The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1883-09-22

Tom up and carried him into drug
store few doors off. They told as he
was only stunned, and would probably
be able to sit up in the course of hall
an hour. As he hadn't lived in town 8
week yet, nobody in the crowd knew
who he was, and so the burden of car
rying the dreadful knews to the wedding
party fell upon Claude and me. iiif.t
"It's five minutes to, eight now,n an
nounced my brother, nervously, as hav-
ing left word with the druggist that we
would soon be back with friends and q
carriage. we hurried off to the Episcopal
Church. "Cousin Tom was to be in
the vestry by this time, and, oh my!
won't it be awful to have Miss Lord
walk up the aisle on her fathers arm,
and then find nobody to marry herp''
"But, Claude" proposed, a bright
idea suddenly striking me, ''if we can
only get to the church soon enough to
see her drive up, we can tell her then,
and have the coachman keep right on
to the drug store .r
''The very thingr' cried Claude.
''Let's run for it." ,la IS H}ap''
And run we did, but, alas! arrived at
the church just in time to see the brides
carriage drive away from the awning
empty. =
We could hear the organ playing and
the people whispering that the process
sion would soon begin to move toward
the altar.
.'tOh, why don't they make sure Cous-
in Toms here first?n exclaimed, in
a whisper.
Perhaps they will, returned Claude.
cat any rate they ought to wait for us
to lead off, but, stop; I've got a plan,
and though it's kind of desperate
one, it II save Miss Lord having q
scene before everybody. I'll" and
he spoke the rest very softly in my ear.
''Why, Claude, dare youp' I cried,
under my breath. Sand do you know
how to do itP' ~ -
eyes, noticed the place when we
were in herewith the sexton. Now dc
you think you can get up close to Miss
Lord before 1 count twenty slowlyP"
nodded and hurried into the church
leaving Claude to take up his station il
dark corner of the vestibule. The
procession was evidently waiting fol
us, and as fast as j could squeezed {
way through the crowd to take my place
in front of the bride. She smiled when
she caught sight of me, and put out hel
hand. Then just as took it every light
in the church went out, and l knew
Claude had succeeded in his plan Of
turning off the gas.
"Don't be frightened, Miss Lord"
whispered, still keeping hold of her
hand, "but come out with me to the
carriage, because Cousin Toms hurt,
but not very bad, only he can't stand
up long enough to be married yet, and
= But I'll take you to him, right
away"
Well, she didn't scream nor say she
was going to faint, but just held on to
my hand tight, and let me lead her out
in the dark. We found Claude on the
sidewalk, holding the door of the car.
riage open; and ordering the coachman
(who looked as if he thought we were
clipping with the bride) to drive to the
drug store. We all three got in, and
were off before the people in the church
had chance to think of anything else
but the darkness into which they had
so suddenly been plunged.
"But-but did the electric fluid pui
out the lights in church," asked Miss
Lord, after we had explained to hel
about Cousin TOMS shock.
''Oh no; / turned off the gas" sait
Claude, promptly. ''Don't you thinl
it was good way to keep people from
staring at you and gossiping when they
found the groom didn't come?''
eyes, I see now, and l am sure an
very much obliged for your thoughtful
ness; but what will papa and mamma
think has become of me?n
"That's sol' I exclaimed. "We for
got all about that part of it. Stop the
carriage, and I'll run back" which
did, and found the church lighted uT
again, bigger crowd than ever inside
and Mr.. and Mrs. Lord rushing about
in every direction in search of theil
daughter.
was little frightened at first, but
remembering how much the bride had
been spared by our plan, l walked bold
ly up TO the distracted parents" and
began to explain the whole thing. Thil
took some time, but told the story al
| quick as could, and 1 had scarcely
| finished when back came the carriage
with Cousin Tom and Miss Lord botl
in it.
I jumped as if l had seen a ghost, ant
indeed Tom looked like one, but de
clared that he was every bit strong
enough to go through with the cere
mony. Miss Lord was already in he
mothers arms, and / was awfulll
afraid we'd have scene, after all, bu
luckily everybody thought it was be
cause the gas had gone out, and in tel
minutes they were safely married, an,
nobody out of the family the wiser
Hdrper's Young People.
"A schoolmistress of Yreka, Cal.