The Arizona champion., 1890-11-15
DORoTHYS WEDDING GIFTS.
Presents That Were Received at Two
 Weddings in the Same Family.

Presents That Were Received at Two Weddings in the Same Family.
 When, one summer day in 1790, it was told in the village of FarElake that Dorothy Vance was going to be mar ried to James Hogue, all of her friends set to work to prepare her a present. Every one was fond of good little Dor othy, and wished to show love for her. Moreover, the whole village knew that the young people were poor, and hence the gifts were meant to be useful to them in their beginning of married life
 DOrothy'S mother gave her dozen coarse linen sheets of her own weaving; her brother brought two sheep which he had raised especially for her; the | old carpenter next door made her a ta- ble and wooden bowl for kneading dough; one farmers wife knitted her shawl another mittens; third wOve her fine tablecloth to be used only on grand occasions.
 Dorothy was very happy in her new treasures. Not only would each one of them make her married life more con- fortable and pleasant, but each spoke to her of long hours of patient labor for her sake, and of the deep, tender alice tion which she had won. She turned them over with throbbing heart and wet eyes. As long as she lived her ''wedding gifts were kept and regarded with a sacred reverence.
 Now, in 1890, Dorothy Hogue, a great-grandchild of this little bride, is preparing for her marriage Farmlake is now large city; the Hogues live in an immense new colonial mansion" upon the site of the old cabin which was the home of their ancestors.
 Dorothy is going to marry man who has a great fortune, and she is said to have in her own right nearly as much as he. During the two weeks preced- ing her marriage hundreds of wedding gifts pour into the house. She and her sisters scan them with sharp criticisms and sarcastic comments.
 A Sl1NOl COllCC oCU HUH lIlC Yes, it's very pretty" is the comment. Smith needs papa's backing in the bank. That explains his generosity. This pearl pendant is from Mrs. Johns Now l call that meanl Three of those Johns girls have had wedding gifts from us each one worth this pearl thing. These toilet sets I'll change for glass. One can't have too much of that. Here are six grape scissors, and every one marked so that I cannot change them, or even give them away How stupid! Belle Boyd set aside all the trashy part of her gifts to send as wedding presents!" exclaimed Dorothy. 'She cleared hundreds by that little game"
 There is not touch of feeling or sentiment for any of the costly offer ings. Even her fathers gift, a dwell ing splendidly furnished, has been the subject of sharp dispute between him and his daughter.
 The custom, like many others, has lost its first high, tender significance, and degenerated into an opportunity for display and barter and sale A man or woman who means to keep life simple and true will thrust all such heartless observances out of it.
 Better the bride should go to the altar without a single gift than loaded with tokens of sordid calculation and sham good will.
 When the soul has died out of GUS tom let it be buried out of sight. Like all other dead things, it has become an offense. e.-Youth's Companion.