Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-07-25

u She couldn't be. =" said 8Irs. Seely dis
mally.
There was a roll of wheels, and the
twinkle Of the carriage lamp at the door.
and the bell rang sharply.
Kitty and Margery clasped hands in
sympathetic agitation; Mr.. Seely dropped
his paper and rose. and Mrs. Seely ad-
vanced toward the open hall door with
dignity.
| it opened wide before she reached it, and
Harvey entered, lis face sutfllsed with
genial, bligsful smiles.
This is my wife" hesaid proudly; my
mother. Dora: my father my sisters, Kitty
and Margery.'
And with caressing touch. he took by
the hand and led forward among them
What?
Mr.. Seelv gazed at the apparition with
staring ewes : Mrs. Seelv dropped the hand
| she had started to hold ont. with her face
| growing ashy, and Kitty and Margery
gasped.
For what they saw was a woman Of APP
| parently forty years, with face powdered
and painted IN the most unbiushlng man
ncr, with thin gray hair crimped over Il
| wrinkled forehead in sickening afectation
of youthfulness and with q diminutive,
/ gaily- trimmed bonnet perChed thereon +;
with an affected, mincing gait and Il
simpering smile.
| This is my wife, Harvey repeated ;
have you no welcome for her.
The bride Uttered.
"Mebby they think I amt good enough
| for EN-. my dear" she observed tartly.
Impossible, my pet, Harvey responded,
and patted her falsely blooming cheek
atiectionately: "besides, il you Were but q
shadow-a caricature OF your beautiful
self-they would not have been surprised.
! They were prepared for the worst
| He looked at his Mortified relatives mean
! ingly
| The truth of his words flashed over them
y es. they all had said repeatedly that " it
could not be worse. But this wretched
| wrinklel. bedizened creature-had they
| dreamed Of this?
Harvey watched them with an undis-
turbed SInile-his father turning away at
last and rubbing his forehead with his
handkerchief weakly: Mrs. Seely gazing at
her daughter-in-law with dreadful fasci-
nation, and the girls sinking into chairs in
dismayed silence.
Well, mother said Harvey, lightly,
d" of course new addition to the family is
an object of interest: but don't forget that
l have an appetite, and getting married has
rather improved it, Take off your bonnet,
my own. Here. Kitty -
Kitty came forward with a set face and
tightly-clasped lips TO receive the marvel
Gus combination OF beads and silk flowers
held out 10 her with a diSgristcag air of
sprightlineSs. She was afraid 10 trust her
self to speak.
Poor Mrs. Seely, sick at heart had made
her way to the bell and rang it, and dinner
being ready, they came down presently.
Turtle soup" the bride observed, look
ing round the table with girlish smile;
amt nothing admire so, Just pass that
celery. father-in-law Delicious amt it.
darling
Extremely, my dear" said the bride
groom. complacently.
Ignorant and vulgar What dreadful
thing would they discover next?
1t was an evening they never forgot. The
unfortunate parents SAT with pale faces and
unsteady hands staring into their plates, or
looking at each other with fresh horror at
each simpering, senseless, ungrammatical
remark of their terrible daughter-in-law
Kitty and Margery excused themselves
during the second course. and flew 10 their
rooms to cry themselves to sleep. in an
agony of dismay and modification.
" | shant think Of setting up. said the
bride. rising from the table with an apollo
getic giggle, and bowling herself towards
lle QOOF- l III 100 Npiii Out. II an DOUh
calls-of course. everybody will-just tell
EN- I'll see en- tomorrow Come on.
dear
And she tripped up stairs, with juven-
lie nod over her shoulder, and with her
beaming young husband following.
Mrs Seely wrlyng her hands despair
we said il could not be worse, she said,
family But this. How shall we endure
it?"
Il shall not endure it, said her hus-
band his face had grown almost careworr
during the last two hours. II shall send
them packing tomorrow: and if he ever
enters my house again
He brought his hand down on the table
threateningly.
But that will not help matters, said
his wife, miSerably. He is ruined; we
are disgraced and everybody will know it,
There was q silence.
:" had pictured her to myself, said Mrs.
Seelv. beginning to sob, " as a young girl
a person of suitable age for my poor mis-
Guided boy decently educated, and at least
a lady. And even then I did not doubt
that it was such q one he had chosen. l
thought myself the most unhappy creature
in the world, because she had not wealth
and an old name. Surely It is judgment
upon Us. On, vas tIcic eNti ~ u ttIul III
a thing
Probably not. said her husband,
grimly.
1t was 4 solemn group which waited in
the dining-room next morning for the APP
pearance of the newly-Wedded couple.
Mr.. Secly stood in front of the fireplace
watching the door with a stern face. He
was master in his own house at least and
he was determined that it should not be
disgraced 10y his sons wife fer another
hour.
"Please get them away before anyone
comes, papa, said Kitty 1t would be
dreadful i anybody were to see her.
Dreadful Margery echoed. with a
groan.
There were footsteps on the stairs.
Mrs. Seely turned with shiver. and the
The door opened