The Penn's Grove record., 1888-07-28
A CASE OF COMPOSITION.

1t was one Of those summer morn
ings which make a man bless God Tor
having created the earth so fair and
beautiful. l was waiting in the vestry
room OF one of the q~uaintest old
churches in the world-the church OF
the Revelation, in the village OF Home
dale, Pa, 1t was my wedding day,
and i was one of the most happy, yet
one OF the most Y men. In a
few moments Dora Golding would ar
rive. Her doting father would give
her away. Her gentle, loving mother
(Dora was their only child) would stand
by, tears struggling with satlshed
smiles. The clergyman would pro-
nounce the irrevocable words, ano
another husband and wife would ne
added to the number OF mated n
minated pairs already In existence.
Suddenly my blissful agitation was
given a new disturbance by my best
man, Harry Arden, who had been
looking through n OF the windows,
coming to me with an exceedingly
tremulous look upon his usual serene
features. He handed me a note which
had just been given to him through the
window by one of Mr.. Golding's serv-
ants. l recognized the address at
once. 1t was IN Dora's hand. No
suspicion of what was coming shot
through me, though quick as thought
l opened the missive and read as fol-
lows:
DEAREST ARTHUR:
You will not understand me when !
say there can be no wedding to-day.
You will understand when you see
me, however. Twill be time enough
to say then, or not, whether you still
care to have me sign myself your low
ing DORA.
l sat down, stupefied. The little
church was filled with friends Of both
families. My parents and others of my
kinsfolk had come from Philadelphia.
The Goldings had resided nearly all
their lives at Homedale. They were
people of wealth and influence. The
betrothal had lasted two years. The
wedding was regarded with a good
deal of social interest. AS 1 hated
scenes, 1 determined that the wedding
should not be postponed if l could
help it. Dora was a strange mixture
of romance and practicality. She was
punctual almost to a fault, so hat l
knew some great motive had actuated
her. Selling the horn of the dilemma,
1 told my wondering best man to de-
tain the clergyman and guests until he
heard from me, and slipping out by the
yestry door, In ten minutes l found
myself at the Goldin'g house.
1 will ask the reader to remain at
the threshold for a little while, In
order that I may explain to him SOM
of the circumstances shat had charac-
terized my courtship of Dora. About
a year ago, after u betrothal had
lasted a twelve month, l spent a week
of my summer holidays, which my
legal duties permitted me, at the Gold
ing residence. Upon the first day of
my arrival, a dark man of about As,
with "a deep red scar across his left
cheek. made his appearance at dusk,
and was cordially received by my fu-
ture father-in. law and mother-in-law.
He was a handsome man, plainly, al.
most poorly, dressed; slow of speech,
h~esitating in manner. He was appar-
emily a well to do mechanic, on excel
lent terms with his host and hostess.
albeit a certain reserve and espionage,
SO to speak, marked their treatment OF
him. 1t was as though they were
always on their guard, not 80 much
with respect to what they might say or
do, as to what he might say or do.
This man bore the singular name of
Glasgow Thirkle, though l was never
able to find out wherher he was bap-
tized in memory of the dismal Scotch
town or not. At dinner he did not
speak much, but l noticed that from
time to time he cast furtiye and admir-
ing looks toward Dora. Two or three
times Dora caught him at this surrep-
titious scrutiny, and l saw that 1t dis
composed her. When l spoke to her
about 1t afterward she told me that
about once a year the man made his
appearance, stayed there, overnight,
looked at her in precisely the same
manner, and departed the next morn.
wife also paid them a visit, timing 1t
six months after that of her husband.
This OF course aroused my curiosity.
The next Christmas season made me
again a visitor for q few days at the
Golding mansion. Two days after
Christmas the stage which ran from the
stallion deposited at the loot a very
singular looking who turned
out TO he Mrs. Thirkle. She was Of
medium height and slim, 40 years OF
age, good looking, with blue eyes and
thin, light hair. Her singularity OH
sisted in the fact that her HAIR was
parted on the left hand side, in conse-
quence of the existence Of what is COM
monty called a ''cowlick." At dinner
she herself referred to this peculiarly,
explaining that she had tried to educate
her locks into parting in the normal
manner, but that all she had ever been
able to effect was a tmporary arrange
ment of the hair in that manner by the
use Of pomades. Tomorrow morn
ing" she added, 81 must try, before l
&C, to part my hair in the middle, be-
cause as you suggested" Here she
stopped short, and l observed that she
had received from both Mr.. and Mrs.