Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-12-30
BRILLfANT WEDDING.
A story for Now Years.


ing them for many years.
First, their oldest daughter, beautiful
Nellie Evermond, became infatuated
with an opera singer and eloped with
him. Following that came the death
of the youngest, and pet child, dear
little Bessie. Then, the only son, hand
some Will Eyermond, was arrested for
embezzlement, and, although nothing
could be proved against him, it was
established in many minds that he
was guilty. lie could not bear the
contemptuous glances and scornful
words of those who had formerly well
coined him among them with delight.
So he departed for foreign land.
There was left only Mr.. Evermond,
his wife, and lovely young girl, of
this once proud family.
Susie Gray had come to live with the
Evermonds when she was an infant.
Her mother had been the only sister of
Mr.. Evermond's first love, and when
she died he took the little girl to his
home and treated her with the same
consideration that his own children en-
joyed She had been secretly engaged
to Will Evermond for some time before
his disgrace and departure. After he
was accused of embezzlement he had
studiously avoided her, and no word of
love had fallen from his lips
Susie had waited patiently for some
allusion to the engagement between
them, and longed to assure Will that
whatever happened she would not
change, but her retiring, sensitive
nature would not allow her to speak
first.
The day of his departure arrived
He had been out with his father in the
morning, and only came home to lunch
at noon.
After lunch there wanted but one
hour to the time appointed for the
steamer in which he had taken passage
to sail His trunks had been sent early
in the day. and there remained but the
farewells to be said ere the unhappy
young man left his native land.
Will Evermond had nothing of the
towards blood in his veins, but he
shrank from this parting. He loved
Susie with all the strength of his deep
nature, and he said to his heart, when
his trouble first came upon him: al
love her too well to allow her to share
my disgrace" and so he was going
away.
Mrs. Evermond lay upon the sofa in
fashionable Mysteries. Will knelt be-
ide her and touched his lips to her
Jrow, murmuring "God bless and keep
'ou always, mother, dear" and strobe
rom the room.
Susie was waiting for him in the hall.
lie took her tenderly in his arms and
Used her with the old fashioned, low
ing tenderness. "Good-by my poor
little Susie If ever my name is cleared
from this dreadful stain l will come
back and marry YOU"
"Oh, Will! do not go! I care moth
y,
and let me prove to you how true a
woman's heart can be-"
He put her clinging arms from about
his neck, whispered: "waita few years,
darling. it may be that God will bring
everything right; gOod-by," and was
gone.
Mrs. EvermOnd, was shrieking in the
parlor, and the servants who were at
tempting to quiet her found themselves
unequal to the task, and sent for
Susie. During that whole day Susie
had not one moment to herself, but
devoted all her time to the fancied
needs of the fashionably nervous
mother. And because she was his
mother the noble girl bore with her.
This happened five years before the
time of which | write, and Susie was
then twenty-five.
All this time she had waited patiently
for some word of love or hope from
Will; but none ever came, and she haC
settled her heart to quiet state, re
solving to devote her life to doing
good.
Mr.. Evermond had grown fretful
and moody since the departure of hi;
son, and upon this New Years morn
ing he was unusually irritable. A
timid ring at the door-bell brought out
the exclamation:
"There it goes! wish the beggar:
were all in Tophet! Ann, go to the
door and drive that beggar away. Boz
her ears"
allow do You know that it is girl p
asked Susie, smiling, as she rose tx
leave the room.
"Can't tell every style of beggar ir
the city by their ring at the bell?" hi
snarled
Susie followed Ann to the door, ar
irving in time to hear a timid little
voice say:
"Please, ma'am, / cannot go away
without seeing the master Mother i:
dying and must see him"
AN what1l the likes of yer mithel
be akin of him if she be dyin'? Be
gone wild vel" replied Ann, slammins
the door, and turning to Susie with. I
self-satisfied air.
"Let me speak to the child" Susi
cried, opening the massive door witt
her own hands.
The little one stood upon the marble
sobbing with the abandon of childisl
regret.
"Tell me all about it, little boy" sh
said, drawing the scantily clad chill,
into the hall. which was warm an
fragrant with the breath of rare flow
ers.
My mamma is most dead, and sh
told me if could see Mr.. Evermon
and give him this paper he would TAX
care Of me. My papa is dead, and.
Here the little fellow broke down an
commenced to sob wildly.
"There, there Don't cry! Tell m
a.;,,