The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-12-23
MADELINE'S FATE.

opti |' 'h' ''N''>' '''N'N
ment.
"Strange!" said her mother from be
hind. perhaps Flo has taken it some
where" and she turned to investigate
the mystery.
.'Strange indeed, thought Pearlie, a
she sat down gingerly on the side o
the bed in her pretty lace-trimmed wed
nC-earments. which only awaited the
filmy coud-likc dress, and thrust on
her white-slippercd toes for her own adj
miration.
Dear mcv' exclaimed her mother
coming in again in n frenzy Of anxiety
''nobody knows anything about it,"
1--WE must look cried Iearlie, start
ing to her feet, fear taking possession
of her heart in earnest. at must b,
somewhere. Who ever heard of awed'
ding-drcss disappearing mystcrously
IN hour before the wedding?'
But their search was all in vain
Places possible and impossible of con
cealment were ransacked to no purpose,
In no wardrobe, drawer, or corner could
the pretty new wedding dress be found.
Pearlic of course helped things along by
sitting down and crying as though her
heart would break.
Only the evening before she had
danced about the beautiful snowy mesh
of soft sill, and tullc, as it lay upon the
immaculate counterpanc of the "best
room bed.
1t had been quite an expensive we'd
So, in kuh ~ " ha
daughter Of retired sea-captain, not
any richer than the majority But Pear
lie was the idol of his heart, the young
er of two girls, and "the baby" so the
captain had said.
'lIe should choose her dress himself.
He knew what weddin' RIG should be,
for he'd seen 'emi in furrin places. None
of your cheap stufs, but real silk and
flowers, you see"
Then he had delved deep iato his
ever-ready purse, without sign of
shrinking, that he might at least see his
little gar' in the real article he covet.
ed.
Exquisite shell-ilowers, too, with q
real gem of fan that he had brought
from the West Indies embellshed the
toilet, and Pearlie in the delight of her
little heart, had Rugged her father and
gazed in rapturous admiration upon the
beautiful wedding array until she was
satiated with pleasure.
Frank Ellison had run down to Craig
more in the early summer, intending to
make brief sojourn, but the "blue-
capped waves" he said, bewitched him,
though everybody knew-as everybody
does know in small town-that a GER
tain blue-capped damsel, known as
Captain Gray's MILDLY" had bewitch-
ed him still more.
The result was that he fell a victim to
the destinations of Craigmore Beach,
and remained there long enough to be-
come engaged to the little girl whom he
had first seen dancing riirht row-boat
out over the sunlit waters, her s0nsy
little figure clad in scarlet-tipped
navy-blnc suit. and her curly brown
hair tucked under winged cap.
Aud now had come the wcddng-day,
and Captain Gray was about to relin-
quish this saucy sailor of his, who was
an epitomised etherealiscd edition OF
himself, into the keeping of agoodlook-
ing "city chap" who was rs sure rs
the majority of bridegrooms are that he
would cherish and idoise her to his
dying day.
Yes, the wedding day and hour had
arrived, and the bride sat mourning the
loss of her wedding-drcss.
s.Nal1 paarlin thar. /. M altnrr n
tive; you will have to wear your white
Swiss. The folks and minister will be
here in no time. There is one comfor,
they all knew you had lovely new
dress, and it is too late to delay the
wedding. To think anyone would be
mean enough to steal that, of all things
for it must have been stolen"
So, at the appointed time, with this
shadow of annoyance and sad disap'
pointmcnt lowering over them ALL
Pearle stood up to be married.
Poor Captain Gray, sulky and out OF
sorts; Pearlic, lugubrious, and with the
suspicion of a pout on her usually smil'
ing rosy lips.
Perhaps the bridegroom was the only
one really happy, for ut this particular
period Pearlie looked beautiful To him
in any garb. 1t is doubtful if he woulc
have murmured had she appeared deck
ID as Il lady Of Hong Kong.
So the ceremony proceeded. and
Pearlie was just beginning to ret a lit.
tie wearied. Ii was tircsomc to stan,
SO long without moving. listening t,
old Parson McCrook, whose solemn face
and doomsday voice had been familiar
to her from her infancy
Suddenly behind her -te heard ligh
rustic and stir, then Surprised muir
muir.
Pearlie at once very indecorously
looked over her shoulder.
Up through the company came wild
eyed gipsy-faced woman her scan
black hair flying loosely about her as
she nodded and smiled to right and left
Pearlie recognised her. as did every
body else. 1t was the crazy woman O
the village, known as "Wild Mad"
But what was she doing there?
She had burst suddenly through tn
window from the piazza. and stranges