Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-04-12
AN EASTER WEDDING.
BY MARGARET SPENCER.

We were boarding. Everybody
boarded In Washington in those days,
think, except the President, the Cabi.
net and the foreign ministers. Oul
landlady was a gentle. quiet woman.
from the West, witnout the marked
characteristics of the North OIL
South. Sne Was a widow, and with the
very efficient help of her two daugh.
ters, she made us all happy and com.
Portable, and that for a Washington
boarding house in the sixties. was
marked praise.
We were a large family. We had all
tyres of winter boarders. Senators
snd members with families occuuyIne
"the first foors;" senators and mem
bers without families, in the regulation
"larPe front chambers" and so on, TO
the young clerk III the ten foot hall
room. We had diamonds AMI ''soci
ety." We had plain har"iworking peo-
pie, and people who came to enjoy the
winter roses and jasmnes of our beau
tiful capital.
Next Sunday would be EIster. Al
ready our children had packet away
IN dainty beds of cotton, dozens Of
eggs-all scarlet and blue and gold, for
Easter Monday and the egg rolling on
the Presidents grounds. But we were
to have a wedding on Easter Sunday
A wedding from our own family
''Little Emily" We called her, the
youngest daughter of our landlady,
had been for three years engaged
to MAJOR Davis, Of a Western regi-
ment, but until this winter he had been
far from the capital, and IN active and
dangerous service. In January his
regiment Was ordered to Fairfax Court
House, only a short distance from
Washing on, and, IN all probability
their General Jhought, would remain
until Jne. Easier sunday was to be
the wedding day. Emily was tiny, fair,
and had "eyes of the sky" Her hair
was gold like our little children's and
she filed our house with gladness and
sunshine.
All worldly prudence seemed to melt
away in our love for her; and We has
tened the marriage simply because
well-because of that incomprehensibl
something, which shadowed the blue
eyes sometimes, and gave to little
Emily, an added patience and gentle
ness, as she went about her work.
She had waited long and cheerfullv,
had borne burdens, and crowded small
economies and lf-deniais into years
of girlish life; had followed in her
heart her brave lover through peril
and death, marches and untold hard
ships, and given to us ouly sunshine
and service. she never posed as a : ero-
inc, but simply looked duty in the face
and loved tie Master
Saturday our house was transformed
into a beautiful bower of stars,
wreaths, crosses and crowns in ali
stages of construction. Senator Wood
had sent down from the Congressional
garden, boxes of lilies and roses; the
members" had ordered palms and
ferns, while Tom, Joe, and tue younger
members of the household contributed
violets, and Wreaths of green.
Nothing could be too lovely for our
little maid, Emily. The ceremony was
to be Just at the close of the evening
service in the church near by. Our
palms and lilies had been carried over.
the great white cross of azaleas anil
lilies of the val ey, air, Rdy hing on the
gray church wall inst behind the pul
pit. Nothing remained to he done but
hang the soft green pine over the pHr-
lor windows, and arrange our flowers
for Easter morning IN our rooms.
"a telegram ior Major Davis" After
a little que>tioning, he read 1t aloud.
1--WE march South at nine on Sunday
morning. Report for duty at Fairfax
Court House."
We looked at one another; the Major
put the little slip of paper in his
pocket, turned to Emily and said in
queer, choking way, Come, we will
talk it over" Oue great wave of color
swept over her face, and then went
back, till her lips looked white and
cold.
After they were gone we all talked
at onceI
"They ought to be married, any
how" said Tom and all the girls.
"They must be married on Easter sun
day. Look at all our flowers, and''-I
"Yes," added the old Senator, "bad
luck to postpone q VT dding.
The Major went to the telegraph
office, and little Emily sar pale and
cold in her room, alone. She wanted
to think. She had received a blow.
The beautiful Easter day. IT was to-
morrow, and the Sabbath day. All tie
past week she had been singing softly
to herself the little English carol:
Our Lord Il risen, we too shan rise.
Green Easter fields fair Easter feldsi
Pluck lilies rare ana roses sweet,
And threw the path of Jesus feet"
1t had looked SO full of Joy, and she
had been so glad.
We sat about in idle groups. The |
clock on the msntel struck eleven. The !
members came in, after an evening ses- !
sion of Congress. Gust looked IN to :
see if everything was ready"
sit down, boys" the Senator said !
The Speaker will soon call the House |
10 order. All! here comes the bride;
iOn'V dare say no, Emily"
But father" said Dolly, SGT isn't
Emily. Oh dearl I'm just going to
throw my Easter bonnet into the fire
No wedding, and all our waste of time
and money!
Dolly" drily remarked her smiling
.ather, rather than sacrifice that bon
act, suppose you drop 1t into the mis-
honary box tomorrow.
What sort ofa service Tomorrow
hghed Tom. at will take US all d.
20 ocomfort Emilyr'
'No it won't, Tom!o and q swee.,
slear voice said, "You are all invited to
Oe present at the marriage of Of"
shouts and cheers filed the house.
hats good! Hurrah for the Major!
NOW that is senslble!"
Inc Senator forgot circumspection:
te lust lifted little Emily off the carpet
zee, and kissed her three timesl
Ano that was the result ofthe sstalk.