The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-10-13

promisingly brilliant! Nothing could
exceed the sickness of the occasion
slrs' and julius went bowling toward
the door. y
Mrs. Whitney's cloud disappeared Al
the Reverend Cuttleton shook hands
and the smile on Joeps face became
less definite. After the room had b,sSzed
a time it suddenly fell silent. as Absa-
ION, dressed in a suit that fit him rather
snugiN entered from the dining-room
win d quick stiff step, bearing the
pushing Ether on his arm. Verv
brightly danced the cross-eyes of Ether
under her frizzes, and around her neck
was fine chain and on her feef white
satin slippers. Joel Whitney's face
glowed as Mis- Whitney gave MIN a
scoiehing glance, and Julius was heard
to marmur: 'Its slick! It's brilliantr''
linen Miss Yeslit Popp, aged twelve.
ana salvo Popp, aged two, being ar
ranged on either side the Reverend
Mr: Cuttletoh arose, Bible in hand
ana made The contracting parties one.
mrs. Popp kissed them Silently and
stood aside with tears in her eyes; then
julius came up in springy, wayerinq
sort OF way, and kissed Ether, crashed
Absaloms hand, and said In a declams
atory fashion; "Absalom, my Sch, NV
latest boon, shake with your newborn
father! Bless you, sir, bless you! This
is brilliant! slick! You have won her
Worthily, sir, and I commend her to YOU
as being as noble a nugget as ever
thumpeda piano OF hustled a pot, sir!
We are soon to lose you, for they have
put EN- to the touch, an understand
It, they have put 'ein brilliantly to the
Touch! But the cause is noble, sir, the
Intent exemplary, and whatever fort
une may-'Where Julius in his mel
iowness would have left off it is quite
impossible to conjecture, had not Joel
come up with twinkling eyes, and
kissing the bride, stepped heavily Upon
julius foot, who broke off from his
eloquence with sudden jerk and
hoped away with a wry face and sat
down holding and rubbing his great
toe. An audible litter ran about among
the guests as they crowded up to con:
graduate the happy pair. Absalom
was perspiring very much, and Ether,
whispering something to him to stay
his fortitude, received the rather
mournful and startling reply "that he
thought he should feel better if he
could get out and run awhile"
The congratulations being at length
happily over, amid much kissing,
hand-shaking and laughter, the forid
Julius very gallantly, though limping
little, conducted the bride into the
dining-room where savory collection
was spread. Mrs. Popp followed upon
the arm of Absalom, and the guests
being comfortably settled on either
side of the long table, or rather three
tables in a continuous train, Julius
presided with great flow of utterance
at the head.
at being the slick and brilliant oc-
casion of our daughters bestowal in
marriage" he was saying; "of herself
collectively and separately, to-wit;
nothing would afford me more pleasure,
sir, than to have your unreserved opin-
ion, Mr.. Cuttleton, of the relative
weight and value of feminine women
in the present condition of our social
environment"
Mr.. Cuttleton looked little stunned
and confused by the sudden impact,
but glancing toward Mrs Whitney he
murmured, ''that he thought women's
sphere a wide one and her influence
well-nigh measureless."
Exactly" responded Julius, with
animation, passing the chicken to
Mr.. Butler, the baker, exactly; right
you are; slick and brilliant thy name
is, woman! Have some of this currant
jell with your tongue, Mrs. Whitney.
Slick and brilliant thy name is, woman!
yes, indeed! nothing could express the
fact more clearly, sir, than the state
ment that woman's weight is measure
hess. In point of fact, sir, nothing in
my opinion contributes more to the
continuity of purity among mankind
than the fact that he draws his first
sustenance from his mother, sir.
The Reverend Cuttleton looked inn
pressed, Joel looked bored, and Absa-
Tom was saying to Ether, "that he
wished he could go out and run awhile, !"
when Julius broke out afresh: ''And,
further" said he, when man gets so
eyildisposed that his wife can no
longer endure him, usually no one else
can either. An axiom, sir, not to be
ignored when considering woman s
sickness, purity and brilliancy. Also
the further fact, sir, that every male
man, regardless of age, size, sex or
previous condition of servitude, sir,
stands ready and willing to die in de-
Tending every woman goes unre-
servedfy and overwhelmingly to
mans nervousness and
woman's most emphatic idiosyn-
crasy to be-" but Absalom, no
longer able to bear the strain upon his
nerves, sprang up and shot out OF the
door with yell, and the supper came
to a confused and untimely close.
Joel was still shaking with laughter
when he and Mrs. Whitney arrived at
their gate that night, and an occasional
wave of humor shook his spacious per-
SON. when, on the morrow, he went
with many others to the carly train to
see Absalom Heater take his unexpec-
ted departure. Exactly what infiu-
ence or influences actuated Absalom
in this departure it were quite impos-
sible to determine. That it was patriot
ism, pure and simple. though that be-
came q ruling passion with him further
on, could hardly be admitted, since the
right or wrong or peril to the Nation, s
Life, had scarcely won his notice till
the gathering tempest broke. 1t might
have been the understandable energy OF
L.: 1o,.n lad b1, oorna occult nrinCiDl0