Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-08-12

of the muscles around his eyes, she has
been here"
"I-I didn't ask any question, Uncle
Nahum"
"No, but your eyes did," chuckled
the old man. she wants to marry you,
the improvident young donkey"
Faith came to her uncle's chair and
laid her hand lightly on his shoulder.
"That isn't the worst of it, Uncle
Nahum want to marry him."
"Humph," snarled Mr.. Nixon, in
high contempt. "And what do yorf ex.
pect to live on, should like to know"
"We can both work." said Faith
bravely.
"You're more likely to starve," said
Mr.. Nixon, ''Mind-don't count on
help from me. If you will get married
you do it at your own risk"
''Then you consent, Uncle Nahum"
''No ~ roared the old bachelor
Nothing of the sort"
"But, Uncle Nahum, should be
wretched without Duke" softly pleaded
Faith.
''Fiddlestrings," said the old man.
''And Pm sure he couldn't live with
out me;'
''Trash," grunted. Mr.. Nixon.
'And if you please, Uncle" added
Faith, 'perhaps I'd better go to my
friend Violet Smiths to make up my
wedding things, since you disapprove
SO decidedly of my plans. She lives in
New York, you know, and it will be
convenient for shopping, and"
"And for all the other tomfooleries in
general" rudely interrupted the old
gentlemen. "Yes, go to your Violet
Smiths, but don't expect to come back
here"
"No, Uncle" said Faith, meekly.
"But, you'll let me thank you for all
your kindness, and" A
"No, won't -" said Uncle Nahum,
so shortly that poor Faith fed upstairs,
in dismay and had a quiet little cry,
Notwithstanding she was so very, very
happy.
For Uncle Nahum, blusgue and
grabbed though he was, was all the
father she had ever known. But she
packed her trunk and went to Violet
Smiths in New York. which was all the
pleasanter, in that Marmaduke Bourne
had also betaken himself to this modern
Gotham and gone to work studying law
as if he meaut to take Coke and Black
stone by storm. nd ISIS Violete
Smith, who was sentimental young
lady, sympathized intensely, and the
young couple were as unreasonably
happy as many another couple has been
before and will again.
But one day Duke Bourne came in
with face full OF tidings.
"Faith," said he, "have you heard the
news ?"
"What news ?" asked Faith.
"Your uncle will get the start of us,
after ALL"
| "What do you mean. Duke ?"
"Why, he's going to be married"
"Uncle Nahum" cried Faith incr ed
ulously.
"Yes, Uncle Nahum. That accounts
for his being SO willing to get rid of us,
eh, little one2"
"And who is the bride, questioned
Faith.
"Why, that's the mooted point yet.
Nobody seems to know. Some say one,
and some say another; but the general
impression seems to be that it is the
rich widow who owns the brown stone
block on the corner"
"I'm sure I hope he'll be happy"
said Faith, with tremulous lips and eyes
suffused with tears. "But-but I think
he might have said something to us
about it."
"People are not generally in hurry
to proclaim the fact that they are about
to make fools of themselves" said d uk
Bourne bitterly.
"Why, cried faith, laughing through
her tears, "that is precisely what he
said about u.s."
But the next day letter from Uncle
Nahum himself settled the matter. He
wrote:
'There is to be a wedding at my
mouse on the 18th, and I want you and
Duke to be there without fail"
"a weddingl At his housed" cried
Faith. II supposed weddings were
celebrated at the brides residence"
$50 they are, DEAR" said Miss Smith;
"but your uncle was always SO eccen-
tric."
"What shall we dor asked Faith.
"Why, go, of course" said Marina
duke Bourne; to show that we bear