The Northern Pacific farmer., 1882-10-19
A WEDDING GOWN.
From Our Continent.

happened"
Blank horror and dismay were depict
ed upon tho face Of my small African, ~
she stood upon my threshold with up"
raised hands and eyeballs that seemed
starting from their sockets. Her pause
Was not of preparation, for with the in-
nate 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 exclaimed:
''Dem pigs done chawed up Miss Lyd-
dy's wedding gownl"
"Glory,"I exclaimed (She had been
christcned Gloriana,) "Glory, how did
it happen"
"Dunno!" said Glory. "'Pears to me
dem pigs has got Satan in 'em. Guess
lcy's 'scended from de ole lot what run
down Il steep place inter the sea. I'llgo
and fetch ye piece"
She sped out and instantly returned
with tattered shred of India null that
had once been white. and still bore some
resemblance to a gown. Poor Miss Lyd-
dy! This was all that remained of her
dream of wedding splendors. 1t was too
| pitiful! l felt at once that the bonds oil
good neighborhood had been irretriev-
ably broken, and that Major Hawthorne
must be made aware Of this last.and worst
depreciation of his unseemly pigs.
But who would break the news to
Miss Lyddy?"
"Glory," said I, "where is she?"
"Gone over to de burryin' place to
tend to de ancestors" answered Glory.
Poor, faithful soul; even in those last
days of her maidenllood, with the vague
tcrrors Of matrimony and the still more
appalling responsibilities of unsaved
heathen 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 a
| change had come. 1t came in the per.
son Of a returned missionary from the
N:cronesian Islands, who had buried
| he 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
! ldbk up partner No. 3. He met Miss
l.yddy ut a woman's missionary meeting.
lie called the next afternoon and was
| invited to stay to tea He accepted the
invitation, and next morning Miss Lyddy
came into my room-for l, too, domiciled
| under the ludkins roof tree, for con-
deration-and, with much hesitation
and many faint and delicate bushes, in
formed me that she had promised to
share the future lot with the Rev. Nehe-
miah Applebloom, to take care of his six
children, and to support him in his ard
lrous labors among the heather of the
Micronesian Islands.
was struck dumb with amazement.
Miss Lyddy," said at length, have
you duly considered this project?"
Her thin figure Quivered, and her
white face that had yet delicate remem-
branco Of youth in it, grew tender with
feeling.
"Ies," she said; "I think have. I
have always had a presentiment that
s|r,l marry minister or a mission nary"
Admirable and prophetic faith! "And
Mr.. App plebloom says he knew the mo-
| moment he set eyes on me that was
! not the surprise to either of us that it is
| likely to be to our friends"
I knew that her mind was fully made
up. demurred no longer, but lent nv.
self to the discussion of the wedding,
| which | plainly saw was what Miss Lyd-
| dy desired of me.
you will be married in church, /
"0h, no." said Miss Liddy, with gentle
decision. II am the last of the Ludkin-
scs. All the Ludkinses have been mar
ried at home. I will 60 out from under
my own roof tree. IF must seem to
forsake the ancestors''-she paused -
regulate little choking in her throat
| will at least not forsake their tradi-
| tions. I shall leave little money with
the parish clerk, that he may see that
the graves of my dead are kept in prop
er order, as I always have loved to keep
them, and l hope they will forgive my
departure; but will at least go as a
Ludkins should. 1t is my desire to be
| tAdl llCu I" uy &IauuAOIuoI WouuAnS
gown"
Miss Lyddy's voice trembled, and
there was humidity in her eyes, at
which did not wonder, for it was like a
funeral, after all.
~ 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 me.
don't care for the fashions, you know,
and my grandmother, as remember
ner, was about my height, but still, you
know-somc changes might be advisable" i"
"CCrtainly," | said, *'dO bring it to
me. | should so like to see it,"
1T is sprigged India (she called it In
gy) null: My grandfather, Captain ST.
mon Ludkins, brought it home from
over the seas. I'll bring it,"
Like some pale and gentle ghost che
rose then and went to a bureau. drawer
and unrolod, from folds of linen that
snelt Of lavender, the frail relic of Mrs
Captain Simon Ludkins' wedding state.
1t WAS fine embroidered null, the un.
doubted product of Indian looms.
at is lovely" 1 said, "and SO well
kept that it will bo just tho thing for
YOU. Will you try it on? We can tell
then just what it needs"
Miss Lyddy proceeded to disrobe her
self and put on the spider net gown. As
she did 50, the changes in fashions
mandates became only too evident II
had no waist to speak OF, and just llt!le
lace trimmed puff for sleeves; Miss
l.yddy was evidently surprised. She
',ad no thought of this. I knew well
what the troubled look upon her face
meant, and pitied her maiden sensi-
bii:;es. Could it be possible that hel
yrand mot her Mrs. Captain Simon Lud-
| kins, had ever worn such gown as thisi
She said not word that could indicate
the depth Of her modification, but her
tace was study for an artist.
There must be sleeves" she muir
mnrcd, after a few moments of silen
and embarrassed contemplation.
eyes" ! replied, cheerfully as my
constrained gravity would allow. "And
YOU might have 1ichu and lounce OF
the bottom.'
She looked down. She had not before
realized that the skirt OF the venerated
relic lacked & full Quarter of a ward q