The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-06-04
THEIR CENTENNIAL WEDDING
JOURNEY.
BY MARION

cent In the WOrlQ, aQO naQ a nuQQroQ DOL
lars, besides his railway tickets, in his
pocket when they started on their we'd
~ding-journey.
They had planned it months ago. Both
their great-grandfathers had served IN the
Revolutionary War; both bride and groom
bore names handed down from that era,
and both were "well 10" in American
history.
John Adams Clark, cousin to George
W., had been "clerking it" in Nassau
street for three years. He had engaged
room Gas a special and personal favor to
himself, the proprietor's friend, he Wrote)
in the Rochambeau Hotel.
"Hang ~expensel" George W. had
written in ordering quarters. "A mar
expects to have but one bridal tour, and
it is vet more certain that a Centennial
comes but once in a hundred years"
John met them at the FortY-secOnd
street station with a carriage, upon their
arrival on Tuesday morning.
The conveyance was old and rusty, the
horse older and ~rustier, the driver oldest
and r~ustiest of all. The jolting and rock
ing over the stones On their way to the
hotel threatened, said jolly George W., to
shake the filling out of their teeth.
"He has such spirits!" smiled the pretty
bride. "But who could be depressed on
such a day, and in such a scene? 1t is
like Fairy Land. And I just dOat upon a
crowdI'
She repe ated the exclamation, standing
at the window of the re~ception-room at
the Rochambeau, overlooking the gor-
geous panorama below.
81 suppose we can see as well here as
anywhere else-can't we ?" she added, in
naive complacency.
II am afraid Ill the front hotel-win-
dows are engaged, said John Adams, who
had escorted her up, leaving George w.
to settle with the driver. 81 guess I'll go
and see where George is"
He looked and felt uneasy. The best
bargain he could make for the miserable
trap and rack-o'-bones that had brought
them from the station was ten dollars.
George W., his complexion like a pur-
pie cabbage, was in loud dispute with the
Seedy cabman. A crowd of gIinning
loafers surrounded them; two Rocham-
beau porters stood on the steps, super
c~iliously disguised. A policeman charged
the mob, club in hand, as John
Adams appeared, with a vociferous
" Move onI"
The driver had demanded fifteen dollars
for the job. John Adams urged that it
was a violation of contract; George W
asserted that he would carry "the thing"
before a Justices Court sooner han pay
it. The tumult promised a side-show not
set down in the programme. The officer
Swore impa.tially at all concerned.
"Pay him!" he ordered, brutally.
" Next time, look sharp! There's 10 use
disputing anything to-day. Centennial
prices, you knowT
The "next time" was when the cleva-
tor carried the bridal couple up five stories
to a stuffy, single-bed room upon a court,
dimly iIlumined by one gas burner.
CAN right, sir" affirmed the porter.
"Last room we had left. Wouldn't have
got this, but party called home by tele-
gram. Halt million people'l sleep in the
streets O N York t'-might."
George covertly distracted a caId from
the back of the door, and, while his wife
made her toilet, carried it to the crowded
Office.
Can this be correct?" trying to speak
calmly as the cross clerk glanced impa-
lIChO1H q I'LL ~ fCO Ii a OCdSL1y
hole, but not 1T for a decent man, to say
nothing of a woman. Yet here | find it
set down at S15 a day for one person,
$25 for two"
Needn't keep it if you don't like it.
Could let it to other parties for $50 this
minute. Centennial rush must be met
somehow. Move on, pleased"
Forty dollars gone-or as good as
.gone-already, and nothing-or worse
than nothing to show for it! And they
had meant to spend a week in the city
At the cumulative meditation the bride
groom paused without the door of $50
to dull his face up straight.
The vision that met him on the other
side OF the dingy panels made effort need
Less.
Martha had planned and executed a
" stunning" Centennial costume. Her
gown of cream-colored nuns yelling was
draped e a navy-blue silk p~etticoat,
the loopings being secured by red bows.
A blue silk vest was fastened with coraE
buttons about her chip hat was twisted
a red-white-and blue scarf. Furthermore,
as her enraptured spouse told her, she
carried the national colors in starry blue
eyes, pCd44- AIlC ShIu, duO rosy ClCShS.
He forgot all but love and patriotism as
he emerged into the street, with the new
and improved edition of the Goddess of
Liberty on his arm.
"Hurrah for the red, white and blueI'
yelled a tipsy fellow at the first corner,
driven up against them by the swirling,
pushing, boisterously hilarious river of
human beings that caught the bewildered
pair.
Neither could speak or think until the
sweep and eddy had borne them like
drlft-wood to the junction of Fifth ave-
nue. with Broadway. There the current
dashed into a momentary pause, as upon
a reef That returned it gradually halt
made that all might see the Triumphal
Arch.
Isn't he just Sublime?" uttered pro-
vlncial Martha W., in a shrek that barely
reached her husbands ear. ooh. George