Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-02-23
ried in her grandmother wedding

own"
"Old Mrs Captain Simon? Iremem-
,er her WE'LL A mighty fine woman. She
lever would have gone to the ends OF the
arth with missionary. It's the cra1lest
cheme l ever heard Of. y
/ began to fear should never get to
ny errand. IT,,
at was put out on the grass to bleach,
being n little yellow with age. 1t was Il
lovely embroidered India muslin that the |
old captain brought home from India
himself"
; s"How well / remember him in my boy
hood A jolly old soul grand
daughter of his to go off to the Cannibal
Islands to be eaten up by the savages !
won't have it -
"Her heart is set upon going" | con
tinued. 1.-The wedding gown was put out
to bleach, and this very afternoon those
Berkshire pigs of yours-they are NUS
ance to the whole neighborhood Major
trampled and rooted it to pieces, so that
it is utterly ruined"
Little black rascals, said the major
with chnckle behind his leckcloth.
"And | have come without her knowl-
edge, to tell you of it, because was sure
that under the circumstances agentleman
of your breeding would feel in honor
bound to make some reparation to Miss
Lydia"
The major unused and looked at his
boots for moment in silence.
Miss Grace" he said ut length, 81
thank you for the service you have rem
dered me in this matter Will You have
the goodness to say to Miss Ludkins,
with my compliments, that shall do my
self the honor to wait upon her tomorrow
at 10 o'clock, to adjust this unfortunate
matter? | beg in the meantime that she
will give herself as little solicitude as
possible, for though ] cannot restore the
ancient and venerable dry goods. ! will
do the best that is possible under the cir
cumstances to make the loss good.
He bowed over my hand, and the audi
encc was evidently concluded. Was ]
satisfied 4? No, indeed What woman
would not have felt wronged to be left at
the end of a mission Of disinterested ben
evidence in such state of doubt and I'M
certainty as this2 But l was obliged to
go home, nevertheless, and wait as pa
tiently aa could for the stroke of 10 next
morning.
Glory had been in hearing when the
message had been delivered to Miss Lyd-
DIV, and she too was on the watch. At
last she scudded in from the hedge, her
worries all glisten, and her eyes wide
open and full of rather incomprehensi-
bic mirth.
Hes COMM" she said ''and such
sight"
At that minute the gate clicked, and up
tho walk strobe, indeed, a most astonish-
ing figure. The major had gotten him
self up in n continental suit, which lie
must have fished ont of the unknown
depths Of the ancient attics of Hawthorn
dean; black velvet coat with lace ruffies
at the wrist, knee breeches, white satin
waistcoat, slippers with shoe buckles,
powdered wig and cooked hat. He was
six feet tall, portly and well formed, and
lie looked every inch signer of tue Dec
laration at the very least. He was
followed by his colored man, who carried
n large brown paper parcel.
"He's come courtn' missus,' said
Glory I'VE can see it in his face.
| ] had not the instinct of Glory, and
doubted but what his errand was was
dying to know.
But he disappeared into Miss LYDIA
parlor, and l was left outside to temper
my impotence as best | could. Present
| ly Glory entered on tiptoe.
"Missus, missus,' she whispered ; 'dc
dos SWING open jes de leas' crack an its
jess opposite lie big murror, an if ye
come out here in de hall We can see it all
in de murror as plain as day, an it's n
heap better'n n play"
II Was temptation, but believe me,
dear readers, resisted it. Only as Glory
ran back to her peeping, ! followed t.
pull her away and sent her out Of doors
that was simply my duty-and there he
was full on his knees before her, and she
with that wrapt, seraphic look upon hei
face which no woman wears except on the
most vitality interesting occasions. But,
GLORY disposed of, went back to my sew
I ing and waited as best ! could the con
clusiop Of the momentous interview. The
major came out at length, ms smiling as Il
May morning, leaving the brown paper
parcel behind him.
Ii was very still in Miss Lydia's room
i9r 4 quarter of an hour, and then she,
too, emerged frcm her retreat. Spread
over her hands was a gown OF cream col
ored broeade, embellished with the love.
hest roses in full bloom, with blue forget.
me-nots trailing here and there among
them. 1t had an ample waist, elbow
sleeves and train yard and hall
long.
my dear Grace" said she, ''the maiol
has brought me his mothers wedding
gown to be married in.
at is beautiful" | said "but who is
to be the bridegroom q
She smiled as angels do, and looked
afar a delicate flutter Of pink hung ont
in her cheek to deprecate her recreancy
as she whispered in o tone of gentle but
consummate triumph "Thc major him
self Didn't he look grand i'll his knee
breeches ?"
"And Mr.. Applebloom %
major Hawthorne will adjust that mat
ter"
THAT matter, indeed !" She spoke ai
though it were already us remote from
her as the pyramids.
Il congratulate you, Miss Lydia"
said, growing formal, for she had behaved
shamefully.
Don't bllme me-" she murmured
major Hawthorne declares he has love,
me since | was n child, but never though
himself worthy of me, the gay deceiver
and Mr.. Applebloom, you know, is onl.
the acquaintance Of day"
wanted to ask her how she had dis
posed OF her presentiment, but ! did no
dare
Major Hawthorne subscribed fifty dol
lars to the Micronesian mission, and sen
Mr. Applehloom elsewhere to look for
wife, and the verdict Of Balaam's Corner
was that he had done the handsome thing
Fore goodness y said Glory, sc
dare weren't n clar relation between den
pigs an Providence, den ] don't kno,
nothin'."
Miss Lydia took the same pious view G
the matter, and made the major the mos
dainty and dignilied of wives.