River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-09-28
4 MEDD5 Nc GOWN.
BY CAROLINE F. CORN.

hold with u praised hands and eyeballs
hat seemed starting from their sockets.
Her pause was one OF preparation, for
with the innate consideration of her
race, she sought to break the news gen.
ly to me, but the burden of it was too
great for her, and with the next breath
she exclaimed
"Dem pigs done chawed up M iss
Liddy's weddin' gown"
GLORY" | exclaimed (she had been
piously christened Gloriana.l "Glory,
how did it happen?"
"Dunnnl" said Glory. 'Pears to me
dem pigs has got Satan in 'em. Guess
dey's seconded from de ole lot what run
down steep place inter the sea. I'll
go an 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 Liddy; this was all that remained
of her dream of wedding splendor. 1t
was too pitifui! | felt at once that the
bonds of good neighborhood had been
irretrievably broken, and tsat Major
Hawthorne must be made aware of
this last and worse depreciation Of nis
unseemly pigs.
But who would break the news to
Miss Liddy?
"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
unsavcd 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 sittins-rOom window. She her
self was the last of the race, and until
within three weeks it had seemed that
the only fate which awaited her was
to live ont 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 person of re-
turned missionary from the Microne-
sian islands, who had buried the first
and second partners of bis 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 No. 3. He met
Miss Liddy at a woman's missionary
meeting. He called the next after
noon and was invited to stay to tea.
He accepted the invitation and next
morning Miss Liddy came into my
room-fcr |, too, domiciled under the
Ludkins' rOof-.ree, for consideration
and with much hesitation and many
faint and delicate bushes, informed
me that she had promised 10 share the
future lot Of the Rev. Nehemiah ap-
plebloom, to take care of his SIX chill
dren, and to support him IN his ardu-
GUS labors among the heather OF the
Micronesian islands.
was struck dumb with amaZement.
"Miss Liddy," l said at length, 'have
you duly considered the subject"
Her thin figure quivered, and her
white face, that had yet delicate re-
membrance of youth in it, grew tender
with feeling.
eyes" she said. 81 think | have. |
have always had presentiment that L
should marry q minister or mission
ary." Admirable and prophetic faith.
"And Mr. Applebloom says he knew
the moment he set eyes upon me that
was ordained 10 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. | demurred no longer, but
lent myself at once to the discussion of
the wedding, which l plainly saw was
what Miss Liddy desired of me.
,.,.D no fried 6nT1rph |
suppose %
"Oh, no." said Miss Lddy, with gen.
tie decision. 81 am the last of the
Ludkinses. All the LIdkinses have
been married at home. | will go out
from under my own rooftree. If l
must seem to fOrsake the ancestors"-
she paused to regu ate little choking
in her throat-"I will at least not for
sake their traditions. | shall leave a
little money with the parish clerk, that
he may sc e that the graves OF my dead
are kept in proper order, as L have al
ways loved to keep them, and L hope
they will forgive my departure; but
will go rs a Ludkins should. 1t IS my
desire to be married in my grand
mothers wedding gown.
Miss Liddy's voice trembled, and
there was humidity in her eyes, at
which | did not wonder, fo- it was much
like funeral after ALL
al thought, perhaps" went on Miss
Liddv, al | brought the venerated relic
to you. you won tell me if anything
we're necessary to be done to fit it to
Inc. don't care for the fashions you
know, and my grandmother as | re-
member her, was about my height, hut
still, you know, something
changes might be advisable"
Certainly" l said, "dO bring 1t to
me. / should like to see it."
at is sprigged India (she called 1t
Ingy) null. My grandfather, Captain
Simon Ludkins, brought 1t home from
over the seas. III bring II"
Like some pale and gentle ghost she
rose then and went TO a bureau drawer
and unrolled from folds of linen that
smelt of lavender, the relic of Mrs. Cap
tain Simon Ludkins' wedding state. 1t
was fine embroidered null, the I'M
doubted product of Indian looms.
at is lovely said. land so we'll
kept that it will be just the thing for
you. Will you try it on? We can tell
he n Just what it needs"
Miss Liddy proceeded to disrobe her
self and pat on the spider-net gown. As
she did so, the changes in fashions
mandates became only too evident. 1t
had no waist to speak of, and just he
tie lace-trimmsd pufffor sleeves. Miss
Liddy was evidently surprised. She
had not thought of this. knew well
what the troubled look on her face
meant, and / pitied her maiden sensi-
bilities. Could ii be possible that her
grandmother, Mrs. Capt. Simon Lud-
kins, had ever worn such gown as
this? She said not word that could
indicate the depth of her modification
but her face was study for an artist.
There must be sleeves" she muir
INJURED, after few moments silent and
embarrassed contemplation.
Eyes" l replied, eheerfully SIS my
constrained gravity would allow. "And
YOU might have fichu, and Il uRce
on the bottom
She looked down. She had not be-
fore realized that the skirt of the
venerated relic lacked full quarter OF
a ward of touching the floor.
"However could theyl" she ejaeu,at-
ed in an undertone But she quickly
recovered herself, and looked up at me
cheerfully over her spectacles.
"HoW ingenious you are! she SAID