Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-08-05
TWICE WOOED.


Vane will be dreadfully impatient. Try
and bring little life into your face; you
do not appear as happy bride should. -
II am most unhappy one," l re-
piled, drearily. "Oh, mamma, cannot
this farce be stopped? I do not wish
to be sold What is poverty to such
shame as this feel p
"You foolish, foolish girl After all
the trouble have taken to bring about
this fortunate match, you are mad to
talk so. Here comes your bridegroom;
mind you greet him properly"
Mamma had no time for further ad-
monition, so the bridegroom and attend
ants entered.
"My dear, it is almost time to go
down" said Royal Vane, bending his
dark, penetrating eyes upon my poor,
pale face, in way l felt, if l did not
meet their gaze.
Silently / took his offered arm and
went slowly down the stairs into the
brilliantly lighted room, where the min
lister awaited us.
Oh, such utter silence as prevailed !
Only the grave tones of the minister's
voice as he repeated the beautiful,
solemn ceremony could be heard.
At last he came to the question, "Will
you take this man" etc.
heard it all too plainly.
saw my naughty mothers anxious
face, paling at my silence, and the sur
prise growing on many, many faces,
but could not speak the lie.
knew the dark eyes of my almost
husband were upon me, regarding me
in panied astonishment.
Oh, it was a pitiful, awful silence,
broken at last by resistless power I
could not thwart.
"No, no." pleaded, raising my eyes
to Royal Vane's white, sorrowful face.
81 do not love you. 1 cannot be your
wife. Oh, how wicked, how weak l
have been not to tell you sooner !"
Then, turning to mamma, stretched
out my arms.
Forgive me-oh, forgive me,
mamma T. cried, and fell down at her
feet in dead faint.
They told me afterward how mamma
explained that had not been well and
was no doubt delirious, that it would
all be made right when recovered; but
/ knew that one person would never
consider my actions caused by the
delirium of fever-Royal Vane had un-
derstood the truth instantly; 1 read it
in his white, stricken face.
"Of all the disgraceful, dreadful
scenes" wept mamma. 81 little
thought that you, Tessie, would cause
me such shame and modification.
l was really i'll for several days, but
one day, when almost recovered, they
brought me card.
Royal Vane.
$50 down." said mamma angrily,
land let him see how little fool has
disgraced his bridal and wrecked his
hopes"
1 went down tremblingly, dreading
his reproaches, but l need not have
been in such trepidation it was one of
the calmest, kindest faces, albeit care
marked and older-looking, that met my
gaze.
he came instantly forward, and in a
quiet, steady voice asked
''How is Tessie to-day p
Better, faltered, "but so ashamed,
oh, MIR. Vane, try to forgive NE
wanted to tell you long ago, only
mamma would not let me. !"
eyes, / understand that, and il was
better even at the last moment than a
whole lifetime of regret"
And then so adroitly and skillfully he
drew from my weak armor of subterfuge
the story of mammals embarrassments
and need, and understood matters as
they really were.
do you love any one else, Tessie ?"
he inquired before we parted.
mo, | said, "no one only as / did
not love You could not be your wife.
Here is your ring"
1.-THE poor little empty ring" he said
sadly, tenderly slipping it ON his watch
chain, "that once graced the hand of
all the wife / shall ever know. Good
by, Tessie, and Heaven bless you %
And he was gone.
week later mamma, jubilant and ex-
cited, came to me.
My dear Tessie, You are treasure,
after all. In your usual silly way you
let Royal Vane know of our stringent
circumstances and he made us
rich."
"Mamma y / cried, feeling the hot
blood of a modification rise to my tenn
Piles, /" You surely will not accept it OF
him? Oh, the shame, the shame p
And broke down and sobbed bit
terly.
1t is your own doings, and it is all
arranged so that we cannot avoid profit
ing by his generosity. The mortgage is