Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-03-20
A COMMERCIAL EPISODE.

A COMMERCIAL EPISODE.
A sound Of rcvelry. but not BY night.
The clock has Just struck twelve. and
the sun Is shining vertically up0n the
pretent;ous roof that houses Mr.
Humphrey Da-ison and family. Be-
reztk that roof ara now complete the
extensive preparations for the marriage
ceremony that Is 70 make the cnly
daughter Of the house Mrs Thomas
Winfield. The parlor Is full Of guests;
the perfume Of an elaborate fOral dec
orzfion pcrvades everything. and from
cerzsin quarters Of the tabiishEaent
proceed the saF0rr odors of \ spread
fezst- for the wedding Is 70 be an event
Upstairs. IN the d0wny environment
Of her own apartment stznds the pivot
Of occasion in bridal arrsy- The
toilet Is marvel in its way. frzil en-
bssdimenf Of monumental expense znd
labor. rs such fhings are apt % be- but
petite Miss Alice IS 50 beautiful in II
that only ehErl could bewail either ex-
pense or labor IN the presence of such =
result She Is surrounded by bevy Of
ndmiring friends Of the same sex who
chatter incessantly. and manifest their
anxious interest BY sundry little touches
here and there upon Feil OF drzperT. for
the groom has not ye- arrived
Presently if i qua ter past the hour
and he has not come vet. but 20 account
Is taken Of this circumstance for who
ever heard Of . wedding being cele-
brafed with anything Ike percision in
rennrd 70 timcs
Uncle PeTt1n pauses at the door 10
remark IN socnlar vein thaf his '-seems
to be one of the occasions when We
1inger ssirering on the brink and fear
TO launch awag, and 70 deliver him
self Of numerous malign prophecies that
are fatty confradicfed by the look of af-
fecsionafe interest and unqualified ad-
miration in his eyes
Another quarter slips away II Il
now half-past twelve and still the delin-
qusrt does not sppear- Up the broad
stairway GENES the murmur Of impa-
fienf expectancy. and the face under
the filmy while veil wears 4 shade of
Texzts0n- When II Is nearly one o clock
Mr. Dawson comes % the door and
softly calls his vie IN she hall out
side fsey hold n cs,isultzfi0n. snd
Alice, With alert eyes upon their faces.
aivires that something IS wrong. In a
moment she has separated the crowd
about her Ike IN arrr-v. and Il before
them demanding The latest intelligence.
whzferer Il may be. 1T Is postponed,
my deer,r sass her mother. choking.
That's II. nv dear-posrpOned.'
echces her father, rs he Stands absenfly
twirIing crsrmpled note around his
finger
Alice sees the note. and before be can
prevent he-. has taken IL She opens Il
Eifh brsafhless eagsrness- II Is soon
read, and runs thus.
Il can't do II. uncle-nur for twice your
fortune ! have seeE ner. and wonder thar
yUu could ever ask Il uf me Doae you please
wirk the m7ney- Tn or Your aTfeciionafe
nephew. T.W
X is malicious. inhuman, crushing.
Why did he wait until this moment
She turns back to the room with 4 white
face. throws herself upon the lourge in
reckless disregard Of Covers and per
ishzbIe confections. and lies there with
her face buried in the pillow in an
sgony ef humiliation
BYe-and-bye the situation is commu-
ricalcd 10 the assembled friends, who
take their leave. marvel:ng greatly. and
90 home 10 speculate ter DAYS with
greater or less accuracy upon all that
has nos been given them % know
Where a few hours ago there was
laughter. congratulafian and anticipa-
ton, ali is now sorrOw. indignation and
resentment There is mcckery in the
flowers scattered everywhere. and hir-
ter. intoierable remembrance in the
0dor of baked meats.
The afternoon passes, and still Alice
lies with her face among the pillows.
thinking how il must al come out
finally; how everybody vii know abOut
thsf brutal note. and how they win pity
her. She wishes she might die now. so
that the time would never come for her
70 lift up her head aud face the world.
with is knowledge OF this dreadful
STAR. and its sOul-s;ckening coma
miserafiOn- 0ne thought is always
uppermosf. 20 fiy from the scene Of her
humiliation and the Officious sympathy
Sf her friends Filial ties. luxurious
surroundings. the Perils and harlships
of fight. every consideration whafsO-
ever dwindles into inrisibiiify in the
presence Of this great indignify- Her
mother comes and sits BY Ter. and. after
several hours of remonsirance and
persuasion. induce her 10 60 to bed.
but when she comes in the morning.
hoping TO see her somewhat soothed.
she finds only an empty room and a
hasty note
Il IS seven q m. and the mammoth
retail dry-go0ds h0ase of Gray q
Gordon begins 10 show signs of life
without and within For the last half
hour a continuous stream of statesmen.
shop-girIs and cash-boys have been
pouring into the great building ike so
nlsnv swallows into = ch. .mncv, but
fhaf Il is the wrong tine IN the day
Shades are raised. covers taken Of, and
simultaneously in every part of the
house beg'ns n vigorous dusting and
putting 20 rights
The new cashier. Young man with
fine ewes and a pleasant manner. who
has been some three weeks n the esfab-
zshmenf. cDmes in and goes behind ms
de~k. As he dnes so he notices that
there is a new girl a the glOvs,cuunte-
;usf opposite Orlv her head Is visible
above the pile Of boxes she is dusting.