The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1881-05-26
uaois kAAuns Wedding.

No eb1 NuuNA ihiHAt t1 iVoA ~ W
simple surroundings OF the unpreteutiou
apartment that Mr. Nahum Nixon va
Que Of the weathiest men in town. Th
carpet, II is true. was Administer but
had seen twenty good years Of service. an
was worn down 10 the very warp: the fad
ed red curtains were OF moreen instead @
satin damask; and the old clock on ,h'
mantle was no Partisan affair Of alabaste
and gilt, but a substantial Connection
time.pieee, that struck with wire, like
partridge springing out Of her nest; tn
chairs of oldiashioncd mahogany and hai
cloth, stood bolt upright against the wall
the portraits OF "deneral Washington oil
Horseback. and the Surrender OF Corn
wallis ornAmented the gray papored WALL
in frames Of somber gilt aud the one elo
gance Of the apartment was basket OF
s~rs 'r~~~- -.~- - ..iar a cracked
glass shade.
But Uncle Nahum Nixon had remem
bered that furniture ever since he was .
child, and he wouldn't have exchanged i,
for the fittings OF a Partisan boudoir, OF
the choicest specimens of the modern
Eastlake school. Hewas rich man--tha,
was quite enough for him.
"If you please, Mr.. Nixon" said the
trim little maid servant, "Mr. Marmaduke
Bourne wants to SEQ you-if you please,
sir, If you are quite at leisure
"Mr. Marmaduke Bourne, eh?' the old
gentleman took of his glasses and laid
them upon the folded newspaper "Ask
him to come in, Polly"
And Mr.. Marmaduke Bourne came in
a tall, fresh colored young fellow, with
sparkling gray eyes, brown hair, all in a
mat Of curls. and q straight Greek nose
that seemed as II it might have been bor-
rowed from some ancient statue OF Apollo.
Well, sir" said Mr.. Nixon.
Well, sir" counter-interrogated Mr..
Bourne, did you get my letter.
II got your letter." said Uncle Nahum.
80 you want to marry my niece, Faith?'
Eyes, sir" yaliantly acknowledged Mr..
Bourne.
"Ahl" nodded Uncle Nahum. "But per-
haps you don't understand all the facts of
.he case?'
"The facts, sir2"
IL want my niece to marry Colonel
Ashlands son" slowly enunciated Uncle
Nahum.
"But, sir, she does not love him."
''Pshawl" snarled Uncle Nahum Nixon
And if she does not marry him she will
70 beggar-I will give her no money of
nine. Now you understand matters
Marry her or not, as you please. "
He took mp the newspaper once more
! tacit intimation that the interview was at
III end.
Sir" began Marmaduke Bourne.
THAT will do. said Mr.. Nixon.
II only wish to"
THAT will dol" thundered Mr.. Nixon;
nd so Marmaduke Bourne went away.
Little Faith Nixon came down stairs
'resently-a blue-eyed blossom Of girl,
With yellow hair growing low on her fore
lead, and veryllittle mouth, exactly the
hape to suggest kissing.
Uncle Nahum looked keenly at her, as
he huttered lightly about the room,
table-cover here. or patting
Iown curtain fold there.
Eyes. said he, with curious twitch Of
he muscles around the eyes; che has been
ere"
IL did not ask any question, Uncle
,ahum."
mo, but your eyes did" chuckled the
Id man. He wants to marry you-the
nprovident young donkey"
Faith came up to her uncle's chair and
aid her hand lightly upon his shoulder.
"Ihis is not the worst OF it, Uncle Ma
um, said she. II want to marry hinF"
Hump, humph!' snarled Mr.. Nixon.
/ high contempt. "And what do you ex
ect to live ON, I'd like to know?"
"We can work. said Faith, bravely.
"You are more like TO starve," said Mr.
ixon. 'Mind--don't you count on help
ON me! If you get married. you do it at
our own risk"
"Then you consent, Uncle Nahum"
"Nol" roarcd the old bachelor, II do
othing of the sort. F"
"But Uncle Nahum, should be wretch
without Dukc" softly pleaded Faith.
"Fiddlestringsr said the old man.
"And I'm sure he could not live without
ep
"Trashw grunted Mr.. Nixon.
"And il you please, uncle, added
Nth, perhaps had better go to my
hool friend, Violet Smiths, to make up
y wedding things, since you disapproye
decidedly Of my plans. She lives in
." iOfh, you huOW, huu Nlii NC coHFcH-
Mt for shopping, and"
"And for all other tomfooleries in gener-
!" rudely interrupted the old gentleman.
les, do go to your Violet Smiths but
m expect to come back here" ,
mo, won't" said Uncle Nahum, so
ortly that poor Faith fed up stairs in !,
snay, and had a quiet little cry, notwith-
lnding she was SO very-very happy.
For Uncle Nahum Nixon, brusque and /,
lbbed though be was, was all the father 7
e had ever known.
But she packed her trunk and went TO !.
olet Smiths in New York, which was all |,
E please inter- in that Marmaduke Bourne
also betsken himself to his modern
than, and had gone To work studying /
v as il he meant 10 take Coke and Black. q
me by storm.