Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1885-11-19
stIfied with indignation and anger.

Scarcely con scious OF where / was GO
ing, wandered among the trees some
distance down toward the gate. When
coming suddenly out upon the drive ]
found myself directly in front of Mr..
Wells, who was slowly driving out.
Politely lifting his hat, he stopped his
horse for me to pass, but I found il
utterly impossible to move step with
out first giving vent to some OF my an
CRY feelings.
"Sir," / said, marshaling nv courage
and endeavoring to appear undismayed,
rs it indeed possible that you are so
lost to every manly sentiment of regard
for the esteem and respect of your fell
low beings as to compel woman to
marry you, and that when you know she
abhors the very ground you walk upon
You know as well as / can tell you that
Nellie and John love each other dearly,
and II she were married to you q thou
sand times, she will always love him
just the same"
With that was satisfied. and with
out waiting for reply L rushed back
into the house. Uncle and Nellie were
bending over Aunt Margaret, who had
swooned away. When at last she re-
turned to consciousness, it seemed as il
she would break her heart with weep
ing, first about Joe then about Mel.
lie. But Nellie kept up so bravely and
tried hard to appear as il she didn't
think it would be much of sacrifice
after all, that gradually we all grew
calm and began to make ready for the
wedding. What mockery it was 1
thought, but something must be done to
make things look q little cheerful.
gathered some fresh flowers for the
vases and arranged things about the
house with as much neatness and care
as my dropping spirits would permit of.
Promptly at 8 o'clock there came q
knock at the door. We were all stand
ing around in Aunt Margaret's room
looking as wretched as possible, Nellie,
dressed in plain white muslin, trying
to look cheerful, but making miserable
failurc--when, to our great surprised
Mr.. Wells, unannounced, walked intd
the room, accompanied by lls nephew,
John Atherleigh.
"Miss Nellie" he began, without
waiting to be spoken to, my feeling !
have undergone great change since l
saw you this afternoon partly. owing to
a certain little affair. You can as
your Cousin Margie here about it soms
time. But my feelings have been Sd
greatly changed that should not be
even willing to marry you now. OF
course / haven't been blind to the fact
that You and John have loved each 9TH
er all along; and now if you are willing
to exchange grooms, why it will all b
right. 1 couldn't think of having a
wife who would be in love with young
scape-grace like this as long as she
lives. / have made over deed of the
place equally divided between You and
John. 1t shall be bridal present from
the old uncle. / am able to give it you
know. Now are you willing to make
the exchange?" And the poor old man
actually smiled as if in scorn of himself.
"Are you willing. Nellie?" John ask
ed, holding out both hands to her. How
she slipped her hands into them, and
cried as if her heart would break but
we all knew they were tears of Joy. Very
quietly / stole over to Aunt Margaret's
side and whispered, Nellie is saved; the
old miser has surely turned to q saint.
cit is my dream, my dreamw Aunt
Margaret said; has not the little black
dwarf indeed become an angelo"
81 guess we had as well have it all
over and be done with it," Mr.. Wells
continued, rubbing his hands together
as if we'll pleased with himself and ev-
erybody else 1--WE been with John
and got tho license; the deed is all made
out. and the preacher is already in the
! parlor."
You may be sure the sorrowful faces
of few minutes ago frightened up at
/ this strange turn of affairs, and joyful
" enough we all repaired to the parlor,
where Nellie and John were United in
marriage. You should have seen dear
Aunt Margaret's face when she kissed
the bride. Didn't we all kiss her.
though-no, not all. Mr.. Wells-I
mean never to call him q misery old
wretch or say other ugly names again.
However, 1 don't think he had anything
to do with this piece of mercy. re-
gard it as q special interference of
Providence. But I am getting away
from the subject. Did he kiss her?
No. But this is the reason why. Nell
lie went straight up, and, putting both
arms around him, kissed him right
heartily. am sure, had he been the
bridegroom, she would never have
kissed him like that.
What perfect picture of self-satisfac-
ton the old man was after that, but he
had the good grace to remain only O
little while after the Gel emony. OF
course we were all dying to talk about
the strange things that had happened.
I could not help thinking. as we all cast
kind, grateful glances after his retreat
ing figure. how much happier he must
be than il he had got the unwilling lit
tie bride, with the knowledge that she
and everybody else was miserable about
it. How happy we would have been
after that, except for poor, erring Joe.
Uncle ent to the city the next morn
ing and did not return for two days.
His face was dark and solemn when
he came into the old house again, but no
one dared to question him. 1t was late in
the evening. and we had waited sup
per for his coming. Very quickly we
gathered around the table and bowed
our heads, while Uncle asked bles-
sing. Suddenly shadow fell across
the doorway, and when we raised our
heads imagine what surprise we felt
there stood the truant boy Joe. Aunt
Margaret sprang to her feet.
Don't come to meet rue yet, moth
err" he said, until show you that
have not forfeited oil claim to your
respect and love; that everything was