Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-01-18

blonde brows. sIt was Muriade /
wanted, not your money, Miss Della
vigue. Of course, if you chose to leave
it to us, after you had done with it. it
would have been very acceptable.
Ready cash always comes handy. Now,
you know that. Muriade, as well as /
do" in response to a warning gesture
from his fianeee; " but"
"Oh, Tom, you are such bunglerr'
said Muriade, half laughing, half cry
ing.
Well. perhaps I am," confessed
Tom. "But / want Miss Delavigue
to understand the whole thing. The
money is hers. and we don't grudge it
to her. And we're ready to work for
our own, aren't we, Muriade? I'm
not rich, but my office brings me a
thousand dollars year. and we're both
going to economize like everything
aren't we, Muriade? And Major Lark
ington's brick, and we hope you'll be
happy, exactly as we're going to be-"
And Tom Whitworth squeezed Miss
Delavigue's hand until the old lady
cried out for mercy.
"And now, aunt" said Muriade,
radiantly, "when is the wedding to
be? And why haven't you said any
thing about it before?"
Miss Delavigue hesitated little.
She blushed. Apparently she did not
know what to say on the spur Of the
moment.
"Well," she faltered, Major Lark
ington did say something about the
twentieth of December"
Christmas-time r exclaimed Muri-
ade. "Oh, Tom, how perfectly de-
ightfull Couldn't we manage to
have our wedding at the same time ?"
NO." said Tom, stoutly. "We
must be married on the first of Decem-
Der. You said we should, Muriade,
and you mustn't go back of your
word"
"But. Tom, it would only.be three
weeks"
"Three weeks or three days." stoutly
maintained Tom Whitworth, "you
promised me, and can't let you off, 2
Well, then, you obstinate fellow"
said Miss Vale, "we can be back from
our trip just in time to dance at Aunt
Delavigue's Wedding
agreed r said Tom, looking very
happy indeed.
Apparently the young couple were
in no wise discounted at the idea of
going to housekeeping on a capital of
love. and love alone.
Tom Whitworth began to look dill
gently around among dim. old auction
rooms and musty, secondhand stores,
to find something astoundingly cheap
and delightfully."- comfortable. where
with to garnish the small cottage
which he had decided to take a little
ont of town, so as to economic in the
article of rent.
And Muriade joined cooking class,
made herself bib-apron and began to
come down into Mrs. Delavigue's
kitchen to experiment in pies and pud-
dings. dainty little tea-biscuit, and salad
which might have tempted an an
chorite to break his VOWS.
And she studied up the question Of
polishing brasses, cleaning plate-giass,
mending china and darning tahls linen
with notable earnestness. And she
was more affectionate than ever with
her aunt.
Because she told Tom, there is
something SO pathetic about Aunt De
lavigue's happiness, coming SO
strangely in the autumn of her life.
And I'm afraid, Tom-now don't tell
anybody-that Major darlington is
only going to marry her for her money.
For he is certainly ten years young r
than she is, and he has only come from
Philadelphia once to see her since the
engagement"
"Love is like measles" said Tom,
philosophically. Every one has it
in different way"
While Miss Delavigue, who had been
judge and jury all by herself, at last
rendered the verdict to public con-
sisting of herself alone.
"They love each other, after all. Ny
money had nothing to do with it.
Tom loves Muriade, and Muriade has
not ceased to love her old aunt, now
that she no longer believes herself to
be an heiress. There is such thing
as honor, and truth, and real affection
in the world, after all"
The first of December came, ant
Miss Delavigue gave Muriade the
prettiest Of weddings. undcra marriage
bell Of white rose buds and smilax,
with IN artistic little deieuner. and she
went away in doye-colored silk dress,
with daisies in he hat.
But, aunt she said, its so
strange that Major darlington isn't
here Y
He couldn't come said Miss Della
yigue. He'll be on hand on The
twentieth. Mind you and Tom get back
in time' r
"Oh, well be sure to do that r said
Mnriade .And be sure, aunt. that