The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-12-26
The sMueeLeR,s WEDDING.
Being Story OF Christmas of tho
.r Long Ago.

Being Story OF Christmas of tho
Long Ago.
Copyright by American Press Association
Down among the cliffs of Devon--those
mighty ones which guard the southern
English coast eastward from Sidmouth,
and not far from the quaint, rock bound
village of Vere-Isabel Venn, the come
ly, brown haired fishernfan's daughter,
reigned over the sturdy hearts of the
sea, subjugating alike the brawny fisher
lad who swept the channel through the
starlight nights of winter and the man.
o'-wars-man home on leave, while half the
coast guards lapsed into chronic jealousy,
and few wild spirits. the special care of
the coast guards, who traded secretly with
Cherbourg, were among her most ardent
admirers.
1t was on Robert Dare, young, hand
some, fearless and the most accomplished
smugrler of the coast, that Isabel's choice
fell. Devonshire smuggling over fifty
years ago was daring, almost chivalrous,
enterprise, and from this and other causes
it was tolerated by the people. Many
magistrate has traced his cellars pride to
a We're fishing boat, and lord bishop has
sent from afar for the pale French essence
ere it had blushed itself brown in bond. Nor
ply the means. When Robert Dare needed
funds for voyage he used to say that he
was "going up the Landslide little" and
that night he would come back with the
needful. The third week in December,
1888, opened cold, clustering time.
Wreaths of fine snow wound round the
doorsteps and hung over the small diamond
paned windows of We're. Times were hard;
the coast guards vigilant. Prudence must
defer the marriage of Robert and Isabel,
which was to have come off at Christmas.
The cronies of the Ship Inn deplored the
prospect for the poor and shook their heads
in sympathy as mild expiration for their
comforting RUNNERS" of grog.
"Good evening, DOCTOR" squeaked old
| Solomon Quigley, the parish clerk, as
genial DR.. Bowlby came beaming in. For
Dr. Bowlby came from Bovey manor, where
Lady Lee had commissioned him to buy q
hundred and fifty geese for the Christmas
| dinner of the needy. But Exeter and Honi-
ton had absorbed the supply, so said the
| farmers present. Then up spoke Robert
Dare:
"Geese are plentiful and cheap in France.
will get them by payment for my time"
DIR. Bowlby assented, the company APP
| plauded, and the grizzled coast guard cap
Robert in q look of dazed solcitude.
"Good night, my darling Belle" said
| Robert, kissing her at her fathers cottage,
"and may good luck attend me. / mus
| go up the Landslide a little tonight"
The Seagull sailed out of the cove of
We're, and in due time sailed back again,
| harbinger of good cheer for the poor.
"a welcome cargo" said DR.. Bowlby.
"Take care of them tonight, Robert"
| Eyes, n good selection" muttered the
| grizzled captain, peering int the recesses
| of the boat, Every good. There is abso-
lutely nothing but the geese" he whis-
| pered dejectedly to himself; then louder to
| his neighbour:
''I say, Mr.. Quigley, there is really moth
ing but the geese, you know"
Nothing" piped Solomon. "unless there
may be any ganders among 'em."
| "Bahp' said the captain. And now the
Ship Inn is bower of evergreens, for to-
| morrow is Christmas eve.
| 81 hear" observed Mr.. Quigley in n
| low, commanding tone, as he slowly filled
his pipe, that Robert Dare and Isabel
| Venn are to be married tomorrow"
"Yes," said the doctor, glancing fro m
the punch bowl to the captain; "by
| license"
~ wish L may die" wheezed the land
| lord, eff / warn't told that Robert had
bought Rose cottage, in Seaford lane'
"And he is gone off today for furniture"
said the captain; mysterious, very"
"And quite n party is invited to the
breakfast at Venn's afore they're off for o
London honeymoon, gasped the landlord.
"There's the vicar and squire and the
doctor and the cappen and Mr.. Quigley
and l, and some of the hitler folks"
1t was pleasant wedding breakfast, in
which the JOY of the young people blended
with the happy spirit of Christmas; the
flag waved from the tower Of the old gray
church, and the notes of the bells foated
down the valley until they were lost
among the rocks.
at is not true" said Robert in respond
ing to the toast of bride and bridegroom,
"that have purchased Rose cottage; we
are going into an established business at
Exeter; but perhaps it is fit that should
explain some of the features of my last
trip across the channel. The sage and
onions that will fill the geese of our poor
friends tomorrow will only succeed far
different stuffing. My neighbors all, /" and
here Robert smiled brightly on the grizzled
captain, "stowed in each goose, and now
safe from the Philistines, was several
guineas' worth of the most costly lace"
Loud was the laughter and cheering,
which only subsidized as the last toast was
given:
"a merry Christmas to all friends here
and everywhere, and O happy New Year
when it comesr'
At this juncture the grfHled captain,
who had been missed for a tIoment, reap
peared with ford face and sheepish air.
He had taken of his uniform jacket with
its gilt buttons and availed himself Of the
doctors overcoat. Thus. with lightened
conscience, he Joined in tho toast with its
'three times three"
The heads of several respected families
in professional and trade life in the west
of England are the sons and daughters of
i.a-><l...-.a L, lla.A M m and hoartif,,l Ian-