Tombstone epitaph., 1891-02-15


 Come over to thc church iB balf hour. NyEE. 4 couple arc ID be r rged then. IL El2y amuse you s0 sc of our provincial ecremoaigs
 My grandfather was a raIal t0Hn r1. Petit Zodiac, ov as they called iE veruaUuisaf, ,zisSsSs:zs ;s:-. s:-i jass-t Mrs. NJ. l.. R&yue, ia tho Dstaoit Press, and 1t would ba hard 10 iE2aE a simpler life. or one more renot7 Ef the fashion which Passcth aWaE. little stone church was old a3d p5 esque. and the people who Eo-5a there were as quaint and original & they had stepped outot another cent
 When l reached the church tho ding party had already arrived. It e. sisted of the party themselves as ula alone as were Adam and Eve at tha bridal in Eden. They had arrived q horseback. and the unhitoheG aaima- each saddled over a flowing Eatt sheet, which made them lock hsr equine ghosts in the tEtlight-Wcr browsing about among the grave stones disturbing nothing but the long tangled grass and the sWestbEisr roses that gr0H wild there. hurried past them inc the yestry, where the dean was strug- gling into his white gown
 fYou can be my cETate for this ocea- sion,7 be said, as peePed in at ta door. "You will be needed for v-. ness and bridesmaid, to assist wish the ring"
 walked up the aisle of the little chapel and sat down in one of the high backed pews and tried Do see what mar ner of folk they were who had sECa queer bridal customs.
 Not young And both were hard. or the kumbiest rustic type. The woman brown as Gypsy, wore lowered mus lin dress that was coarse and badly made. 4 string O: beads and white cotton vail were her ornaments. Roth wore Bhite cotton gloves, and as theig hands were immense the effect vas al most grotesque- Their faces exPresses bashfulness and certain rude disdai. of what other people might think. TbcE elutchea hands as if they were deter mined that no power on earth should separate them at this crisis.
 After they had been instructed s,her- to stand, they took their places ths bride syinE me with some disfaVor &s 8 possible intruder.
 "Wbo Eiysth this woman to be mar ried to this mani"
 At this moment stepped forward to make that part O. the ceremony Con- plete.
 sl don't know she,' said the bride. edging away, but the dean paid no al tenti0H to her and repeated the sserel formula for them to follow with him
 'T siIl now take the ring" said my grandfather in low voice
 "Reeng?" echoed the groom, ''I know nObbut reeag. Hast any like ree8g, Matbilde2''
 The raftsrs rung with his Whoa! DobbiR," tone.
 ''T never thocht O the like. Happen we'll ne'er mind ssch leetle thing a that said the bride, with look Of genuine terror in her eyes, as fl she might lose her gallant at the very altar.
 Take of your ring, Myra, we can use that for the ceremony" said the dean, who carried out the Church of England ritual to the letter.
 Alas, held up my gloyeless hands as dsstitRte of rings as those of the bride herself.
 What was to be done? The dean would not have considered those good people properly married if the ceremony of the ring were omitted He glanced down at his own white hands, holding the sacred book, then be turned hurrisdly to ms;
 GO and bring me the key of the ehurcE, he said.
 What in the world is he going to do with itF" I qusried 10 myself, as l obsyed.
 Taking the large, brass key in his hand, he gave it to the man, designating the loop s4 the end Of the handle. He then instructed him to sip the ring over the bFide's finger. nearly laughed aloud as I sSg Inc expression Of sur prise on tBe poor things face, as the key aahgled on her finger, while the bridegrooG lumberiEgiy repeated after the dean; with this ring, thee wed, s etc.
 As soon as they were married l re- stored the key t0 the door and the groom handed rude parcel to my grandfather.
 "it's the pay t wsidin', he said briskly.
 The dean thanked him eourteously without having an idea ss to what the parcel might contain
 There vas horse block at the door, on which the bride mounted with her dress tucked up about her. Only one horse with it's tapping bridal aocOstrs- nents xas ia sight.
 '.Ricbsra!@ screamed ths neW Eife. ssNbere's By baast2"
 Richard had taken of his white gloves and was cansering round among che grzFestones looking fer the 'beast. 2 it vas soon found, and after we had shaken Lands with Ihe two and wished them joys tbe aaeer pair rode of in fne style.
 When ny grandfather opened the parcel ke found the soft. silky skins oz 3 dozen musz-rats-s princsiy fee from sach source.
 Great Aastrasisa EStatss.
 Among fbe large estates, three aa- g..