The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-08-02
THREE BIRDS ON A STILE.

learned bishop has declared that tho
night before men and women are married
shouId be spent in solitude and devoted to
nraver. repentance aud meditation: but q
bishop may be very learned, and yet def
eient in common sense. Miss Adelaide
Dorr who was to be married tomorrow to
MIR. Arthur GoOoh. had several sisters. two
brothers and the usual number of parents
With all these around her. popping In and
out. asking questions. making remarks,
laughing, crying. teasing and kissing and
trying on things, you may imagine the
state she was in. Arthur had put IN an
appearance. but lie had gone away early.
he had so much TO do To complete his ar
rangements for tomorrow.
There was. of course, tender leave-tak-
ing in the passage, from which Adelaide
Dame in rather quieter than usual, but sne
was not allowed to be quiet long. Inc en-
tire house was In a futter of excitement.
and had the charming girl expressed q de-
sire for solitude, for the purpose OF follow,
ing the learned bishops advice. It would
Instantly have been feared that the pros
pect of approaching bliss had turned ner
head. She had no wish Tor soiitude, ana as
TO her having anything to repent, the idea
was monstrOus and absurd. here ID
little doubt that before she fell asleep
on this important night In her young
life she would breathe prayer,
a prayer as the bishop had in view:
And il is true she thought great deal
of Arthur; indeed, she thought of little
elsa statement. perhaps. which my fe-
male readers will dispute when they take
into consideration the wedding dress and
the troussesu. All can advance In proof
OF my assertion 10 that Adelaide was very
much in love, and that there are circumf
stances-rare, i grant-in which dress does
not occupy the first place In Q woman's
mind.
Neither did Arthur Gooch. who was as
much in love as Adelaide. spend the last
night of his bachelor existence IN solitude
and repentance. When he left Adelaide he
jumped into q hanson and was driven to
his chambers, where he expected to ind
letter of pressing Importance. tie was not
man of fortune; be had good prospects.
which wero almost certain of realization,
and he had q little investment or two
which paid him fair interest. and which
could not, without loss, be turned i'm
mediately INTO cash. Now, the expenses
of the coming wedding. and the furnish
ing and decoration of house he had
taken on lease, had made more serious
inrosds on his bank balance than he ex-
pected. Calculating the expenses OF the
honeymoon trip on the continent, he found
that he would run short of money. and in
Stevens by name. for q loan of f75. which,
with seventy five of his own. which he had
by him, would carry him and his pretty
bride comfortably through. 1t was Jack
Stevens's answer to his letter asking for q
loan that ne was expecting as he rode to
his chambers with the image OF Adelaide In
his mind. What dear girl she was! Was
there ever such anotherf Was he not the
happiest man in the woridf And so on.
and so on. Who Is not familiar with q
true lovers rhapsodiess Arthur was the
sort Of man who would have rivaled Or
lando. had the positions been similar. He
N
every tree.
Running up to his rooms which were at
the top of the house. he found half o dozen
letters in his letter-box, aud among them
one from bis friend. 1t may DO mentioned
that Jack Stevens would have been his
best man had it not been that his presence
was imperatively demanded in another
part of the country on the day OF the wed.
ding. 1t was provoking, but it could not
be helped.
Dear Arthur said Jack Stevens in his
letter, certainly you can have the money.
and more if you want it. As time is so
short. do not care risking it through the
post and q crossed check might not suit
you. have to catch an early train in the
morning for Manchester. as you know, but
] shall be at Lady Weston Whites AT
tonight. saw q card for the
crush stuck in your looking glass. Look
me mp there and will hand you the notes.
/ am awfully sorry to give you the trou BILE.
but can't come 10 you, and am anxious
to be certain that you are properly fur
nished before you and your BRIDE start for
Paradise. Always you're dear boy,
Lady Weston White was not one of Ar.
thurs intimate friends. but he Was on her
list. and he generally received cards from
her three OF four times in the course of the
year. He had not intended to 60 to heI
house, in GrosvenOr street, on this occasion
but Jacks letter settled it. and he
got ont his swallow-tail. The money
he hou nd fhAr
other way of getting 1t. There were
letters TO write, and . lot of things to be at
tended to which he calculated would keep
him up till o'clock in the morning. Well,
be would have to stop up another hour OF
90. that vas all. At half-past IL he was in
Grosyenor street, engulfed in one of those
London crowds of ladies and gentlemen
which contribute to the success of Lon
don season. The beautiful house was lit
orally packed; to ascend @ staircase was a
work of several minutes. and to find his
friend Jack in such vast assemolage
notable gathering; the elite of so
ciety were present, distinguished men
and fair women, and Arthur. as he
squeezed his way alon Q. thought he bad never
seen SO wonderful profusion of diamonds
and lovely dresses. The ladies seemed to
vie with each other in the display of jew.
els. They glittered IN the hair, round the
necks. In the ears. on the arms and bosoms.
on shoes. and fans, and ravishIng gowns
and Arthur observed that q new fashion
was coming into vogue. diamond buttons
on ladies' gloves IF any of the light
fingered fraternity were heren thought
Arthur. they could gather fine harvest. y
And said aloud. ALLOW me.n A lady had
dropped her fan. and Arthur managed to
rescue IL from the crush of feet. Ii
sparkled with diamonds. At length Arthur
reached the hostess, who held out two ling.
ers to him.
Lady Weston White was q woman OF
great penetration, and, as became society
leader. of perfect self possession. She never
forgot a face or q circumstance, and, busy
as she was at present In the performance oil
her arduous duties, she remembered that
Arthur Gooch was to be married within q
few honrs; she remem bered, also, that tC
her X. s. V. Il. she had received a line from
him regretting that he could not accept heI
kind invitation. She said nothing how.
ever, but gave him rather questioning
look as he passed on to allow other guests
behind him to pay their respects to theiI
hostess The look puzzled him somew hat
IL seemed TO ask. Nv hat brings you herei'
He had quite forgotten that hs
baf declined her invitation. At length
after much polite squeezing, and
hustlIng. after dropping his handkerchief
and picking il mp again. to the annoy anct
of some nei ghbors who had become tixturet
and could scarcely move for the crush. hs
saw Jack Stevens in the distance. They
were both tall men. and communication be-
ing established between them they made
simultaneous efforts TO get to each other
This accomplished Arthur hooked jacks
arm, and said:
Let US get out of this as quick as VIZ