The Somerset reporter., 1889-03-21

late 10 20 back.
81 burst into storm 81 tear, bswail-
ing my disappointment aut' How M iAa'
would not 70 to the wedding iu tbD,c old
slippers. Turning just then / sav 1ay
Burton in the doorway and fed to ms
ropm, where ! sobbcd TILL tired GU Soon
| heard a horsr 's feet on the ice H. tiuY
rode #: aud thought, argfily, of stand.
M up with him that niaHt in my Cd
white satin slippers. GIy wa Sally.
only brother older than herself. ! had
ihought him cold and reserved lately.
though we had been good friends in the
DAYS when he took me cpa>tng. Bat he
bad been at college for four gears and
had seen little Of him--cNcept that he a.
way- seemed To be about Book ia hand.
during the last few week, ahcn | had
been TO see the girls.
Mother came 10 console me-. and by
I've o'clock | was in pleas4nter ffiHIe II
mind
Arriving at Burton, f5nld t. IL
in greater nutter. There WAS the usual
number of things TO be dpue at the last
minute, SO it was only at the hpnl Of the
ceremony that we began To look for onr
escorts. All were ready but GUY. aud he
wa. not to be found. In the general con-
! fusion his absence had been nnuplieed.
" lie must have gonc On some rrrand
at She last minute, said Mrs. Burton, in
worried tone, looking into the darkness
outside, for a heavy storm had come up.
I'VE waited in growing uneasness a.
the servants were questioned, aud il Wa,
found that his horse, Saadi, was gone.
aud that Guy had not been seen since
morning.
As an hour passed on aud he did not
come, grew angry at the thought that
was the only one To be annoyed by the de-
fection of my eseuit, and almost wi she'd
that something might happen to him.
Sally declined to be married in the al
>ence of her brother. As it grew later
and later, she sat weeping with her BRIDES
maids, while her llance began to fear hat
some serious accident had detained his
| friend
"Outside, the cold was intense and the
storm ragged with increasing fury; il was
one one of the worst known for years
Inside as midnight drew near, gloom
settled over Us all which it was impos-l-
BILE to dispel All thought of going on
with the wed ling was abandoned, ami we
began to organize parties to search for
CIV.
Suddenly we heard loud whiuny
OPEN aud Saadi walked into the hall. ON
his back-a shapeless mass, covered with
ice and snow Guy Lifting him of.
the men laid him upon the sofa and be-
gan to take off the stifirned wrappngs
Sally and chung Together too much
frightened for tears, as We looked at
GUYS white still face.
CAS- they opened his coat, to see If his
heart still beat, little package fell Ia
the floor. But he was not deal, aud at
ter little seemed quite himself though
stlii and lame. As soon as he could stand,
he felt in his breast for the fallen pack
age then, seeing it, snatched it from the
moor ana presented it to me.
"lou can fancy my feelings, girl, for
1t held these AMI opening the box
grandmamma showed a pair of tiny rose
colored slippers.
"As he knct to put them on, the guests
stared in amazed silence. then there was
storm of questions
Yes, he had ridden to 7 for them
and would have been back in time. but
lost his way in the storm on the return,
went miles from the right road, aud on
regainlng it he'd only strength to clasp
his arms about Saadi's neck and hd him
90 home.
Just here Saadi created diversion by
walking up to the bride, with the evident
intention of rubbing his wet nose on her
shoulder. He was petted aud spoiled 10
his hearts content. and To my certain
knowledge ate half the brides cak,.: for
Sally thought nothing too good for him
Guy kept Us waiting but a short time
was at last performed inc ceremony
II danced the first dance with Guy, |
who made a brave eil,Irt to keep time
with the fine new slippers, but was forced |
to snccumb to WEAKNESS aud watch the !
others. The next day he was taken i'll
and was for weeks dangerously lnW with /
the fever
al never could endure the sight Of /
those slippers, and only wore them oncr
more. A year later, at the request Of The /.
man who had risked his life 10 bring
them to me, wore them the day WI
were married "
There was a chorus OF thanks a. grand .
mamma stopped. Then the girls, -cilin5 /
upon her, begged that he would let them
dress her in the gown Just once more.
After an instant's hesitation she consent
ed. and as the cleaning brocade draped
the erect and stately dsure, they could all
fancy that her soft cnrs were only white
with powder, and that the fire of youth
still glowed in her undimmed eyes.
Dolly bent to place a slipper on one
pretty foot hut II WAS taken out of h.r
hand, and grandpa, who had entered I'M,
perceived, knclt before the little lady
with smile.
"farys slippers" he said, softly
How we'll remember the first time,
dear. As put this on a tear frll on nv
hand, another ou the slipper see, girls,
here is the stain.
But the girls, larghnglv iucrednlnusly, .
bore oil the captive. The light passed .
from point to point, and elimmcred on
the rafters, trunk AMI cradle a> the lamps
were borne down stairs. Tn" last rlyS
flashed in the eyes Of the portraits, the
uncounted aulienc". Then the door WAS
closed, and the garnet, warm and dn,ky.
sweet with the br, ath of hern>, gathering
in the memories of many lives, was left
in silence.