The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1881-10-22

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the deep interest they feel in the approaching
! ceremony. They grumble and growl at so much
hustle and confusion las boys will when they fee
themselves ignored, and yet are ever ready tC
make any little sacrifice to advance the important
event and help make the arrangements for 1t
complete in all respects.
Time passes rapidly, and the suspicious hour
comes, heralded by the bright, rosy bushes of a
perfect dawn. Everybody is up betimes
The golden rises malestically above the
horizon and sets his crown of glorious light upon
a mansion garlanded with flowers. Nature puts
her sweetest smile as the daughter of the house.
leaning upon the arm of her betrothed, walks into
the broad, comfortably furnished room where she
played as a little child years before The parlor
srichly and tastefuly decorated with the choicest
offerings from garden, field, and forest; and sweet
perfumes toy with soft ripping, melodious strains
of music as the young couple stay their steps be-
fore the man of God who is to make them as of
one flesh. All eyes are upon them, and especially
upon her-the daughter, sister, friend, and wife
that is to be-
AS she stands robed in white and crowned with
orange blossoms beside her hearts free choice the
mother gazes upon the fair picture through mist
of tears.
At one leap her memory has bridged the gulf
of more than twenty years She is herself the
bride; her husband is the bridegroom.
Then the scene changes and instead of the
bridal party she beholds darkened room-feels
again the mortal agony, followed by the ecstatic
bliss ofliving as when her rst-born babe was laid
in her arms. All, what visions pass before the
mothers eyes, "Surely, it was only yesterday"
she murmurs, that bore her upon my bosom
felt her sweet lips drawing at my heart! And now
she is being married! Bless me! how time flies!"
The ceremony proceeds: the nuptial benedic
ton is said, and the nuptal songs are sung. The
wedding-cake is cut and eaten, or treasured
away by the girls against the day when the
charm which it is supposed to contain shall have
worked itself out, or been exercised by some po-
tent power
The carriage is at the door. Friends and loved
ones cluster around. Sweet kisses fall from trem-
ulous lips upon cheeks wet with tears. The last
goodbyes are spoken with faltering voices, and
the young bride, leaving the old, goes forth into
the world to help build herself new home, with
" God-speed" from those she leaves behind ring
ing in her ears.
After the wedding the house seems strangely
still and deserted. The father sits in his easy
chair wrapt in thought; the children withdraw
themselves from sight; and the mother moves
silently from room to room, while memory with
busy fingers is weaving into one solid strand all
the slight remembrances and mementoes of the
one now gone from her. perhaps for evermore.
All, how much like latter the funeral is latter
the wedding" to many hearts There is vacant
place everywhere; and especially is it thus after
the first wedding, the third great epoch chroncled
in the book ofhome. Other weddings NAV occur
but they are not like this. Will and Tom and
Susie may go out from beneath the heme-roof
but, although dearly beloved and greatly missed
there is not such void created as when Kitty
left.
With the first wedding new chronology is
reckoning from that event Charlie
was born in the winter and Kitty was married
the next spring" says the mother, and that was
five years ago" That settles Charles age So
with all other questions Of time.
The mother may forget many things, but that
one particular occurrence, never Years after,
when the family has dwindled down to an aged
couple sitting alone, while sunset shadows cast
soft radiance over their wrinkled faces and frosty
locks the finger of maternal love yet points out
upon the dial of her heart the year, month day
yea the very hour when her first-born took upon
herself the VOWS of welded life.
And as old age gently leads the father and the
mother down the slope OF time, the events mark
ING the three great epochs in their lives come to
them again and again, reminding each of the
actors who helped them in those bygone DAYS to
build up such holy, enduring memories of the
past.
Kitty may be resting beneath a grassy mound |
Quilt to shield her dearly cherished form when the
nome of her selection was reluctantly compelled |
% give her up: yet, to the old people, she seems |
o come again and again as smiling babe to rest |
n the mothers arms.
So it is with the little one that died: so come
pack the scenes of that first bridal.
Will and Tom, brave, manly fellows, may lie |
leeping beneath the flowers strewn upon the ,
graves of those who died in their countrys service
Charlie may be making valiant fight against the |
ares perplexities, and sins of the world Susie
grown matron-may be practicing the labor
Gus but sweet lessons of mOtherhood but vet, to
hink of either only brings back the bright spring
morning, the flowers, the solemn service the
aughter, the tears, and the good-byes of that first
The wedding day" recalls to mind the sad
vent preceding it, and that reminds the mother