The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-11-03


not, indeed, not l.
"'Oh, now, girls, said their mother,
soothingly; the best way is to be in
dependent and not mind it,
But girls of eighteen and twenty
rarely possess the independence Of
mind that belongs to forty or forty
five. So the church bells on Sabbath
rang to them secluded in their cham
Der, pceping through closed blinds at
the church-goers. Not one Of the fam
lily had CHANGED TO hear the rumOrs
which had been flying all over the
town for the past few days. gaining
volumes with every repetition, until
full particulars of the bridal COS
TUNES, the house they were to occupy,
and the furniture really purchased
formed part of the regular story. 1T
comes from the family, 50 it must be
/ So was the clincher that convinced
all doubters.
"Gral d ma I settled her huge sky
scraper of a bonnet W tn many con-
/ SITUATIONS of the mirror and Mr.. and
/ Mrs. Porter proposed walking TO
/ church with her, both trying not to
! feel the RIGHTEOUSNESS of the situa-
/ ton. An Old-fashioned cd shawl COW
| cred her broadoul shders, and, over
and above all, the browning glory of
/ the whole outfit was the bonnet, her
! little wrinkled face appearing i'll the
! middle of its huge circumference in
/ about the proportion of humble bee
i'll the center of pumpkin blossom.
''"I'he gals have gone, I s'pose,' said
! their grandma, pausing at the foot of
/ the stairs, III the hall. Bertha she
! squealed up the staircase but there
| was no answer. so on she went. The
| son gave her his arm and his wife trot-
| ted meekly along behind, looking
neither to the right nor left. The
| girls pceped from the windows and
laughed till they cried.
I" It's too Ridiculous said Mabel,
! wiping her eyes. DO you see mother
trOtting OH after item like a little
dogY
"Like lamb led to the slaughter,
said Bertha.
al would like to be there and see
/ how people look when they 90 in,
said Mabel; that is, if could with
out being seen. Everybody but us is
out to-day, and the all seem to be
going to our church, too There is
Ilr. Stewart, and he hasgOt on a new
suit. HOW nice he looks
'FOr that gentleman, hearing the
rumOrs, and knowing well enough
how they started, took no pains to con-
tradict them, bnt rather helped them
along by his buying a new suit of
clothes on Saturday, black dress coat,
lilac vest and gloves, drab pants aud
hat. He passed the slow-paced Porter
family on the church steps and entered
! e..
the door, apparently unconscious Of
the scrutiny bent upon him. Many
curious chances went to Bertha's usual
seat in the gallery, but the general
| opinion was that she would appear
just in time for the ceremony.
1.-The entrance of the Porters put
an end to all doubts in any minds,
as well as to sObFiety in most. Little
children giggled outright, older ones
Uttered, and even the most sober
minded found it hard to rcpress a
smile. The church filled up rapidly,
! pews all full, and still they came The
psrsOn looked at the gathering multi
tude i'll silent surprise, not having
heard the flying ruInOrs and no
knowing what power of his had so
| drawn out the people. Truth compels
me to say that he hardly received his
| share of attention from the audience,
| Mr.. Stewart and grandma Porter di-
! viding it about equally. l grieve to
add that, at the other church, the min
lister aim )st literally preached to bare
walls and empty peWs. But the min
! lister with the small audience was the
! favored one after all, for the large au-
| dience were uneasy all through the
! sermon, especially when prayer fol-
lowed sermon, hymn followed prayer,
| benediction followed hymn, and still
no hint came of a wedding ceremony.
! SlOwlyThe audience filed out, looking
| extremely blank and puzzled.
"'What does this mean, Stewart p
| asked one young man of our hero as
he stood on the church steps.
"'SOld = replied Stewart, briefly, as
he leisurely took his way homeward
"The word went from one to anOth-
! CT, Sold = and one after another look
/ ed, and probably felt, cheap; perhaps
made the wise resolution never again
to put faith in flying rumors. Grand
| ma Porter looked around i'll a dszed
sort of way, as the people scattered.
where is the wedding? she squealed
! to her son. He looked blank. Where
| is the wedding;' she asked, in high
| er tone. Bertha and Hr. Stewart
! was gOin' to be married, you know
! He shook his head in surprise, and all
at once it seemed to burst on her that
| she had been deceived. He lied to me,
| the miserable, lynn CIitter.' she burst
| forth, in a flutter of excitement. In
vain they tried to still her, for the
walls of her wrath were uncorked, and
1 she l,Oured Them ont all tho Nya1y
! home.
""The good people of this town have
learned one lesson to-day, besides
! what they have heard in the sermon,
| If L am not mistaken remarked Mr.
| stewart to Bertha as he walked home
with her that evening after service.
"'Why, yes she replied; l think
they must have learned one if they
will profit by it. 1t is not safe to be-
lieve in all we hear.
at has made a great deal of sport to
see how easily people have been sold
in this manner. 1 have been wicked
enough to enjsy it, SAID Mr.. Stewart,
| but 1 suppose your grandmother will
| never forgive me-
81 fear NOT. She persists in think
! ing you meant to deceive her."
THAT would have been cruel, in
deed. AS the matter stands, know
of no better way to atone for my
! crime than to make my supposed
! story true, and marry Bertha after all
! if she will let me-"
"I'he answer Bertha gave we must
! guess at, but in the fall Stewart and
Bertha were married at Mr.. Porter's
! house, instead of at the church, and
| Bertha's dress was a real gray silk