Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-07-12

and mother camped on the lounge in the
back parlor. Now that only the back
ground to the picture. We had no city
caterers TO provide the banquet. Mother
made every cake, and had her hands
quite full enough to provide handsome
table daily for her guests. l had loads
of beautiful flowers sent me, and Isabel
took the decorating of the parlors off my
hands. That was really great help,
for she has exquisite taste and rare in
ventivc genius. She rugged a superb
wedding bell out of an old hoop-skirt,
and turned the old rooms into bowers OF
beauty. But l had all of the receiving
and entertaining of the guests upon my
hands, and all the little arrangements to
make which are always left to the last
moment. Your dress came, and had to
be altered; sat up late into the night to
do it. Then you and your tiny grooms-
man had TO rehearse your entree and your
young nephew did behave abominally.
He caught your dress out of my hand and
raced with it down stairs into the parlors.
He got himself up at the last moment
like wild Indian, instead of 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 bonfire in the
wood-house; he sifted quart OF salt into
the ice-cream as il was being frozen in
the cellar. There was no end TO the pranks
that that fellow perpetrated. The wedding
presents were displayed in the library.
They were superb. had not expected
m thinar go. hnantiftI Rttf AIa1ai1p
whispered about that with the exception
of one dozen spoons, il was all plated
ware, and that half of the porcelain and
bric-a-brac was hired for the occasion.
Z" Isabel repeated her remarks to me
just in time to raise my angry passions
to a white heat, and TO send me down
stairs inwardly raging on my wedding
morn. We were TO be married ut noon
precisely, in order to take the three
o'clock train for the city. | had very
elaborate and becoming travelling cos
tune, which had decided to wear, with
the addition of real white Spanish lace
mantilla arranged rs a veil. Aunt Sue
met me at breakfast. My dear child,
she said, Il 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 SO
lovely at your graduation
Il did not dare displeasc Aunt Sue; but
the muslin was crumpled and yellow; il
would look dreadfully by daylight. There
was still time; and | determined to have
shutters closed, curtains drawn, and the
rooms lighted as for evening. Brother
Ned helped me arrange four dozen wax
candles on brackets among the flowers.
When they were lighted, the rooms made
me think of Victor Hugo's description of
the marriage of Corinne. 1t was as bril-
liant and sparkling as fairy-land, and
the tumbled muslin would look very
we'll. | ran up stairs TO dress. But
first had your hair to curl and gloves
TO fit, and then | must needs wash the
vermilion from the face of that boy.
Then Charlie, who was vainly trying to
tie his cravat without glass Che had
for assistance, and i saw the minister
drive up to the door before l had begun
my toilette. was half dressed when
Charlie tapped at the door. 'Sue-Sue
dear! they are having council of war
down stairs, and they don't like the idea
of our being married by artificial light
in the daytime. The majority think it
an affectation, and it rather strikes me
so to. Isabel asked me TO ask you TO let
her take down the candles. She didn't
dare to speak TO you about il herself; she
said you had had so much TO fret you
"'Tell her to take them down. / re-
piled, in a choked voice and then burst
into tears. II was the last straw, and
Charlie and l came nearer TO quarreling
then and there than we ever did in our
lives, hadn't the heart TO go on with
my dressing, but sat and boohooed until
Charlie came to the door again TO say
that the company was waiting. Then
dashed into my clothes. ! had no time
to comb my hair, but Charlie pinned the
lace veil over it rather awkwardly, so
that we deluded ourselves into the idea
that il did not show, and | stood up in
my creased and second hand gown, with
unkempt hair, and face and eyes swol-
len with weeping, and was married, with
the glare of MONDAY displaying all de-
fccts. They say that the consciousness
of being well dressed gives peace of
mind which even religion cannot impart.
Imagine, then, my torture 10 be gaz-
ing-stock ut such time before all these
people! had it in my mind to murder
them all and then kill myself. Then
afterward. We had thought, of course,
that the company would remain and dine
with our family, and then take the even
ing train for the city But no. Adelaide
thought it would be SO jolly for all TO go
down ell masse Ned had to drive like
mad to the livcry-stablo TO get convey
anccs for them all, and Charlie and got
to the station in separate carriages. The
engine was decorated with evergreen and
flags in my honor, but the conductor
thought Adelaide was the bride, and
gave her my seat, and / was very nearly
left, for Ned came driving me up
with our slow old Pilgrim just as the
conductor had given the signal for start
ing. Charlie was on the rear platform
waiting for me. He pulled the cord
violently and jerked me on, while Ned
gave me parting push. My elegant
travelling costume was torn half off me.
How every one laughed! and Aunt Sue
made q spectacle of me by producing
her housewife and sewing me up before
the assembled multitude. Then half of
the party went to the same hotel that
we did, and it leaked out that we were a
newly married couple, and altogether
it was the most completely Notifying
and disheartening day of my life"
"You poor thingr' laughed Fan. IF
you had only had a nice competent sister
as l have, to take all the worry off your
mind, then you could have resigned ev-
erything to hergood providence, as l do,
and have calmly awaited your fate with
folded hands,"
Eyes; il had had some one to rely
upon might have given my thoughts
to more serious matters. Or if Charlie
had been more conservative in his ideas,
more punctilious in matters of etiquette,
he might have helped me out; but he did
just as every one else does, left every
thing to me, and had the satisfaction of
making O grand fiasco of it all. But l
will do boffor hx, x-ot, Fan You arc not