounding country, and richly did she
deserve these high positions, from her
radiant loyclncss of person, her high
culture and her sweetness of disposition.
Everybody loved har for her many
virtues and pardoncd the unccasing
flow of animal spirits that would occa.
sionally assume the form of positive
ccccntricity. Her father had died, leav-
ing her an hcircss she was the idol ID
her mother and the patron genius Of
half the unohtrlsivc charities Of the
| town. Her presence was everywhere
Welcomed and score OF gentlemen
pr, sent would have gone wild with joy
lust for one look Of preference from her
eyes that upon the subject Of love alone
were fricndlcss and unpityng.
"I4ot us nave Wedding, she oX-
claimed. A general outbmSt of approx.
nj followed these words, and many pro
! poBal, half in earnest and half IN Jest,
was made and hughingly declined or
cvalcd, until a pause onSued which
dcepcncd INTO profound silence.
"Carrie," exclaimed several OF her
friends, "you proposed this diversion
ynd yonll have to set us the example. ,
"Wcll, " returned the wayward beau.
ty, " will not disappoint you, though
yorr cowardicc docs not deserve such Il
! reward, aud consent to sacrifice myself
for the public good.
"Who shall he bo?" was the general
inquiry.
IN an instant twenty gentlemen sprang
| forward, each anxious to share the I'M
notation, hut were arrested hy the laugh
ing command and uphttcd finger OF the
| merry girl:
"HoId ON, gentlemen | cannot mar
ry You all, and | hope that none OF you
! viii he ollcudcd at the result OF my
choice, whatever that may be, for ! shall
avail myself of my lcap-yeT privilege.
Gentlemen of the torIom hope, stand
up!' =.
In an instant every man was on his
feet.
"Now," said the Joyous beauty, with
mock gravity, "l'll present yon to my
lord and master. Step forward Mr.
Henry Iycrson, aud submit TO your fate.
| Nay, nay, hold ON, sir, and don't be i'm
patient; for, Mr.. Harry, if you for one
! mo- .cnt think that this thing will Justl-
ry Won in the iantcst hope OF this posi-
| ton in the future you can resume your
place. | have selected you from this
gallant crowd because you are com
paratiyc stranger and from distant
State. to which / hear that you soon
propose to return and | desire you to
| hell our friends in Georgia that Missouri
| holds one madcap that commits nothing
but foIlcs, utters nothing but nonsense,
and has added one more to her mad
I cxtrayagances. Now, my liege lord, are
You rrndyY
Almost beside himself with JOY, even
at this unnattering notice, the young
man took the proilered hand.
Now, who will marry us" contin-
ned the aulacious rirl, her whole face
glowing with the animation OF her i'm
perinl beauty.
"Judge Buckner is in the next room, y
suggested one of the company.
"CalI him in, Them" said the future
bride; "but before he arrives ! will
appoint my bridesmaids and form them
in procession. Do you Alice, and Mar
garet, and Louise select the groOmsmcn,
and precede the happy pair in the or.
der Of your nomination. There, that u
do. That's all right. Now move on. "
The Judge was standing at the end OF
the room and seemed to enter into the
sport as keenly rs any of the gay crowd
around him, and after a slight delay pro-
ccedcd with the marriage service. The
usual questions were asked and answered
amid peals of laughter, which prevented
the solemn tones of judicial authority
from being noticed. The ceremony was
over and the dance resumed. No one
left the house that night i'll higher spirits
than the bride OF the revel.
Henry Iversor was the son OF
wealthy Georgia planter, of high social
position, and Of official standing in that
State. His son, Henry, recent gr,du-
ate of the University of Virginia, had
been on a visit to his many relatives III
Missouri, and would leave for his home
in the morning. He had made during
his visit hosts of friends 10y his uniform
conduct as gentleman, and gained
their respect by his attainments as
scholar. On the morning Of his de-
parture he called on Judge Buckncr,
! who had been his partial host, to say
farewell,