Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-07-10

W. " AGbVO L U OI
overland be done with it," Mr.. Welis
continued, rubbing his hands as If we'll
pleased with hiaegelf and everybody
eLse Il We been with John and got
che license; the deed is all made out,
anu1he preacher is already in the par
o may be SURF the sorrowful faces
OF . lew minutes ago frightened up at
tns strange turn of affairs, and JOYFUL
lyenough we all repaired to the parlor,
waere Nellie and John were united in
marriage. You should have e dear
Aunt Margaret's face when she kissed
the bride. Didn't we all kiss her.
tholgh-no, not all. Mr.. Wellsl
mem never to call him a miserly old
wretch or say other ugly names again.
however, l don't think he had any,
I'M g to do with this piece OF mercy. l
regard it az a special interference of
irevldence. But 1 am getting away
from the subject, Did he kiss her?
No But this is the reason why. Mel
llewent strai ght up, and, putting both
arms around him, kissed him right
heartily. l am sure, had he been the
bridegroom, she would never have
Asseo MN like that.
What a perfect picture of self-satis-
fiction the old man was after that, but
NJ had the good grace to 1emain only
a little while after tine ceremony. OF
curse we were all dying to talk about
t1e strange things that had happened.
Acould not help thinking, as we all cast
find. grateful chances after his retreat
ling figure, how much happier he must
be than if he had gotten the unwilling
little 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 went to the city the next
morning and did not return for two
days, His face was dark and solemn
when he came into the old house again,
put no one dared to question him; it
was late in the evening, and we had
waited supper for his coming. Very
quickly we gathered around the table
afld bowed our heads, while uncle
asked a blessing. Suddenly a shadow
fell across the doorway, and when we
raised u heads imagine what sur
Prise we felt-there stood the truant
boy Joe. Aunt Margaret sprang to her
feet.
"Den't come to meet me vet,
Mother" he said, ''until I show you
that | have not forfeited all claim to
yolr respect and love; that everything
was not so bad as you have thought.
l didn't steal that money, or ever
me amt to steal it. I am willing to &C.
knowledge my share of the wrong: it
xtyoc roff;r~ ;~t~ l,I .-l
drinking too much whisky, but I have
not been guilty of stealing anyth ng
they have proven. After / had been
drinking freely and made a fool of N.Y.
self, as liquor always makes me do, the
boys dragged me into the plan they had
already fixed upon, and until l was too
drunk to know anything, they hurried
me away with them; but they have
been found. 1t is all cleared up now,
and father shant lose anything by
me-"
.'Thank the blessed Lord for that"
Aunt Margaret said, and, putting both
arms around him, she drew him into
the room. You may be sure a great
burdens weight was lifted from our
hearts when we heard Joe's story
Through, and how thankful we were
that he had been saved. and that Mel
lie was saved. 1 shudder yet to think
how near they were to the precipice be-
meath which yawned the dark, dreadful
sea Of Aunt Margaret's dream. But
the angels wing has turned the dark
ness into light, sorrow into joy
Jane Prentice, IN Louisville Courier
Journal.