St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-06-02

"On my eighteenth birthday, 1 re-
ceived this brocade as present from
my godfather. He was a sea-captain,
and had brought this from the East on
his last voyage. 1t was considered
wonderfully beautiful even there, so
you can imagine what sensation it
caused here.
'Mother rightly tho ught it far too
fine for me- and laid it away in this
same little trunk until I should arrive
at an age and dignity to wear it. That
time had, in my opinion, come when,
the following winter my friend Sally
was to be married, and asked me to be
one Of her four bridesmaids.
Her fance came of fine old fam
lily, as did she herself; and scores of
relatives were expected to the wedding,
which promised to be very grand and
brilliant affair. Mother hesitated to
have the dress made; but girls then
wore much older gowns than in these
wiser times, so she finally consented,
as expected, for of her six children l
was the only girl, and was INDUCED
accordingly.
"If you would know how looked,
study Dolly here. had the same pur-
ple-black hair-which could never be
kept in decorous order, SO curly was it,
the same pink cheeks and creamy
skin. But my eyes were black instead
of brown, and Twas smaller than she. y
Eyes, and you had the loveliest
hands and feet ever SEEM cried Fan
ny, "as you have now"
"And I've heard grandpa say..that you
were the belle of the county, and there
was many a broken heart when you
married him." laughed Nell.
Il was thoughtless GIRL" sighed
grandmamma, land caused a deal of
trouble by my vanity, as you shall
hear"
'Well, the dress was made, and very
proud l was, rs arrayed in it l turned
myself before the great mirror; and
when the dressmaker assured me that
no such face and form had been re-
Elected there since the days of my great
grandmother, a famous belle and beau
ty, | was almost content.
"Almost-not quite. For the gor-
geous gown put to shame any slippers
that possessed, and nothing would
satisfy me but new pair made of the
same material. So next day father
rode to f, twenty miles away, and
ordered the slippers of fashionable
shoemaker, my brother agreeing to
call for them the following week.
"But that very night began storm
Of snow and sleet, which lasted for
days, and the roads were not open for
travelling until the day before the we'd
ding Then brother John started for
T, with long list of commissions
from both families.
"'John, said 1, standing at the door,
if you let any thing happen to my
slippers, I'll never forgive your
"Tll be careful, Fairy, run in he
answered. They used to call me Fairy
because was so light and small.
SAT noon of the next day was anx-
iously watching the road, for the we'd
ding was to be at six o clock, and John
had not yet returned. But soon saw
the sleigh drive up, and l rushed to the
kitchen, where John was stamping the
snow from his boots.
"'Oh! where are my slippers? I
cried, tossing over the parcels.
They're there, all right said
John.
But I could not find them, so
mother came to my aid; but we hunted
in vain. John looked on in growing
dismay and perplexity but suddenly
cried in tone of despair: I have it!
l was to get them this morning, as the
man was out last night, but | had SO
many other errands | forgot. I'm so
sorry, dear, but it's too late to go
back
81 burst into a storm of tears, be-
wailing my disappointment and VOW
ing that I would not go to the we'd
ding in those old slippers. Turning,
just then. I saw Guy Burton in the
doorway, and fed to my room, where
l sobbed till tired out. Soon I heard
horses feet on the ice, as Guy rode
off; and thought angrily of standing
up with him that night in my old white
satin slippers. Guy was Sally's only
brother, older than herself. had
thought him cold and reserved lately,
though we had been good friends in
the days when he took me coasting.
But he had been at college for four
years, and had seen little of him, ex-
cept that be always seemed to be about,
book in hand, during the last few weeks
when had been to see the girls.
Mother came to console me, and by
five O clock was in pleasanter frame
of mind, though painfully conscious of
the old slippers, on which could not
look with equanimity.
ARRIVING at the Burtons. l found
the girls in a great flutter There was
the usual number of things to be done
at the last minute, so it was only at
the hour of the ceremony that we be-
gan to look for our escorts All were
ready but Guy, and he was not to be
found; in the general confusion his abb