Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-14
MY WEDDING.

aiter me never could uno out; out That Ii
between themselves, and is none Of my bust
ness. man good enough for Elizabeth and
Janet, and all such ornaments to their sex, to
lay his honest heart at my foolish little feeu I
own that for day or two the honor almost
turned my head.
Then I began to consider. had loved Nor
man 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 proprfety
that wins admiration and awakens our
hearty desire to get away from it. I had a
small fortune OF 81 5000; that is, I was to have
it if l remained unmarried until I was
thirty-fve, or If I married BEFORE Uith my
uncle's approval.
Now, uncle did not approve Of Norman 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 a saint, beauty and an heiress
united would have been q heresy seriously
affecting my uncles social and commercial
standing. stephen Barker's offer was there
fore accepted, and the next Sunday we walked
to church together.
After this public avowal Of our intentions the
marriage was considered inevitable by every
person but me. must do myself the justice to
state that L never regarded my engagement to
stephen seriously; it was part Of plan to Sc
cure my happiness and rights. And as Stephen
fully conceded in 1t do not expect censure
from any else.
think it was no later than the third night
frankly told him that / thought I ought not to
marry him. He asked me why, and said, "Au
y l1e long, Stephen have been crushed
laugh, or sing, and no one but Norman Strong
ever said kind word to me until you came
And you love Norman" he asked bluntlv.
So answered.: ayes, l love him, and he loves
me, and when he got the position of cashier
In your bank he wanted to marry me, but
with my S25 600"
$50 you have $25, 0O0?'
Papa left me that much; but Uncle Miles can
keep it until am thirty-hve, unless marry to
please him, or unless he is SO satisfied Of my
good sense that he voluntarily givesit up to me-.
He will never do that"
stephen was silent a long time, and then he
said, little sadly; "You are good girl to be so
honest with me-: II your uncle could be made
could use it wisely?"
~ could-with Norman to help me-"
Then we had long conversation, which it IL
stood by what foioWs TRere Wa @ NO De CHANGE
apparently between stephen and 1. He be-
acter would be likely to behave. He sent aunt
presents of pretty jewelry. He spent the even
were left alone t togetS and We
went out for walk. Norman came to nae oc-
easionally on asunday night and my aunt said
than she expected. 1 think she thought that
II | married the banker it might not be bad
thing thing for t my Cousin h a. Malvina, who was very
Everything went on with the greatest pro-
priety had announced my intention to have
point on which aunt could feel with me, the
next TOUR months were pleasantly spent in
had there been seen such dozens Of elegantly
trimmed undergarments, such nngerte such
hosiery, such morning dresses and evening
afternoon month before the wedding and my
wardrobe was laid out in the best bedroom for
comment and inspection.
1t was about this time that Stephen Barker
said to my uncle: 81 understand Frances has
S25, 200. wish her to have 1t SO settled en- her
self, and for her Own absolute use, that I pro
pose, Mr.. Miles, if you are willing, to add
$4,000 to it, and buy for her the Stamford es-
tate. 1t is only three miles from here, the house
is very fine one, the land excellent and then
whatever changes come, it secures her q compe-
tency, for as soon as the railway is finished it
VIII III De worth double What do you say?"
Il think your offer extremely generous, Mr.
Barker, and of course for such purpose am
willing to hand over to you at once Frances
fortune. The interest has been applied to her
own use always. VIII you look at the accounts"
"Your word is sufficient, Mr.. Miles"
So in about two weeks the transfer was safely
estate were firmly and surely made oyer to
Frances Halliday, spinster, Tor her and her heirs
strongly as I thought right stephens git of
$4,000, and his subsequent outlay of 81 ,0OO on
furniture; but both uncle and aunt said that
his means, and that it would be affectation to
oppose IL, And really Stephen managed the
whole affair with such fatherly kindness and
thoughtfulness that could not bear to oppose
him.
AT length the wedding day drew near. It had
we were to leave for New York immediateIy
after the ceremony. Cousin Jose, who had pre-
pared himself TO look down on all the world
This showed in Jose q very forciyfng spirit.
seeing that he had once looked on me and my
81 600 with affection, and had not appreeia
interesting epoch, and came benignly to bless
my venture. He brought me as a present
in seedpearis He had oer sdS me # e ons
before, with his affections and his manse, and
had then refused it: took 1t this time.
1t helped to swell the List of my presents, and
they certainly made a goodly show. Ftst,
there was the Stamford estate from my father
and do Stephen Barker, and the settled bin for
had sent to make the old rooms pretty and com
Portable Uncle gave me set of silver, and
care to send to Stamford before my wedding
day. Ny cousins and aunts and friends gave
me all sorts OF jewelry and pretty personal
the half-dozen trunks which were already
corded and directed two days before the mar.
riage day.
For Stephen had proposed to send all nv
trunks to our New York hotel two days before
we left, in order that We might have no concern
about them, and that might be sure to have
ali wanted on my arrival. ] opposed this plan
at first, but aunt said it was "efn2pently proper
and thoughtful" So all my wardrobe except
my wedding dress and travelling suit arrived
at the 5th-avenue hotel New York, on the last
day OF my maiden life.
Norman Strong called that night and was In
remarkably high spirits. He wished me every
happiness, and was very attentive to Malvina
Aunt thought his behavior charming-so un-
seldsh-and was also very well satisfied with It,
said my aunt, as babe her good night: "the
hair dresser comes at $50 :"
said: very well, aunt" and went to nv
room. The first thing I did was to pack nv
wedding-dress in as small compass as possible
and then put on my travelling costume. This
heard the signal l watched for I went softiy
down stairs, unlocked the back door and walked
out. Norman was there. We did not speak
until we were outside the grounds There a
buggy waited, and We drove rapidly to q main
line about three miles OF. Here we caught the
O'Clock express, and were safe In New York
and very respectfully married by 10 o'clock. NV
trunks, which had arrived the day before were
then re-directed for WASHINGTON and affer dc.
hcious little wedding breakfast-all BY our.
selves-we left for that city.
III, IN the meantime there was trouble enough In
Milford; Our flight was not discovered TIT near
O'Clock, and then Uncle Miles sent word at
once to Stephen Barker, who secluded himSelf
for that day entirely. My aunt and couoin's
chagrln and disappointment were very great
In fact, when considered the amount OF con.
felt that for all the sights and scorns OF INV
unlOved girhOod could cry Quits Andf haS