The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-07-13

she had clothed him with persona
beauties and graces that were justi
fled by the adornment of his charac
ter as seen in his letters.
The hour of their first meeting wa.
the one which both parties anticipa
ted with strange feeling of curiosity
but neither doubted the full satisfac
ton to be realized. 1t was a danger
Gus experiment and a severe test O
love. They met and stood face te
face. Miss c. had with womanly
coquetry decked herself to meet hel
lover, and looked charming in his
eyes, more than fancy had painted
her. He stood speechless moment
while her large brown eyes opened
wide in utter amazement, scanning
the figure before her from head tc
foot, and remaining in a state of al
most breathless bewilderment, as il
unable to believe her sight, so entirely
was he unlike what she had i'm
agined!
His flax white hair was long and
fell around his neck loosely, his face
was fair as a woman's and its express
sion was the mirror of noble heart,
his chin was dimpled and on his
mouth sat the firmness of his manly
character that redeemed the face
from etteminacy. But the figure OF
Mr.. Greeley, the young man before
her, was to her painfully without
grace, his voice was in the extreme
drawing and nasal, and there was in
his manner total disregard of con-
ventional rules of ceremony.
Miss c. could not conceal her dis
appointment, but they sat down in
the most matter-of-fact way to ar
range the business part of the imme-
diate marriage. Mr.. Greeley had
travelled by land several days and
presented himself in all the haste of
an impatient lover to his lady, with
out changing his apparel of even
thinking of his appearance, and his
delight with her was so great that he
failed to see the effect his appearance
had produced upon her.
Can you go now" he asked,
after half hour conversation. "Go
where?" she inquired. GO to be
married." replied Mr.. Greeley. "To
be married! Why, | can't marry you.
Now that see you l do not love
you." she said, half -choked with
tears. "No, cannot marry you."
His surprise was greater than hers
had been. Then came to his aid
that firm, strong will that those re-
member who knew him we'll in after
years. He stifled pride, bore the
humiliation like hero, but insisted
that M ss c. should keep her engage.
ment with him. What his arguments
were she did not tell me later; but
she told me he had a strange inhu-
ence over her at the time that rem.
dered her submissive. She looked
at his travel stained clothes and boots
and asked him to prepare for the
marriage, but to understand that he
married her knowing that she hac
no love for him. Many, many mer
have ventured the same, some to wir
happiness, often more to wreck do,
mestic comfort completely! Mr.
Greeley went with all speed to bar
Der, and after the shave with a prouc
air told the man that he was to b.
married in less than an hour. "Brusf
off my clothes," he ordered. Th,
barber with a brush in hand sus
pended in the air asked, "Not going
to change this suit?" "No, no, hav'
not brought any other; go on, brusl
off the dirt and dust
but sir, look at the bottom Q
your trousers; the stains will show
do what | can."
Never mind, cut off the bottom.
Putting down the brush, for fear
sake he obeyed the order, and Gu
off the garment, and the good mai
soon presented himself to the lady
telling her that he made arrange
ments with minister to perform tn
ceremony, and to go with him a
once to the place appointed.
IL went in trance, it seemed t,
me-" said Mrs. Greeley, two month
later to me-" land l am yet in ;
state of wonder at my own act"
They we're married.-MS. whit
n y