The Penn's Grove record., 1885-11-07
WEDDING AND W00ING.

The little village Of Welldean hac
been thrown into a great state of agi
tation and excitement by the arrival o.
a stranger at the White Hart Inn
This In itself was likely to arouse a goot
deal of interest and gossip, for vlsitorS
at Welldean were few and far between
but what gave additional interest tx
this particular case was the rumor, that
rapidly gained ground, to the effect
that the new arrival had just returned
from Australia with a lot of money
that he intended settling in Welldear
and that it was very likely he would
choose himself a wife among the avail
able ladies of that village.
But 1t was not long before the viva
cious inhabitants of Welldean came to
a conclusion on this point; and before
the mar had been a couple of days in
the village, it had been decided by the
majority that Mrs. Burnham was TO b.
the lucky woman. And pray who wa
Mrs Burnhamp
Nearly twenty years before-a time
SO long ago, that many Of the advocates
of the proposed match dated their ap-
p~earance on this s%ublunary sphere from
a more recent period-Mrs. Durham
then Mary Haywood, married at the
age of eighteen, young Frank Burn.
ham, She was a plain, kindly, good
natured girl, and a general favorite.
He was a handsome, registering young
fellow. Frank was ~good-looking, TAX
ing, and clever in a good many ways,
but lazy, Indifferent, and unsettled.
Mary, on the contrary, was active. en-
terprising, and energetic. They never
quarrelled, never had any words; but a
feeling of oreness and irritation arose
between them; and after it had gone on
increasing for a couple of years, one
day Frank, took 1t into his head to en-
list, and. satisfied that his wife could
do very well for herself, determined to
relieve her of the burden of his own
presence. at first they used to cores
pond regularly, but he had nothing to
relate but a round of monotonous du-
ties; she had little to tell in return.
Tfeir letters became few and scanty.
and at length the husband and wife's
correspondence ceased altogether.
And now, since her marriage, more
than eighteen years had rolled away.
Meantime there had been a and bat
ties; Burnham'5 regiment had been
abroad and come homo over and over
again, and she had neither heard nor
seen anything of her husband. Her
married life now seemed a very brief
episode in her career, and the long in
tervening years of active industry and
busy content had diminished its impor-
lance In her eyes. Indeed, by many of
her friends, and especially of the youn-
ger ones, the fact was quite overlooked.
They never gave a thought to the hus.
band who had separated from her so
long ago, until the idea arose of max.
ing a match between the stranger and
Mrs. Burnham and the stranger in the
village, when the objection that she had
been married, and that she was igno-
rant as to the fate of her husband, re-
CURED to them.
"What ~nonsensel" said Mrs. Purday
to a small knot of acquaintance who
had gathered round her door to discuss
the project that IA in the wind. Isn't
it the law that IL you don't see or hear
from your husband for seven years, let
alone eighteen, you are at liberty to
marry again? Pm sure I've always
heard So"
"And l am sure it ought to be So"
said another member of the conclave.
''The ideal The man doesn't trouble
his head about his wife for eighteen
years; leaves her to earn her own living
and support herself as she can. A pref
ty sort Of a husband l thlnkl'
nfhar nracfiapu of q EEa natDra xuac
uttered, until the gossipers were pres
emily joined by Mrs. Burnham herself,
who, loving a bit OF chat, had put on
her bonnet and shawl, and popped over
to hear the last news about the strau-
ger.
"Well, Mrs.. Purday. 1 can guess
what you are talking about" SAID Mrs,
Burnham. (which of you have seen
this Mr.. Heywood?"
81 have, Mrs. Burnham," eagerly
exclaimed Ellen Purday, a tall girl of
eighteen; she's such u ni~ce-looking
young fellow, with such bright eyes,
and a great black beard; only he looks
so downhearted and ~melancholyt'
"Humi" SAID Mrs. Burnham; ''and
I suppose his eyes looked particularly
bright and captivating when they were
ogling you, Ellen Purdayy'
mo, indeed, Mrs. Durham" re-
piled Ellen. Sand 1 must say, if the
man is looking out for a wife, he might
pay a little more attention to the girls
who pass him every day. | declare he
took no more notice of me than if / had
been a stonel''
"Ah. l very much misdoubt these
men," said Mrs. Purday, "who start
from no one know where. with their
black eyes and boards, and their melan-
choly ways. l shouldn't wonder IL the
man turned out to be some murderer
hiding from Justice"
''Or London theft" suggested an
other.
"Or an escaped madmanl" added a
third.
Nonsense, wolneni" said Mrs. Burn
ham, sharply. 1.-The man has a pair of
black eyes, has hep Well, never heard
thai they were any sign of villainy or
crime; and as for his gravity if he has
lived rs long in the world as / have, l
dare say he has seen enough to make
him sad"
"I'm glad to hear you speak up for
him. Mrs. Durham, +" said Mrs. Pur-
day. mallcieusly.
'sWhy SOP" she asked
"Well you know he wants a wife,
aid Mrs. Purday, land he doesn't
eem to take much notice Of thu girls;
nd tits satisfactory TO know that ii he
houId set his hes.rt on you, Mrs. Burn
am tllere'd be a liking on both sidos. -
"Oh, is that it2" exclaimed Mrs.
;drnbam. 81 pity the poor man when