Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-06-20
THE BRIDEGROOM.

Flora Gage was tall and slender, and
shaped like Juno, with dark, wistful
Il eyes, and black, silk-soft tresses, and a
skin where the rosy blood glowed
through at every passing emotion Of her
4 mind loo beautiful, perhaps, for her
beauty had brought to her shrine the
IL frosty haired old lover whose gold had
at last purchased her. Il
Such good luck said Mrs. Gage.
81 aWhy, he's worth a quarter Of a mil
Gonl"
And he keeps such horses!" echoed
Mr.. Gage, rubbing his hands. Sim
very glad now that I never encouraged
s Fred Templeton. He's nice young
fellow enough for aught [ know, but I
don't believe he's got hundred dollars
ahead in the worldr' Xxi
But, papa, poor Flora had faltered,
$ K love him!"
.s "Flora," said her mother, solernnly,
you're talking in q very improper man
ner.H No well-regulated young woman
ever loves man until she is married to
him!" -ss@@r %.-.- a.
''I know / shouldn't love old Peclzley
ii / was married forty times over to
him!" audaciorsly rejoined Flora,
whereupon her papa and mamma cried
out: "Hush-sh- sh, "and Flora was "put
down" at once. ii.
Greatly" said Mr.. Gage, "Flora has
i behaved very well didn't think the
child had so much sense"
Erred Templeton was here this
morning." said Mrs. Gage, gloonily.
& 'SWell, let him come She'll be safe
ly married to Peckley by this time to-
morrow"
y "But they made an appointment to
go out to visit the haunted house by
moonlight this evening""
IT know it; but Peckley has gone
with them. Sly dog, that-sly old
dog!" and Mr.. Gage chuckled compla-
Gently.
While this conjugal tete- a-tete was
transporting at the Gage mansion the
bride-elect was wandering over the de-
serted rooms OF the old "haunted house"
n the valley below, with Fred Temple
ton ut her side and Philo Peckley trudg-
ing behind ~
ley, stopping to wipe bis damp brow.
for he had been walking briskly, al
though it was December day.
"Oh, there ca1, be no doubt about it, "
said Miss Gage. Nobody has occu-
!. pied the premises in twenty years. It's
ghost all in white that fits through the
upper room and wrings it's hands.
4"ShaIl we turn back ?" said Mr.. Tenn
2 pleton, quietly.
"Turn back! nonsensew cried Peck
ley, "Why, I'd as soon go over the
! whole house by myself as not"
Il Mot into the haunted garrett"
= tfWhat haunted garrett" demanded
peckley.
"Ehe garrett" said Templeton, with
great sole1nnity, ''where the ghost turks
among the ruinous beams, and where
strange sounds appall the chance
passer." 49,. y, 49,"
Mr.. Peckley's eyes sparkled.. He was
quite aware that he was rather LACKING
iii the romantic element-here was an
opportunity for him to outshine that
young scoundrel Of a Templeton.
"Colne on!" he cried, "you shall see
for yourselves! I'll go three times
around the garnet, all alone; you shall
hear the sound of my footsteps. Ghosts,
indeedl What nonsense"
"Well, if you really have courage--'
began Templeton.
Mr. Peckley's only reply was an up
ward scramble which made the ruinous
rounds of the ladder squeak violently.
But his blood chilled little, neverthe-
less, as he heard the retreating footsteps
Of Mr.. Templeton descending the lad
Z der. The huge beams of the garnet,
81 draped with waning festoons of cobweb
the vague, shimmering reflections OF
a che moonlight OH the floor, the mourn
full whistling of the winter wind through
E the chimney stacks, which rose up Like
a monster ,1iausoleum in the very CEN
ter Of the place, were none Of them of the
most mirth- inspiring order, and as Philo
stood with ichattering teeth in the mid.
n die Of the floor a huge black rat skur.
ried across, like. an imp of darkness.
close to his very feet. = Z III.
Three several times Mr.. Peckley
trotted round the garrett with starting
Z eyes, pallid cheeks, and ears that
"A fancied the shrek Of disembodied
wind! Then he fed precipitately5 to
the trap door, and stroye to pull ii
# up. g. g
But it would not yield to his strength.
Evidently ii was bolted or chained be.
low. Tenpleton! Tenn -ple-ton-n n
II Flora! Flora Gage! Hello-o-o, I say
And the echoes, weird and wild, re-
turned his outcry, and then there was a
,Io,,<
B MIR. Peckley scrambled to his feet and
/. ran to the end window, which com.
81 nlanded view Of the, road beyond III
I frozen river and belt of the leSflesa
3 h trees. There they were, Fred and
I Flora, arm in urn, descending the road
II as cozily as possible, while he-- Philo
peckley WAS barred and bo1ted
5 into the great garrett Of the haunted
d house!
s'No Mr., Pechey yet? And the
guests all here and the minister wait
ing and Flora ready dressed this hall
hour! y don't understand this ct all,
Mrs Gage -no, not at all |" II
Il ward, with Q face asred as . peony,
and decidedly apoplectic symptoms
about his eyes. II #.8 8s
/. Oh, dear" said Mrs. Gage, wiring,
ing her hands. 4 What shall we do
DO you suppose Philo Peckley has
cham ed his mind, Mr.. Gage ~ SIS
/. & Changed his mind, ma'am ~ The
peony red changed to q vivid purple.
Is l' 'ssA man change his mind about marrying
my daugh ter! H he has, ma'asn, il VII