Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-03-14
A COMMERCIAL EPISODE.

A COMMERCIAL EPISODE.
A sound of revelry, but not by night.
The clock has just struck twelve, and
the sun is shining vertically upon the
pretentious roof that houses Mr..
Humphrey Dawson and family. Be-
meath that roof are now complete the
extensive preparations for the marriage
ceremony that is to make the only
daughter OF the house Mrs. Thomas
Winfield. The parlor is full of guests;
the perfume of an elaborate floral dec
Grafton pervades everything; and from
certain quarters of the establishment
proceed the savory odors of spread
feast; for the wedding is to be an event.
Upstairs, in the downy environment
OF her own apartment, stands the pivot
of the occasion in bridal array. The
toilet is a marvel in its way; q frail en-
bodiment of monumental expense and
labor. as such things are apt to be, but
petite Miss Alice is so beautiful in 1t
that only churl could bewail either ex-
pense or labor in the presence of such n
result. She is surrounded by bevy of
admiring friends of the same sex, who
chatter necessarily, and manifest their
anxious interest by sundry little touches
here and there upon veil or drapery, for
the groom has not yet arrived.
Presently it is quarter past the hour
and he has not come yet, but no account
is taken of this circumstance, for who
ever heard Of wedding being cele-
brated with anything like percision in
regard to timer
Uncle Peyton pauses at the door to
RI in inn,,lar. vain, that tl,o
to be one of the occasions when we
Ginger shivering on the brink and fear
to launch away " and to deliver him
self OF numerous malign prophecies that
are fatty contradicted by the look of af-
fectionate interest and unqualified adj
miration in his eyes.
Another quarter slips away. 1t is
now half-past twelve and still the delin-
quent does not appear. Up the broad
stairway comes the murmur of impa-
tient expectancy, and the face under
the tilmy white veil wears shade OF
vexation. When it is nearly one clock
Mr.. Dawson comes to the door and
softly calls his wife In the hall out
side they hold consultation, and
Alice, with alert eyes upon their faces,
divines that something is wrong. In a
moment she has separated the crowd
about her like an arrow, and is before
them demanding the latest intelligence,
whatever it may be. sit is postponed,
my dear" says her mother, choking.
THAT'S it, my dear--postponed, >"
echoes her father, as he stands absently
twirling q crumpled hote around his
finger.
Alice sees the note, and before he can
prevent her, has taken it. She opens it
with breathless eagerness. 1t is soon
read, and runs thus:
~ can't do 1t, uncle-not for twice your
fortune. have seen her. and wonder that
you could ever ask 1t of me. Doas you please
nephew, Il. W."
1t is malicious, inhuman, crushing.
Why did he wait until this moment?
She turns back to the room with white
face, throws herself upon the lounge in
reckless disregard of flowers and per-
ishable confections, and lies there with
her face buried in the pillow in an
agony of humiliation.
Bye-and-bye the situation is commu-
nicated to the assembled friends, who
take their leave, marveling greatly, and
60 home to speculate for days with
greater or less accuracy upon all that
has not been given them to know.
Where few hours ago there was
laughter, congratulation and anticipa-
tion, all is now sorrow, Indignation and
resentment. There is mockery in the
flowers scattered everywhere, and bit
ter, intolerable remembrance i'm the
odor of baked meats.
The afternoon passes, and still Alice
lies with her face among the pillows,
thinking how it must all come out
hnally; how everybody will know about
that brutal note. and how they will pity
her. She wishes she might die now, so
that the time would never come for her
to lift up her head and face the world,
with its knowledge of this dreadful
affair. and its soul-sickening com
miseration. One thought is always
uppermost, to fly from the scene of her
humiliation and the officious sympathy
OF her friends. Filial ties, luxurious
surroundings, the perils and hardships
OF flight, every consideration whatso-
ever dwindles into inyisibility in the
presence OF this great indignity. Her
mother comes and sits by her, and, after
several hours of remonstrance and
PSiSu'oioh, ipuu'So HcT 10 20 10 DeQ,
but when she comes in the morning.
hoping to see her somewhat soothed,
she finds only an empty room and
has.y note
1t is seven a. m. and the mammoth
retail dry-goods house of Gray q
Gordon begins TO show signs of life
without and within. For the last half
hour continuous stream of salesmen,
shop-girls and cash-boys have been
pouring into the great building like SO
many swallows into chimney. but
that 1t is the wrong time in the day.
Shades are raised, covers taken of. and
simultaneously in every part of the
house begins a vigorous dustlng and
putting TO rights.
The new cashier, young man with
fine eyes and pleasant manner, who
has been some three weeks in the estab-
lishment. comes in and goes behind his
desk. AS he does SO lie notices that
there is new girl at the gloye-counter
just opposite. Only her head is visible
above the pile OF boxes she is dusting.
y ~ orowRsd With yeargold hair, and