The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-06-06
THE TWO BRIDES.

| 10 Wnat Sne WOulu, exert nefSell a:
she might, she never succeeded il
satisfying Aunt Judith. Bu, she
never had been quite so i'll pleased
with herself or unacceptable to hel
aunt as since Maud Ellison had come
to the farm on that summer visit
when she won all hearts and made
unconsciously perhaps, back
ground for all poor Pamela's faults
and shortcomings And now Pamela
dropped her end of the huge rol
that Aunt Judith was binding uE
with coarse, brown bagging stuff
and mattress needle, and burs,
into tears.
l can't help it, Aunt Judith, she
sobbed do my best, but-but-
And bad's the best, said the old
lady, petulantly pushing her away.
There Go along, and get the po,
tatoes peeled for dinner | don't
suppose it's your fault that you were
created the clumsiest sirl in Ridge,
vile What are you crying for now?
Jealous because I'm going to give
this beautiful rag carpet to Maud
Ellison ? But she is to be married
next month, and | want her to have
real handsome present as a re.
membrance from me. She is my
brothers daughter, you know, an
And | am your sisters daughter,
Pamela ventured to remonstrate-
and-and I'm to be married this fall
too
Ell? said Aunt Judith, facing sud-
denly around and viewing Pamela
through her glittering spectacle
glasses. You married ! Is there any
fellow alive who would fancy you!
| know I'm not a beauty, ac-
knowledged Pamela, but John Story
likes me, and he has asked me to be
his wife. John isn't grand lawyer,
like Cousin Maud's city beau, but
he is good and honest, aud he says
he'll try to make comfortable home
for me.
Well, said Aunt Judith, tastes dit
fer. That's all | have to say about
it. But you are good girl, Pamela.
after all, and | hope you will be
happy when you're married. Now
go and see about the potatoes.
And Pamela, much consoled by
Aunt Judith's few kindly words,
fastened to obey, while Aunt Judith
finished packing the roll of rag
carpet by herself
And Aunt Judith sat down to din
ner with a good appetite, and
actually told Pamela that when she
went to housekeeping, she might
have the old wooden clock on the
shelf, that had kept time for forty
odd years without varying five min
utes in the twelvemonth. And
Pamela thanked her, and said that
she and John would be very grateful
for it.
| wish | had another rag carpet
for you, said Aunt Judith, her heart
with the exercise OF gener-
osity.
l wish you had, said Pamela,
But dare say we can get
along without carpets until | can
save rags enough to make one
Maud Ellison was a golden haired
beauty, quite unlike her plain cousin.
Her mother dashing widow, had
strained every nerve to secure what
the world called a good match for
her daughter, and when Mr.. Mont
ague Maynard proposed, both
mother and daughter were jubilant.
Pm glad that that antiquated old
woman from Ridgeville isn't COM
ing, said Mrs Ellison, who, although
Aunt Judith had accommodated
them by freely giving Maud a sum
mer home during the period of time
during which it was represented that
she was at Mount Desert Island, did
not care to put herself out for any
country cousins at such a time as
this.
But | expect she'll send me some
thing very nice for present, said
Maud. She seemed to take great
fancy to me last summer, and once
she told one of the neighbors that
she intended to make me her
heiress
The wedding presents were some
thing very fine. for Mr.. Maynard had
a great many fashionable friends,
and Ellison S mother hired a quantity
of silverware, jewelry and br C a
brac, which were to be sent back to
the proprietors on the morning after
the wedding. There were plush BAN
ners mounted on gilded standards,
and painted in rather dauby imita
tons of sunhowers, hollyhocks and
sumac there were Venetian glass,
antique mirrors, carved Swiss boxes,
decorated china, dainty lace and
choice embroidery-in fact, all the
latest caprices of the day were rep
resented and while Maud, sur
rounded by a circle of admiring
young friends, and ably seconded
by the bridegroom elect, was dis
playing the gifts, two maids brought
in ponderous roll which had just
arrived by express.
From your aunt Judith, said Mrs.
Ellison, reading the address. Good
ness me. what can it be?
Something very nice, without
doubt, said Maud, rapturously clasp
ing her hands.
Open it, somebody ! cried Miss