The Mineral argus., 1885-04-30
NY WEDDING.

How Cupid ever managed to send
Stephen Barker after me never could
find out; but that is between them
selves, 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 fool
ish little feet. own that for day or
two the honor almost turned my head.
Then I began to consider. / had
loved Norman Strong ever since ! could
remember, and Norman had been my
friend when no one said 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 pro-
priety that wins our admiration and
awakens our hearty desire to get away
from il. / had small fortune Of $685.
900; that is, was to have il il ! remain
ell unmarried until was thirty five, or
il married before with my uncle's APP
proval.
Now, uncle did not approve Of Nor
man. In fact, uncle never approved Of
any ono that liked. But with Stephen
Barker disapproval was out Of tho ques-
ton. Stephen was the great man and
the good man Of our small town. To
have insinuated that Stephen was not
worthy Of o saint, q beauty and an
heiress united ould have been heresy
seriously affecting my uncle's social and
commercial standing. Stephen Bark
er's offer was therefore accepted. and the
next Sunday wa walked to church to-
gether.
After this public avowal of our intcn-
tiOns the marriage was considered in
evitable by every person but me. l
must do myself the justice to state that
l never regarded my engagement to
Stephen seriously, it was part of plan
to secure my happiness and rights. And
as Stephen fully coincidcd in it I do not
expect ccnsure from any else.
Think IL was no later than the thir.l
night after Stephen had spoken to my
uncle that frankly told him that
Thought ought not to marry him. He
asked me why, and ! said, "All my
life long, Stephen, l have been o crush.
ed. unhappy girl. l have been afraid
to speak, or laugh, or sing and no one
but Norman Strong ever said o kind
word to me until yOu came"
"And You love Norman?" he asked
bluntly.
So I answered: "Yes, love him and
ne loves me, and when he got the posi-
ton of cashier in your bank he wanted
to marry me. but uncle said we were
neither of us to be trusted with my
425 .OOO."
$50 you have t25, OOO."
Papa left me that much but Uncle
Miles can keep it until am thirty five,
unless I marry to please him, or unless
he is SO satisfied of my good sense that
he voluntarily gives it mp to me. He
will never do that"
Stephen was silent long time and
then he said, little sadly: "You are q
good girl to be 80 honest with me. II
your uncle could be made to give ur
your little fortune do you think you
conld use il wisely?"
IL could-with Norman to help me.
Then we, hal Q long conversation,
which it is not necessary for me to re-
peat; it will he understood by what fol-
lows. There was no change apparently
between Stephen and I. He behaved
exactly as lover of his ago and charac-
ter would be likely to behave. He
sent Aunt presents from his hot houses,
and he made me presents OF pretty jew
elry. He spent the evenings ut Uncle
Miles house, and sometimes we were
left alone together, and sometimes We
went out for walk. Norman came to
mo occasionally on "A Sunday night, and
nv aunt said he had really behaved
with more good sense than she expected.
] think she thought that if ] married
the banker it might not be bad thing
for my Cousin Malvina. who was very
plain, to marry the bankers cashier.
Everything went on with tho greatest
propriety. l had announced my inten-
tion to have an extraordinary trousscar
and this being q point on which aunt
could feel with me, the next -four
months were pleasantly spent in shop.
ping and sewing. Never in our little
town had there been seen such dozens
Of elegantly trimmed undergarments,
such lingerie, such hosiery. such mcrn-
ing dresses and evening costumes, such
wonderful boots and slippers and jew
elry. We held little receptions every
afternoon o month before the wedding,
and my wardrobe was laid out in the
best bedroom for comment and inspec-
ton.
II was about this time that Stephen