St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-05-06
Uncle NahuIn'S wedding.

paper i'll his back parlOr.
No one would think, to look mt the
simple surroundings of the unpretentiOs
apartment, that Mr.. Nahum Nixon was
one of the wcalthiest men in town. The
carpet, it is true, was Administer, but
it had seen twenty good years of ser
vice, and was worn down to the very
warp; the faded red curtains were of
mOreen instead of satin damask and
the old clock on the mantel was no Pa
risian affair of alabastcr and gilt, but a
substantial Connecticut time-piece, that
struck with wire, like IL partridge
springing out of her nest the chairs of
old-fashiOned mahogany and hair-cloth,
stood bolt upright against the wall ;
on Horseback and the "Surrender of
CORVALLIS" ornamentcd the gray pa
pered walls in frames of somber gilt,
and the one elegance of the apartment
WAS il basket of prepOsterOus wax fruit,
under Il cracked glass shade.
But Uncle Nahum Nixon had remem-
bered that furniture ever since he was
child, and he wouldn't have cX-
changed it for the fittings of Il Partisan
bOudoir, or the choicest specimens of
the modern Eastlake school. He was Il
rich man that was quite enough for
him.
"If you please, Mr.. Nixon" said the
trim little maid servant, "Mr. Marina
duke Bourne wants to see you-if you
please, sir, if you are quite at leisure"
"Mr. Marmaduke Bourne, ell ~ the
old gentleman took off his glasses and
laid them upon the folded newspaper.
"Ask him to come in, Polly"
And Mr.. Marmaduke Bourne came i'll
"A tall, fresh colorcd young fellow,
with sparkling gray eyes, brown hair,
all i'll Il mat of curls, and il straight
| Greek nose that seemed as if ii might
have been borrowed from some ancient
statue of Apollo.
"Well, sir" said Mr.. Nixon.
"Wcll, sir" countcr-interrogated Mr..
Bourne, did you get my letter.
Il got your letter :" said Uncle Ma
hum. so you want to marry my niece,
Faith ?"
"'Yes, sir valiantly acknowledged
Mr.. Marmadukc Bourne.
"Ah - nodded Uncle Nahum. "But
perhaps you don't understand all the
facts of the ease ~
! he lactS, SIR
II want my niece to marry Colonel
AshIand'S son! slowly cnunciatrd Tn
Gle Nahum.
''But, sir, she does not love HIM"
| "Pshaw - snarlcd Uncle Nahum Nix
on. "And if she does not marry him
she will bc IL beggar will give her nt
money of mine. Now you understand
matters. Marry her or not, as YOU
please"
He took up the newspaper once NOR,
IA tacit intimation that the interview
was at an end.
''Sir, " began Marmadukc Bourne.
Chat will do" said Mr.. Nixon.
Il only wish to"
THAT will do ~ Numbered Mr.. Nix
on and so Marmadukc Bourne wen
away.
Little Faith Nixon came down stair,
prescntly-a blue-eyed blossom of :
girl, with yellow hair growing low Ol
her forehead, and Il very little mouth
exactly the shape to suggest kissing.
Uncle Nahum looked kecnly at her
as she fiuttcrcd lightly about the room
Strengthening a table-coverhe here, or pat
ting down a curtain fold there.
"Yes," said he, with curious twitcI
of the muscles around the eyes ''h'
has been here"
'I-I did not ask any question, I'm
Gle Nahum"
''NO, but your eyes did" chuckled tn,
old man. ''He wants to marry you
the improvident young donkey"
Faith came up to her unclc's chai
and laid her hand lightly upon hi
shoulder
''This is not the worst of it, Uncl
Nahum" said she. 81 want to MARI!
him ="
"Humph, humphr' snarled Mr.. Nix
on, i'll high contempt. ''And what d'
you expect to live on, I'd like T.
know ~
eve can work." said Faith, bravely
"YOu are more like to starve," salt
Mr.. Nixon. ''Mind-don't you coun
on help from me If you get married
You do it at your own risk
''Then you consent, Uncle Nahum :
''No!" roared the old bachelor, -
do nothing of the sort"
"But, Uncle Nahum, | should b
= wretched without Duke" !" softly plead
, ed Faith.
Il lhul'S'llIlSS Ssiiu iii' piu HIiH-
"And I'm sure he could not liv
- without me -
''Trash ~ gruntcd Mr.. Nixon.
! "And if you please, uncle" adde
Faith, ''perhaps had better 90 to IN
school friend, Violet Smiths, to max
D, up my wedding things, since you dis
Y approve so decidedly of my PLAN
= She lives in New York, you know, an
e will he convenient for shopping, and
a ''And for all other tomfooleries i