The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-02-13
miscellaneous.
A BRIDAL PUZZLE.

"send he down bride in full dress for Friday
evening.
"Walkley Station"
That was the tenor of the telegram. Miss
Betsey Blythe knew, because she read it over
40 times if she read it once. She picked it
up on the step of the telegraph office, where
the lucky recipient thereof must have drop
ped it-and unluckily the address was torn of
the northeast corner of the folded paper.
But Miss Betsey Blythe had not been en-
gagged in looking after her neighbors' bust
ness all her life to be foiled now. She wiped
the street mud of the telegram with her
pocket handkerchief, put it safely in her re-
ticule, and carried it home to her sisters, Miss
Arethusa and Miss Pamela Blythe.
There" said she, "dldn't tell you Harold
Smith was going to be married on the SLY"
Goodness mep said Arethusa.
ut can't be possible" piped Pamela
"But who can the bride be 7"
That's the question" declared Miss Bet
sey, staring back at poll parrots cage in the
window. And Friday is to be the wedding
day."
(Which Friday, l wonder?" said Miss
Arethusa.
why, this Friday, of course n pronounc-
ed Miss Pamela. THE day after tomorrow,
of course; or it would have been adeal easier
and cheaper to write instead of telegraphing.
Don't you see ?"
Fridays an unlucky day for wedding"
groaned Miss Betsey.
"Just like Harold Smith to get married on a
Friday" said Miss Pamela. Hes always
making fun of WHAT he calls 'superstitious
observances."
well, Inever /" said Miss Arethusa. "Who
is the bride, anyhow"
IF she's a girl of any spirit whatever"
tartly observed Miss Betsy, "she won't al
low herself to be telegraphed around the
country like package of dry goods"
Some girls will do anything to get mar
ried," said Arethusa with vicious emphasis.
"lt's Jessie Mordaunt, of course" decided
Pamela. "She's been flirting on and off with
Harold Smith for these three years, but l
didn't suppose he was foolish enough to fall
into her trap!'
"Or perhaps it's Marian Shelton" added
Miss Betsey. 81 know they've been making
up a new white silk dress with tablier fronts
and trained skirt, al Shelton's. Miss
Needlepoint told me 80 herself And l can
believe any amount of folly of the Shelton
family since they changed that girls name
from Mary Ann to Marian"
There's the three Misses Mackenzie. every
one of 'em crazy after Harold Smith," sug-
gested Miss Arethusa.
NO." said Miss Pamela decidedly. "You
may be quite certain it's Jessie! Jessie's
flighty enough for anything! I think she'd
rather enjoy an escapade like thatw
"And dare say" vindictively added Miss
Arethusa, who was the eldest sister of the
three, and the least addicted to favorable
views of human nature, they think it's an
Questionable secretp'
"Walkley Station is only three-quarters OF
an hour from New York" said Miss Betsey.
Lets go TO the weddingP'
And" added Miss Pamela in chuckle,
"Iet's notify all our friends 10 go"
For the three Misses Blythe were not
pleased that Mr.. Harold Smith should pre-
sumo to take so important a step as that OF
matrimony without their consent and advice.
Hadn't they known him as a curly headed
lad before he ever went into college? Hadn't
he played many practical joke upon them,
in his wild rolicking way-and didn't they
know perfectly we'll that he regarded them as
three sour, ridiculous, disappointed old
spinsters ?"
And now that they had come into posses
sion of one of his choicest, dearest secrets, it
was scarcely in human nature not to be re-
venged, fully and entirely.
do you suppose she'll 60 out in the cars!'
asked Arethusa.
I'm full dress What nonsense" replied
Pamela. She'll drive, of course in car
rage"
"She'll get her death of cold" said Miss
Betsey with shiver. driving Is miles 10
full Dress"
"The idea of Harold Smith ordering her
around in that majestic fashion, cried
Arethusa. "But girls, I'll tell you what we
will do; we'll go and call on the Mordaunts!''
f,,n
style OF matron, was doing crewel work.
Jessie, her daughter, who corresponded with
the rosebud of the family, was painting avas e
OF purple pansies in water colors. They did
not appear in the least like custodians of an
important secret, looked surprised when Miss
Betsey alluded to the subject of impending
marriages. and said they had heard of no
wedding in the neighborhood; and they star
ed when Miss Arethusa asked if they hadn't
had dressmaker in the house lately.
1--WE always do our own sewing" said Mrs.
Mordaunt. Jessie can fit a dress as well as
Nine. Mondini herself"
But for such very, very important oe-
casion as this" smirked Miss Arethusy.
"We never have any important occasion,
laughed Jessie. Look, Miss Blythe, do
you think my pansy petal is as deep pur-
Pile as the original3"
ouu WHICH, VIC suiCC Oiu uhid6 ho0 oe loot
taken their departure. Jessie looked at her
mother in amazement mingled with mirth.
Mamma" said. "what do those old women
mean?"
II think, DEAR" said Mrs. Mordaunt, "that
they are the least bit unsettled in their minds
Just q little crazy, you know"
And the Misses Blythe went away, ex-
changing mysterious glauces, and whispering
to each other:
"They can not deceive US !!
The Misses Blythe told everybody they
could think of-always in strict confidence,
ofcourse. Everybody repeated it to everybody
else, and by Friday evening the train to
Walkley Station was full.
pointment, the Smith house, a pretty, old
fashioned mansion with pillared front, gar
den full of dimpled box monstrosities and an
octagonal conservatory, built out from the
south end, was not lighted up after any ex-
traordinary fashion. Mrs. Smith, Harold's
mother, dimpled old lady, in white lace cap
and cleaning gold spectacle glasses, was
knitting half asleep, when the three Misses
Blythe were ushered in, followed by crowd
of other acquaintance,
"Oh ?" said she, rubbing her eyes to make
sure that it was not dream, "this is sur
! prise party, is it?" I'm sure I'm delighted
to see you Only it's pity Harry isn't at
home y
"My good SOUL" said Miss Arethusa Blythe,
shaking her finger, sits no use trying to
deceive: us. We know all about it ?"
"All about what ?''cried Mrs Smith.
about the wedding y cried out the COM
pany, in chorus.
Whose wedding p demanded Mrs. Smith
"Why, Harold's, to be sure p they re.
sponded.
"But Harold isn't going to be married,
aid Mrs. Smith. "He isn't even engaged