Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-03-04
MY WEDDING.

How Cupid managed to ndStephen
Barker after me [ never could find out;
but that is between themselves, and
Is none of my business. A man good
enough for Elizabeth and Janet, and
all such ornaments to their sex, to lay
his honest heart at my foolish little
feet! | own that for a day or two the
honor almost turned my head.
Then [ began to consider. [ had
loved Norman Strong ever since
could remember, and Norman had
been my friend when no one said a
kind word to me. The case stood
thus: | was an orphan, left to the
care of an uncle and aunt remarkable
for that kind Of propriety that wins
our admiration and awakens our
hearty desire to get away from it.
had q, small fortune of $25, 900; that
Is was to have it if | remained I'M
married until | was thirty-fve, or if [
married before, with my uncle's ap-
proval.
Now, uncle did not approve of Nor
man. In fact, uncle never approved
of any one that | liked, But with
Stephen Barker disapproval was out
Of the question. Stephen was the
great man and the good man of our
small town. To have insinuated that
Stephen was not worthy of saint, a
beauty and an heiress united would
have been a heresy seriously affecting
my uncle'S social and commercial
standing. Stephen Barker's offer was
therefore accepted, and the next Sun
day we walked to church together.
After this public avowal of our in
tentions the marriage was considered
inevitable by every person but me- /
must do myself the Justice to state that
[ never regarded my engagement to
Stephen seriously; it was part of
a plan to secure my happiness and
rights. And as Stephen fully coincid-
ed in it | do not expect censure from
any else.
| think it was no later than the
third night after Stephen had spoken
to my uncle that | frankly told him
that | ought not to marry him. He
asked me why, and | said, "All my
life long, Stephen, have been a crush
ed unhappy girl. [ have been afraid
to speak, or laugh, or sing and no one
but Norman Strong ever said a kind
word to me until you came"
''And you love Norman?" he asked
bluntly.
SO | answered.: eyes, Hove him and
he loves me, and when he got the po-
sition of cashier in your bank he
wanted to marry me, but uncle said
we were neither of us to be trusted
with my $25, 900"
$50 you have S25, O0O?"
Papa left me that much; but
Uncle Miles can keep it until..I am
thirty-fve, unless [ marry to please
him, or unless he is so satisfied of my
good sense that he voluntarily gives
it up to me, He will never do that"
Stephen was silent a long time, and
then he said, q little sadly: ''You are
a good girl to be so honest with me. If
your uncle could be made to i've up
your little fortune do you think you
could use it wisely?"
Il could-with Norman to help
me-"
Then we had long conversation.
which it is not necessary for me to re-
peat; it will be understood by what
follows. There was no change ap-
parently between Stephen and |. He
behaved exactly as a lover of his age
and character would be likely to be-
have. He sent aunt presents from his
lighthouses, and he made me presents
of pretty jewelry. He spent the even
ing at Uncle Miles house, and some
times we were left alone together, and
sometimes we went out for a walk
Norman came to me occasionally on a
Sunday night, and my aunt said he
really behaved with more good sense
than she expected. Think she thought
that if l married the banker it might
not be bad thing for my Cousin
Malvina, who was very plain, to marry
the bankers cashier.
Everything on with thegreatest
propriety. | had announced my in
tention to have an extraordinary
trousseau, and this being point on
which aunt could feel with me, the next
four months were pleasantly spent in
shopping and sewing. Never in our
little town had there been seen such
dozens of elegantly trimmed under
garments. such lingerie, such hosiery.
such morning dresses and evening cos
TUNES, such wonderful boots and slip
pers and iewelry. Weheld little recep-
lions every afternoon month hefore
the wedding, and my wardrobe was