The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-10-05
MISS LYDDYs WEDDING GOWN.
By CAROLINE F. coRBrN.


| ed upon the face of my small African, as
she stood upon my threshold with up
raised hands and eyeballs that seemed
starting from their sockets. Her pause
was one of preparation, for with the in
i 4nate consideration of her race she
| sought to break the news gently to me,
but the burden of it was too great for
her, and with the next breath she ex-
| claimed:
'sDem pigs done chawed up Miss Lyd-
dy's weddin' gown!''
GLORY exclaimed (she had been
| piously ehristened Gloriana), .Glory,
how did it happenP''
| '+Dunnon' said Glory "'Pears tome
dem pigs has got Satan in 'em. Guess
deyis seconded from de ole lot what run
down a steep place inter de sea. I'll go
an fetch We piece
She sped out and instantly returned
with a tattered shred of India null that
| had once been white, and still bore some
resemblance to a gown. Poor Miss
Lyddy! This was all that remained of
her dream of wedding splendors 1t
was too pitiful! felt at once that the
bonds of good neighborhood had been
irretrievably broken, and that Major
Hawthorne must be made aware of this
last and worst depreciation of his I'M
seemly pigs
But who would break the news to
Miss Lyddyp
GLORY" said l, .'where is she?'
''Gone over to de buryin' place to
tend to de ancestors" answered Glory.
Poor faithful SOUL even in those last
days of her maidenhood, with the vague
terrors of matrimony and the still more
appalling responsibilities of unsaved
heather souls hanging over her, she did
not forget the ancestors. Long lines
of Ludkinses lay buried in little sunken
hillocks in the family burying-place
which lay just in sight of her sitting
room window. She herself was the last
of her race, and until within three weeks
it had seemed that the only fate which
awaited her was to live out her little
space under the ancestral roof-tree and
then take her place in the silent ranks
OF those who had gone before. But O
change had come. 1t came in the per-
son of a returned missionary from the
Mieronesian Islands. who had buried
the first and second partners of his joys
and sorrows somewhere under the palm
trees of those tropical lands, and had
come back to the scenes of his youth to
recruit his health, serve the cause and
look up partner number three. He met
Miss Lyddy at a woman's missionary
meeting. He called the next afternoon
and was invited to stay to tea. He ac-
cepted the invitation, and the next
morning Miss Lyddy came into my room
for 1, too domiciled under the Lud-
kins roof-tree, for a consideration-and
with much hesitation and many faint
and delicate bushes informed me that
she had promised to share the future lot
of the Rev. Nehemiah Applebloom, to
take care of his six children and sustain
and support MIN in his arduous labors
among the hearhen of the Micronesian
Islands.
was struck dumb with amazement
''Miss LYDIA l said at length, '.have
you duly considered this project?'
Her thin figure quiyered and her white
face, that had yet delicate remem-
brance of youth in it, grew tender with
feeling.
Yes" she said, II think | have. /
have always had presentiment that I
should marry minister or a mission
ary." Admirable and pathetic faith!
''And Mr.. Applebloom says he knew the
moment he set eyes upon me that was
ordained to be his wife; so you see it is
not the surprise to either of US that it is
likely to be to our friends.
/ knew then that her mind was fully
made up, SO demurred no longer. but
lent myself at once to discussion of
the wedding, which | plainly saw was
what Miss Lyddy desired of me-
''You will be married in church,
supposeP"
:.Oh, no." said Miss Lyddy, with gen
tie decision. 81 am the last of the Lud-
kinses. All the Ludkinses have been
married at home. | will go out from
under my own roof-tree. If l must
seem to forsake the ancestors''-she
paused to regulate a little choking in
her throat-.tI will at least not forsake
their traditions. / shall leave a little
money with the parish clerk, that he
may see that the graves of my dead are
kept in proper order. as always have
loved to keep them, and / hope they |
will forgive my departure; but / will at |
least go as Ludkins should. 1t is my |
desire to be married in my grandmoth- |
er's wedding gown
Miss Lyddy's voice trembled, and |
there was a humidity in her eyes, at |
which did not wonder, for it was much |
like funeral after all.
81 thought, perhaps" went on Miss |
Lyddy, IF brought the venerated relic |
to you, you would tell me if anything |
were necessary to be done to fit it to |
nae. / don't care for the fashions, you
know. and my grandmother, rs / re-
her, was about my height, but
still, you know - something some
changes might be advisable"
Certainly" said, ..do bring it to
me. should so like to see it.
ut 10 sprigged India (she called it