The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-04-05


conventionality, ind il you are going
to acknowledge the claims Of society so
far as that, you might as we'll do the
thing respectfully and in good form. l
am manager, as you say, and it was
for that very reason that the ertire
arrangement of my wedding was left to
me. We were living in the old family
mansion in the country, two miles from
the church, and of course the wedding
had to be at the house. This troubled
me from the first, for the ceremony is
always so much more solemn and inn
pressive before the altar, and /
wanted to think of it as q
sacrament, TO really feel the sacredness
of the VOWS 1 was taking upon myself.
Instead Of this, knew perfectly we'll
that / should be distracted by
people whispering and giggling dur
ing the minister's very prayer. What
restraint can there be in parlors where
one has danced the German score of
times, and where one expects to dance
again in few momentsP Besides, the
house was to be crammed with COM
pany, and I was morally certain that
everything would be in confusion.
Charles family were coming; they are
very aristocratic; and 1 was more afraid
OF them then than / am now, especially
OF his sister Adelaide. She is the most
envious and spiteful creature in the
world, did all she could to spoil the
match, wanted Charlie to marry some
particular friend of hers. Then there
was Aunt Sue Stockstill, for whom
was named. We were all very fond of
her, and our love was tempered with a
respectful admiration which amounted
almost to fear.
"The entire second floor was given
up to guests, and we we're huddled in
the little bedrooms under the mansard
roof. You and 1 had Bridget's room,
and she slept on pallet in the kitchen.
Charlie had cot bed in the hall. Ali
of our boys slept in the stable loft.
Father swung himself up in the ham,
mock on the back veranda; it was July,
but he took horrid cold all the same
Mother had the trunk room until Isabel
arrived with her two boys, when it was
given up to her, aud mother camped on
the lounge in the back parlor. Now
that is only the background to the pic
ture. We had no city caterers to pro-
vide the banquet. Mother made every
cake, and had her hands quite full
enough to provide handsome table
daily for her guests. had loads OF
beautiful flowers sent me, and Isabel
took the decorating Of the parlors of
my hands. That was really a great
help, for she has exquisite taste and
rare inventiveYeni1s. She rugged su.
perb wedding bell out of an old hoop
skirt, and turned the old rooms into
bowers OF beauty. But / had all OF the
receiving and entertaining of the guests
upon nay hands, and all the little ar
rangements to make which are al
ways left to the last moment. Your
dress came, and had t. be altered; / sal
up late into the night to do it. Then
you and your tiny groomsman had tc
rehearse your entree, and your young
nephew did behave abominably. He
caught your dress out of my hands and
raced with it downstairs into the par.
lors. He got himself up at the last
moment like wild Indian, instead ol
dressing as he should have done. He
left the water running until it soaked
through the ceiling below; he hung the
cat over the balustrade, and made Q
bonfire in the wood-house; he sifted 6
quart of salt into the ice cream as it was
being frozen in the cellar. There was
no end to the pranks that fellow per-
petrated. The wedding presents were
displayed in the library. They were
superb. I had not expected anything SC
beautiful. But Adelaide whispered
about that with the exception of one
dozen spoons it was all plated ware, and
that half of the porcelain and bric-a- -braC
was hired for the occasion.
Isabel repeated her remarks to me
just in time to raise my angry passions
to white heat, and to send me down.
stairs inwardly raging on my wedding
morn. We were to be married at noon
precisely, in order to take the 3 o'clock
train for the city. ] had very elabor.
ate and becoming travelling costume,
which l had decided to wear, with the
addition of real white Spanish lace
mantilla arranged as veil. Aunt Sue
met me at breakfast. my dear child,
she said, can't bear to think of your
not being married in white. Nothing
else is suitable for bride. Wear the
India muslin in which you looked Sc
lovely at your graduation
did not dare displease Aunt Sue
but the muslin was crumpled and vel
low; it would look dreadfully by day.
light. There was still time, and I de.
A = L
tains drawn, and the rooms lighted as
for evening. Brother Ned helped me
arrange four dozen wax candles or
brackets among the flowers. When they
were lighted, the rooms made me think o.
Victor Hugo's description of the mar.
riage Of Oorinne. It was as brilliant
and sparkling as fairyland, and the
tumbled muslin would look very we'll
1 ran upstairs to dress. But first 1 had
your hair to curl and gloves to fit, anc