The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-12-01


present if YOU want to-ten or fifteen
dollars-but dc not go and fool away
three hundred and fifty on such no.
ton as that"
Il know I'm twenty-seven, said
she; ''but l should do such things
where Harry is concerned even if |
were eighty"
And so she would; for all that | could
say made no change in her intentions.
When a woman's mind is ''set"-well,
well-an old bachelor ought not
to complete that sentence. And,
more than this; foolish as
regarded it, l had to help Mary to plan
her device and carry it out, promising
all the time the most profound secresy.
But, my soul! how sorry / was that
ever had anything to do with their
wooing. However, it taught me les
son of sympathy sympathy for the
match makers not lucifer matches,
but that other kind, POLITICALLY at
tributed to Heaven.
We got hold of an old envelope sent
to Harry in my care, from Chicago.
Mary scratched off the mail date, and
together, in a disguised hand, we wrote
letter from fictitious firm in that
city and placed it in the envelope, sealed
it and cast it into my letter-box, where
most of Harry's mail was delivered by
| the postman.
1t ran as follows:
"MR. HENRY MAYNARD: We have recently
seen and admired painting of yours at Reau-
lard's, in your city. We understand the price
to be three hundred and fifty dollars. If you
will take that amount, hand this letter to
ReauIard in person, and he is authorized to
pay you the cash. Please also attach to the
canvas your own authors description OF
course, if ever You want to know the where
abouts of your work, you can apply to us.
Yours truly, LANG Il SABlEE."t
The bait took at once with Harry,
and within an hour he was off down to
Reaulard's with his authors descrip-
tom" and soon back with his money,
which, by the way, l had deposited with
Reaulard in the name of Lang e Sabine.
Mary's ultimate purpose being the
same as Harry's, the picture was brought
home that evening and placed face to
face with the other, meanwhile holding
the key to the store-room, lest either of
my fond tricksters should discover
the others mischievous game. Then,
with far from steady nerves, | nursed
the double secret, awaiting what the
story-tellers call the denoueme1st.
Harry was as brave as knight after
his sale, and | foresaw that what Mary
had alluded to on the occasion OF her
good luck was liable to occur at any
hour. The way seemed clear toboth
of them, and the last day of the old
year they came into my studio with ra-
diant faces. knew what it meant.
'"Well, children said |, "when is it
to be and where?"
Gay and sweet was the laugh they
gave me, and Harry replied:
eff acceptable to YOU and DR..
Chaplin, tomorrow at noon, right here,
where we first met"
'All right, my children" exclaimed
|, really much gratifed with the honor
thus conferred on my bachelor apart
| ments.
lam not writing simply to record a
wedding. The event got in the way
just here, and has to be made note of
ere the story can be finished.
The rest of that day and the morn
ing of the next was busily occupied in
making my place fittingly ready. At
half-past eleven dear old DR.. Chaplin
sauntered in, and exclaimed, with ar
lists and clergyman taste combined:
''Well, we'll, Doran, you have made a
wonderful scene of this! Why, it is
fit marriage hall for Prince or Pres
ident!"
BY twelve o'clock quite q group of
artist friends and others had gathered.
Soon a carriage stopped in 'front.' and a
moment later my pair of beloved ones
entered, but ''least said soonest men
ded,' and so | will not attempt de-
,scription. In his own inimitable man
ner DR.. Chaplin proceeded with the
brief ceremony, beautifully saying as
an introduction:
"You have already mixed the colors;
it remains for this hour to stretch the
canvas and place the easel; then,
through the hasting years you will de-
velop the varied piece entitled married
life" Then, in moment almost,
Harry and Mary were man and wife.
There was no wedding tour for the
happy couple; the honeymoon waxed
amid scenes of house-hunting and fur
nishing, and waned over the delights of
their first home. fl
A fat was taken, consisting of this
room and that and the other; they were
to do without q servant; meals were to
be sent up from below by the so-called
dummy; in short, everything was $50
nice" and $50 cosy" and all that.
Looking out on a small park, there
was, especially, a pair of large rooms
which they named the "studios;'' a
wide hall connected these and suitable
closets were attached.
just the thing for my surprise, y
whispered Harry in my ear, as we were
looking through the apartments; and
lust the place for my surprise whis-
pered Mary, as she had an instant's
chance out of his hearing.
Soon came the ''house-warming, an
evening arranged for their friends.
How neat and sweet all things looked!
A new ship ready for sea, the new
world in leafy, bloomy spring time, and
new home just prepared for its Adam
and Eve, are premium pieces worthy
of favorable mention. .iu.|f
The afternoon preceding the ''house-
warming" under direction in turn of
each of my trickster children, hung
the pictures, bought incognSto. Into
Harry's room and up on the best panel
of tb N II ,troot Mo.,.sa