River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-05-14
OLD BIILLION'S BRIDE.

S0Ibly On bue uliIIOI-A1hS SuIlaCS VI tuS
Hudson river. The sound of flute
played softly afar off, and all of sud-
den the keel of my boat coming sharp
ly in contact with somebody else's
oars.
Halo, you'll" cried out clear, incis-
i've young voice. where are you going
to? Why don't you look which way you
are steering?"
Charley Dresden" cried out /, little
needing the torrents of obloquy he was
beginning to heap upon me.
cold Mottimore," he responded joy
ously. "Why, who ON earth would
have thought of finding you dreaming
on Harlem river? Herel Come into
my boat; hitch on your old craft be-
hind, and let me introduce you to Miss
Sophy Adriance."
/ looked as sharply at Miss Sophy all
the moonlight and my own modesty
would let me, for knew that she was
the especial admiration of my friend
Charley Dresden.
She was pretty, slight round and
rosy, with china-blue eyes and a dimple
in either cheek, and golden brown hair
worn in long, loose curls. There was
something hower-l like and delicate in
her prettiness-something UNCONSCIOUS
" imploring in her way of lifting her
eyes up to your face.
We rowed home together-or, at
least, as far on our way home as the
Harlem river would take us. Sophy
sang little boat ballads. Charley
roared out tenor barcorolles. even
essayed German student song which
I had learned in Heidelberg no one
knows how long ago, and we parted the
best of friends.
A week afterward Dresden and 1 met
face to face on Wall street.
"Hallo, Mottimorel" said Charley,
his honest visage lighting up, What
do you think of herr"
II think she is a pearl-a jewel-a
princess among women" l answered,
with perfect sincerity.
Congratulate me, thenl" cried Char
ley, beaming all over, "for am engag
ed to her. Only last night! Look here !"
opening mysterious silver case which
he took from his inner vest pocket.
What do you think of that for an engage
ment ring?"
"a fine diamond, said I, putting my
head critically on one side, "and fanci-
ully set"
We're to be married in October, F" said
Charley, lowering his voice to the most
/ confidential tones. II might have been
| sooner if / hadn't undertaken that
business in Europe for our firm.
But 1 shall be sure to be back
by October, and the money ]
shall make will be acceptable toward
fitting up and furnishing our new home.
Because, you know, Mottimore, I'm not
rich"
spent an evening with her afterward
at the genteel boarding house where
she and her mother nice, bright
eyed little woman, the full-brown rose
to correspond with Sophy's budding
lovliness-dwelt in the contest of apart
ments, furnished in dark blue reps,
with turn up bedstead, ingeniously
disguised as a high backed sofa, and
canaries and geraniums in the win
dows.
Its so kind of you to come" said
Sophy, with gentle pressure Of the
hand when I went away. II am so
glad to welcome Charley's friends"
And I felt that / could cheerfully sit
through another evening of common
place chit-chat, and photograph albums
for such reward as that.
Well, Charley Dresden went away,
and as he didn't particularly leave Sophy
Adriance in my charge, L didn't feel
called upon to present myself at the
genteel boarding house. / supposed,
naturally enough, that all was going
right. until the day ] received O note
from my old friend Bullion, the banker,
man of 60, who wears wig and spec
tacles, and counts his income upon the
! double figures.
Bullion wrote from Saratoga, where
he had gone because he didn't know
what else to do with himself in the dull
season. He asked me to be his grooms-
man. Bullion was going to be mar
ried.
"Of course, you'll think it foolish
thing for me to do, )" wrote Bullion "but
even at sixty a man has not entirely out
lived the age of sentiment; and when
once you see Sophy Adriance you will
forgive any seeming Inconsistency on my
part.
[ went straight to the genteel board
ing-house. 1t was possible that |
might be misled by a similarity of
name, although even that was unlike
ly.
as Miss Adriance at home?" / asked
of the slatternly servant girl who an
swered the bell.
''Lo', no, sir, Miss Sophy's spending a
few weeks with q friend at Saratoga,
she answered, promptly.
That was enough. | went home and
inclosed Bullion's letter in another en-
velope, directing it to poor Charley
Dresden's address. Poste Restante,
Vienna, adding few lines of my own,
wherein l endeavored to mingle con-
ISOLATION and philosophy as APPLY as pos
possible.
And then wrote, CURLY declining to
''stand up" with old Bulkies.
It was but few weeks subsequently
that the waiter showed an elegantly
dressed young lady into my room at
the hotel. / rose in some surprise.
Aside from old Aunt Miriam Platt and
nv laundress my lady visitors were few.
But the instant she threw up her thick
tissue veil / recognized the soft blde
ewes and the damask rose cheeks Of
Sophy Adriance.
ooh, Mr.. Mottimore!" she cried pit
eously, 81 know you won't mind my
coming to your parlor, because you
seem exactly like a father to me-" L
WINGED little at this. But have re-
ceived such letter from Charley, and
as-as you've kno wn him long time,
j thought perhaps you could explain it
to me. Oh, have been so wretched.
And indeed, indeed, l didn't deserve
i'll"
She gave me a tear blotted letter and
then sat down to cry quietly in the cor
ner of the sofa until such time as /
should have finished its perusal.
"What does he mean, Mr.. Motif
more % asked Sophy, plaintively, when
he accuses me of deceiving him, of SELL
ing myself to the highest bidder? Oh,
it is so dreadful"
folded the letter and looked severe
ly at her.
Miss Adriance," said I, grayely, "it
strikes me Won are trying to play
a double part here. The afiianced bride
of BENJAMIN Bullion ought hardly to
hope to retain the allegiance OF poor
Clarence Dresden into the bargain.
81 don't understand you, said Sophy,
looking wistfully at me.
"Are you not to become the wlfe OF