Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-11-20
MY WEDDING.
The Preparation Necessary for
That Important Event.

wonder how many women who lead
life of single blessedness, either from
choice or necessity, as the case may be,
realize what being engaged and getting
married actually means! wonder if
they have the remotest idea of the
vanity and veXation of spirit, the end
less preparations incident to the great
event, the interminable worry and sour
ry, the mad ecstasy of delight, the
quarrels, the bad temper, the misunder-
standings that are part and parcel of ar
ranging wedding. Old and hardened
~ | now am, l alternately smile and
shudder as recall the experience lead
ing up to the one great decisive step in
my existence. To be sure, was not an
ultra-Swell. We didn't have money!
enough for that. We couldn't afford to
give grand balls at Delmonico's, and
rent fine house in London for the sea-
son. But papa was quite we'll off, for all
that, and we moved in very good society.
Naturally, every girl who has spark of
ambition wants her wedding to be as
brilliant as possible, and dear papa is
the most generous man alive. He said
/ should have every thing wanted, and
UA"V hO nOuAO pay VIC OAI4o. 1o udu
some pride about the matter himself,
because Lottie Jones-who had tried her
best to capture Jack (that was my .1dnce),
and had failed to arouse in his breast
the faintest spark of interest-had
lately married out OF pure pique and
spite, and had an exceedingly smart
wedding. At least, the papers said so.
eve were not invited.) So dear papa
declared from the beginning that my
wedding should be just trif1e more
sumptuous than hers, and so indeed it
was.
The engagement was to be a short
one. The suspicious occasion-I be-
lieve that is the correct phrase-was
fixed for the first week in April, and
then the excitement and the wild
anxiety began. I am sure, much as
enjoyed it, on the whole, hope shall
never have to go through with the pro-
ceedings again. sit isn't likely" Jack
says, looking over my shoulder, and
speaking with sort of sniff. IN. B.
I am writing this after two years of
matrimonial bondage.)
In the first place, mamma and Aunt
Miranda, who never had any more taste
in dress than Bridget the cook, began
to discuss the all-important subject of
my trousseau. The wedding-gown was
to be considered first, of course, and
then came the interesting point con-
corning the modiste who should be en-
ployed to make it. Aunt Miranda sug-
gested one, and mamma was for having
another. Every morning at breakfast
time the matter was brought up, and
every morning they differed as to the
proper choice. Papa used to swallow
his coffee boiling hot and rush out of
the house to escape from these CONVEX
sations. My opinion, strange to say,
was never asked; and, to tell the truth,
l didn't care who made the dress SO long
as they settled it one way or the other.
1t began to look, finally, as If should
be married without any gown at all,
when, one fine morning, mamma
clinched matters by going out very early
and giving the order to suit herself.
When Aunt Miranda discovered this
underhand action, she locked herself up
in her room and cried all day. But the
wedding-gown, which was to be of the
richest cream-white satin, was only the
nucleus of the trousseau. I felt that
must have at least dozen other frocks.
No self-respecting girl can possibly get
married without lot of clothes, made
of the finest materials and cut in the
latest fashion. 1t is taken for granted
by the whole world that, up to the date
of her engagement, her wardrobe is
lacking in all that pertains to gentle
woman's toilet" as the modistes say,
and that, in vulgar parlance, she hasn't
decent rag to her back. Mamma,
therefore, who likes to live up to all So
ciety prejudices, ordered a number of
lovely gowns for me, besides negligees,
jackets Cncluding smoking jacket,
which was the latest agony, opera
clocks, tea gowns, bonnets and hats,
and spent all my time in being fitted.
For hours and hours did stand with
aching joints and throbbing head in
front of that dress-maner's mirror, trying
on and taking off, while mamma and
Aunt Miranda sat severely by and criti-
cised and, as usual, disagreed and went
home out of temper. l declare l got so
tired and heart-sick over it all that at
times could not help wishing I were a
savage and allowed to run about in
head-dress of feathers and garland of
leaves for q costume, so utterly did
learn to loathe the sight of clothes dur
ing those horrible weeks. But whom the
garments wore finally sent home could
have cried with pleasure, they were so
pretty and dainty. All the girls came
to see them and everybody agreed lex
cept Sally, who was JEALOUSY that my
wardrobe by far eclipsed that of Lottie
Jones. Then when these outer splendors
were disposed of there was the Hngerie
to be thought of. am sorry to be
obliged to record the fact that mamma
and Aunt Miranda had ''some words" in
regard to the lingerie. Aunt Miranda
wished me to have at least two dozen of
every thing, while mamma protested, say
ing that one dozen would be quite