Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-08-25

were coming; they are very arlstocraIlc );
and was more afraid Of them then than
T am now, especially of his sister Aoelalde.
She is the most envious and splteful crea-
ture 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 StockstilI, for whom was nam
ed. We were all very fond of her, and our
love was tempered with a respectful ad-
miration which amounted almost to fear.
1.-THE entire second floor was given up to
the guests, and we were huddled in the
little bedrooms under the mansard roof
/ You and had Bridget's room. and she
slept on pallet In the kitchen. Charlie
had cot bed in the hall. All of our boys
slept in the stable loft. Father swung
himself up in hammock on the back We
randa it was July. but he took a horrid
cold all the same. Mother had the trunk
room until Isabel arrived with her two
boys, whom it was given up to her, and
mother camped on the lounge in the back
parlor. Now that is 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.
I had loads of beautiful flowers sent me,
land Isabel took the parlours off my hands.
That was really great help for she has
exquisite taste and rare inventive genius.
She rugged superb 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 my hands, and all the little
/ arrangements to make which are always
| left to the last moment. Your dress came
the night to do it. Then you and your
| tiny groomsman had to rehearse your en-
tree. and your young nephew did behave
abominably. He caught your dress OUT OF
| my hands and raced with it down stairs
into the parlours. He got himself up at
the last moment like wild Indian, in
stead 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 a bonfire in
| the wood house; he sifted quart of salt
into the ice cream as it was being frozen
in the cellar. There was no end to the
| pranks that fellow perpetrated. The we'd
ding presents we're superb. [ had never
expected anything so beautiful. But Ad
elaide whispered about, that with the ex-
ception of one dozen spoons 1t was all pla
ted 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 a
! 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 o'clock train for the
city. I had very elaborate and becom-
| ing travelling costume which had decided
to wear, with the addition of real white.
Spanish lace mantilla arranged as a veil.
Aunt Sue met me at breakfast. My dear
child,' she said, I can't bear to think of
your not being married in white. Moth
ing else is suitable for bride. Wear the
India muslin in which you looked so love-
| ly at your graduation 9e (
81 did not dare displease Aunt sue but
| the muslin was crumpled and yellow; it
would look dreadfully by day light. 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
candle 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 brill
J liant and sparkling as fairyland, and the
tumbled muslin would look very we'll. 1
ran upstairs to dress. But first had your
hair to curl and then must need wash
the vermillion from the face of that boy.
| Then Charlie, who was vainlv trying to
tie his cravat without glass (he had
dressed in the bath room, came to me for
assistance, and saw the minister drive
up to the door before had begun my
toilet. 1 was half dressed when Charlie
! tapped at the door. 'Sue-Sue. dear! they
are having council of war downstairs,
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, too. Isabel asked
me to ask you to let her take down the
candles. She didn't care to speak to you
about it herself; she said you had so much
| to fret you.''
4 'sTell her to take them down. replied,
| in choked voice, and then I burst into
tears. It was the last straw, and Charlie
and came nearer to quarreling then and
there than we ever did in our lives. 1
hadn't the heart to 60 on with my dress
| Ing, but sat and boo-hooed until Charlie
came to the door again to say that the
company was waiting. Then dashed in
to 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 it did not
! show. and I stood up in my creased and
second hand gown, with .unkempt hair,
and face and eyes swollen with weeping,
and was married, with the glare of noon
day displaying all defects. They say that
the consciousness of being well dressed
gives peace of mind which even religion
cannot lmpart. Imagine, then,. my torture
be gazing stock at such a time before
all those people had it in my heart 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 en- masse. Ned had to drive like
mad to the livery-stables to get conveyan-
ces for them all, aud Charlie and 1 got to
the station in separate carriages. The
engine was decorated with evergreen and
[ flags in my honor, but the conduct