The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-30
A JEALOUS BRIDEGROOM.

A JEALOUS BRIDEGROOM.
am, if YOU will allow me to intro
duce myself, your humble servant,
Mir. Pelham Palmer. | am perhaps of
d Jealous disposition by nature, but
who can help his nature? l deeply
sympathize with Othello whenever 1
read the play of that name which
Shakespeare has given 10 the world.
say am jealous by nature. but |
have conquered myself, | deeply SYM
pathize, as | said, with OthellO, but |
am quite sure that if that most unhappy
colored gentleman had partially smoth-
cred DesdemOna, and she had been
brought to and had been able to ex-
plain about the suspicious circumstanc-
es connected with her pocket-haudker-
chief, everything might have been well,
and Othello very happy.
However, this is growing into quite
preface; let me continue my story.
was forty when l made up my
mind to marry. | had never thought
myself handsome, but having amassed
4 fortune, and having decided to settle
down as married man, l was lucky
enough to win the affection of the fair
est of her sex, Miss Phoebe Pearl. and
having offered myself 10 her, was ac-
cepted.
had previously interviewed her
father, who approved OF our un on, and
had gone through the courting phase
and was really married.
The carriages were rolling up one by
one to Mr. PEARLS door, while the
crowd of little girls, boys. nursery
maids and beggars collected on the
pavement, uttered loud Obs! and Abs!
whenever Il more than usually gorgeous
train swept the dust from the striped
carpet spread upon the front doorstep
and vanished under the fringe of the
awning.
] was uncomfortable, as bridcgrooms
always are when making part OF their
wedding show; but l expected to be
very happy when | got my wife to my
self; and after the lunch, or dinner, or
breakfast-I really don't know what
my respected mother-in-law called the
feast-wc were going off to spend a
month at Paris and get acquainted.
Even In that HHlcyOn hour ] was
aware that we were not well acquaint-
cd yet However, knew was good
sort of fellow and had the greatest con-
fidence in Phpbe. In fact, | had just
repeated this 10 myself, when 4 post
mans knock sounded on the door, and
saw Ph9be's own maid exchange Il
| glance with my wife as she slipped q
pink envelope into her pocket.
1t was very foolish idea, | knew.
| but | took it into my head that the let
| ter had something in it that my newly
welded Phoebe wished to keep from
me. tlatter myself that am 2 good
reader of the expression of the human
countenance, and that is what | thought
! saw in the glances those girls ex-
changed. However, / really wanted
to kick myself for harboring the
thought
But afterwards, when the eongratu-
lations were over and we were going
| down to dinner, saw Jane, under pre-
tense of adjusting her mistress dress,
slip this pink envelope into the white
satin lace trimmed pocket that was
| pinned by a bunch of orange-blossoms
TO her belt. Aid saw Phoebe dart &
warning look at me. This time l was
sure, and a memory OF certain beauX
who had caused me pain IN their time
did creep into my mind.
To be sure, Phoebe was mine, but
she should not have any secrets from
me. was older than she was, moi
handsome, and very we'll OF, and
well, | felt that some OF those othel
men had been young, aud fascinating
and poor-and girls had married fol
money before now.
And so in a few moments, to drive
all my doubts away, said, in an airy
manner. that seemed to me just th'
thing:
Got letter, my dear?"
She blushed scarlet.
NO; only little note" she answer
ed.
..Who from?" asked.
.Oh, I'm not a clairyoyant. Pei
ham," she replied. Il can't reat
through sealed envelopes"
open it, then, said !.
81 couldn't;s it would be bad man
ners." said she.
Whom do You think it is FROM
said |.
..Some belated bridesmaid, perhaps,
said she.
Miss Smith, Miss Brown, and Mis-
Robinson are all here.
.sOh, well, it's from my grand-aun
. Pendleton, TO say she can't come, bh
wishes me Joy, and sends soup-ladle
She always sends soup-ladle to bride
in the family" said Phoebe.
Then l think you ought to read
at once out of respect to the old lady,
said |.
What a tease you are!" she CRIED
and pulled her handkerchief from he
pocket.
The letter came with it and fell
the floor. | stopped to catch it up. 5
did she. Our heads crashed furiousI
together. got the letter.
''Hope Eve not hurt you, my dear,
said /.
You have, horribly" said she, an
e snatched the letter, but not before
had glanced at it.
D Your aunt writes a very fine ma
, culine hand" said /. ''Is she stron!
minded lady?"
D "Verv," she answered, and Gran
med the pink envelope into her pocke
and began to talk to a matron who hs
8 known her from a child.
There are always such old ladies
wedding parties, and it is more agre
able to meet them when you are yonI
than when you are not. L feared 81
might have known me also, and h;
clip ped four years off the tag end
:, my age.
>, Somehow, thirty-six sounds so mu
- better and younger than forty.
W hurried away and began to pl
with somebody's little girl think
was a cousin s-who had brought wi
II her hideous staring doll, dressed
like bride. 1 told falsehoods, al
said | loved little girls, and that t
h mannikin was pretty" and l boil
- inwardly with rage and jealousy; al
\ my head aehed only less than n,
i heart. l suppose hers did also. III