Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-02-22

brasses and q rare thirteenth century hagio-
scope, which might have been a kaleido-
scope, for all that Art knew of its ,sses-and
the exploring party wound up at the vestry.
This was a vaulted octagonal stone cham
ber. Mysterious doors led from it into dark
passages; through the dusty ivy that occa.
sionally tapped and tapped against the wire
guarded, stained glass, the sun just managed
to struggle in colored shafts Of light, full Of
dancing notes; the very surpiice that hung
on its peg in the corner looked like q ghost
1t was queer place altogether.
"And where does that go to, rrayr said
Art pointing to low wooden door thckly
studded with nails, to reach which cne had
to descend three, much worn stone steps.
That's tho penitentiary; you see, it would
have been no use setting impositions to the
old friars who spent all their days writing
Latin, and precious bad Latin, too," said the
vicar, "ani they did all their swishing them.
selves; so when they were in disgrace or
shirked the Second Lesson, you know" tart
nodded, he did know cor went out of
bounds the abbott used to bottle them up
in there for bit till they were sadder, and
wiser, and hungrier monks. Like a peepgH
and he opened the door.
| In the gloom Art could Just make out
table, on which stood a decanter of sherry
] and box of Abernethy biscuits.
| Heavy work of a morning sometimes
said the vicar, laughingly, "when the font
is as full as a pool Of trout, and the couples
are sorting themselves in pairs to be mar.
| ried afterward Take carel il you bang
that door you'll never get out as it shuts
with a snap, and takes two keys to open.
Fancy being shut up with the spirits Of all
the erring friars who dolefully counted the
/ tha,,- IL. hos y
Art was glad enough to get back to the
vicarage, and felt better after lunch and
big cigar. Suddenly he bethought himself
of his duties.
Goodbye" said the vicar; @keep uI
heart, and when it's all over, you and viii
| 60 a-fisbing together up north. It's a theo-
logical pastime, you know, from primitive
time" Then Lord Art laughed as he got
into his cab, and there was a mischievom
| twinkle in his eyes as he drove off Proba.
bly, he was thinking Of the old frairs.
1t was very quiet wedding, indeed,
only attended by the near friends of the
parties" as the papers say. The bride
arrived at half past 10 with her bridesmaids,
consisting of her sisters and the poetical
young lady who had been on the coach, and
! of whom Harry was, curiously enough, very
fond She looked properly pale and inter
esting, as, leaning on her fathers arm, she
swept up the aisle Of St Dunstan's-an oper
alton, by the way, which the old lady in the
black bonnet and shawl who ushered them
in had previously performed that morning.
The gallant admiral looked fierce, as was his
wont when happy, ani glanced about him
with a sort of six dozen all round" look on
his face. The gentleman at the organ played
beautiful musician orange-blossom motif Of
his and fha Rev Rnhorf
awaited the party within the rails But
there was gap, curious hiat1s, on the
clergy mans left Could it be possiblei The
admiral fired bro ,dsides Of fierce looks about
him, the bride ID )ked bewildered, the gentle
man at the organ pulled out all the stops al
Gnre to cover the hitch; but there was nc
loubt about 1.-THE bridegroom was keeping
the stage waiting The little old lady with
the black bonnet dived into the vestry like
rabbit. and returned, after an interval,
with Lord Arthur Lanton, the younger, and
with him alone.
The best man held hurried conference
with the startled group.
Il certainly saw him a quarter Of an hour
ago; then left the vestry for a moment to
speak about the carriages, and when l re-
turned he wasn't there. It's very strangel"
There was much murmuring and consulta.
ton, during which the poetical bridesmaid
looked at the best man and his gardenia,
and whispered to the startled sisters,
"'Twere better 10y far
To have matched our fair cousin with
Young Lochinvar."
But no bridegroom, dangling his bonnet
and plume" or his Lincoln & Bennett waa
TO be found high or low. The time was ebb-
ing fast and then the admiral lifted up his
voice, and gave utterance to strange words
not understood of the many, and the ancient
mariners eye glittered wickedly, and he
roundly swore that his girl should be mar
ried. "Send out and scour Londonl Where's
the lubber shirkingl String me up at the
steepie if she goes back from church,"
"She shan't go back to church." said the
best man quietly and gravely at was my
duty to bring the bridegroom here, and as
he is not here, it's my bounden duty to pro-
vide substitute for him"
You will observe there was q touch of the
Gilbertian ethics about this self sacrificing
young man
"Righs, sir, by Gadl but where is the SUBJ
stitutel My daughter was to marry Lord
Arthur Lanton, and"
"And il you will accept him she will
marry HIM, said the slave Of duty with a
longing glance at the bride to whom he said
a half dozen words in q whisper.
spoken like a Briton, siri" almost roared
the admiral "She is yours if she consents"
"As it is your wish, dear father" meekly
murmured the bride: and then the vicar has
little to say. Had the banns been put upi
How could he perform the ceremony thus |
abruptly?
"Here, reverend SIR said the best man,
"is a special license, directing you to marry |
Lord Arthur Lanton, Of the Regency man
sions, to this lady, and that is my name and
address," and then he produced a document |
bearing q red seal, and before the mystic |
ED. Cantuar," the Rev. Robert Cantley |
naturally felt it incumbent upon him las In |
cumbent of ST. Dunstan's-in the Lane) to do |
his duty, and he promptly, and without fur. !
ther protest, married the handsome pair be- |
fore him |
There was pleasant little breakfast, at |
which the bride looked bright and the bride |
groom brave, and the admiral blended
blessings and round dozens in his speech; |
and have heard that they were all very |
happy, and that when the bride was dress |
ing to go away, she whispered to the poeti- |!
cal bridesmaid, Il shall be in no hurry to re- |
turn home, dear; and, Of course, I'll write to |
You every day, and send me some cake to |
Paris" |
And below Art waited for her, with the |
few astonished guests; and in q moment |
they were driven of. with much joy in their |
young hearts and much rice down their |
young necks
As to how it all came out am not quite |
certain.
The Rev. Bob is won't to declare that he |
got telegram from Dover that afternoon |
bidding him Look after the friarl" Other |
folk say he knew all about it; but this he |
stoutly denies. At all events, he and the |
little old lady jointly and severally discov-
cred that evening the Abernethy biscuit, |
one decanter that had once contained |
sherry, and one Malvolo-like old gentleman |
fast asleep in the refractory friars' peniten-
tiary of St Dunstan's.
There was a nine days laugh, of course.
Lord Malvolio bore it with Lyceum-like |
grimneSs, and now swears he was well out of |