Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-05-03
The Bride Elect.

old Miss Thorne, with troubled cloud
on her usually rosy and serene face.
But, Aunt Penelope, he loves me-"
HE has queer way of showing his
love then, that's all I have to say !"
"And we are to be married next
week" added Kate Thorne, her cheeks
flushing as she spoke.
"Then l hope marriage will work Che
miracle of q change in him." said Aunt
Penelope, tartly. "For to speak the
honest truth, unless he does alter his
way I don't see much chance of solid
happiness for you, my child"
And Aunt Penelope added to the
general uncOmfortableness of matters
BY shaking her wise old head, and
"Only wishing Kate had had the good
sense to choose Lionel instead of that
other fellow"
HE isn't 80 handsome and fancified,
perhaps" added Aunt Penelope, "but
as all know, beauty is only skin deep,
and do believe that if any man will
make good husband, Lionel Wilson
will. Heigho hope fate has got a nice
wife in store for him, somewhere!u
"You had better marry him yourself,
Aunt Pen J" said Kate mischievously.
marry my grandson ?' quoth Aunt
Penelope. "I've lived fifty-odd years
without a husband, and guess I can
make out few more of 'em. But
can't help feeling sorry for Lionel all
the same"
"Well, Aunt Penelope you know that
like him-oh, ever SO much?"
"Ah!" said Aunt Penelope, "but that
is exactly what he don't want"
And Kate, to avoid the coming dis
cussion. stole up to her own room,
where the wedding wreath and veil
were already elieting the admiring COM
ments of the two dimpled young BRIDE
maids, Kate's youngest sisters.
Harold Grenfell was not in the hap.
piest of humors that night, when he
came as usual to spend the evening with
dress, her hair, the very twinkling or
nament she wore in her ears.
"And of course you are the best Judge
of your own affairs. Katherine" he
added. Kate especially disliked' the
ssfull name" to which she was by bap-
tism entitled. "But 1 don't think it
exactly the right thing for you to be
walking out with Lionel Wilson the
very week before the wedding"
"Oear me. Harold!' cried Kate,
making doubled arches of her prettiIy
penciled brows. II had to 60 out to get
two more yards of white quilted ribbon
for my sleeves, and as Lionel chanced
to be walking in the same direction,
couldn't very well 60 on the other side
of the street."
ga bride. elect has no business with
the attention of any man except him
who is to be her husband"
"Dear Harold, would you transform
the future husband into a tyrannical
tailor? Would you wish to show that
you have neither confidence nor trust
in the woman you have chosen for your
wife? ?"
'.I'm much obliged to you,n said Har-
old bitterly, while disagreeable curve
came to his lips. "Perhaps plain speak.
ing is best under all circumstances, but
it is not agreeable to hear that am con.
sidered tyrannical jailor."
"Now, Harold" coaxed Kate, COM
ing close TO him and putting her little
plump hand to his shoulder, "be good
humored once again and put away all
these disagreeable suspicious for"
'Thanks, once more. Perhaps had
better take my leave, since, in addition
to tyranny, have become disagreea-
ble"
He rose, and Kate for once, fairly
driven beyond the bounds of patience,
did not oppose his departure.
She had let Harold depart without
word to restrain him.
Mr.. Grenfell's own meditations, as
he walked homeward, were not of the
most exhilerating description. He
liked to torment Kate, it was q sort of
earnest of the power he held over her,
in his opinions but yet he wanted to
see the arrow rankle. Anything like
calm Indifference on her part defeated
all his intentions. And yet, impossible
as it may seem to those of pleasanter
and more serene temperament, Harold
Grenfell loved Kate Thorne dearly and
truly.
"But I'll find means to bring down
her pride and teach her a lesson yet"
he thought vindictively. "She shall
not defy me in that cool off hand sort
of manner without repenting it :"
And when three days afterwards he
called to take Kate out for drive, he
was greatly incensed by seeing Lionel
Wilson in the drawing room helping
Dora, his youngest sister-in-law that
was to be, wind worsted, while Kate
sat by, evidently enjoying their conver-
satiOn.
He froze into naughty rigidity at
once, but Kate. provokingly good hu-
mored, took no notice of his coOiness.
Well, the day of the wedding came,
and Kate Thorne like all other brides
looked bewitchingly pretty in her
white dress and veil, with just enough
color to make her cheeks look like blush
roses. It was to be home wedding,
and the guests already thronged the
parlors of Aunt Penelope's spacious old
fashioned house. -
"Kate! Kate! 1t is five minutes to
twelve!" whispered Aunt Pen, putting
her head into the boudoir, where bride
and bridesmaids, like rose and rosebuds
on q stem, awaited the stroke of the
eventful hour, which, in this special
case, happened to be IL 12o'clock-"Hasn
he come yet 2"
By way of answer to the old lady's
rather nervously put question, servant
entered at that instant with q note.
For Miss Kate, /" she said.
And Kate tore it open with flushed