The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-09-26


ed.
LET them pass and she stopped
still, and Dave and Jen laughed gayly
- they went on
Il want to ask you, Zeke, if We had
not better have breakfast at instead OF
., for the hour l. rather early, and
am afraid Cousin Helen won't get over
in time,' she Whispered still. Ny
heart went elap-a-te-clap, for here was
the nugget of gold coming unasked.
Perhaps" | whispered back. ''Oh,
Nell, how can | wait for the day?''
1Pshaw, you silly boyr' And then
she prattled on about the linen her
grandma was making for her and her
dress that was quite done, but no exact
time had she Yet mentioned.
And Ia think, / don't believe any
one outside Of my own family nIistrust
one word" She looked up in my face.
'NO, nor in mine,- | smiled back.
But they viii before tong l ventur-
ed u l unattached her gate, hoping
against hope she would give me what |
was after and she sweetly put up her
lips and said, Just one more day, my
Zekiel-" How could / kiss that sweet
mouth? ! would have given my gray
colt just to have been Zeke and he me.
| had not hargained for . kiss: but,
then, was she not a. good a. a sister /?
sol kissed her and held her in my
arms moment and whispered Good
night a. she went in.
My checks burned, my fingers tin
gled, my heart fiuttered, 80 broke into
a rapid run and fled homeward.
Meantime Bob lef1 Zeke, and the
other boys came round them and ask
ed questions and Laid plans. a ringing
laugh nov and then from the entry al
layed Zeke's fears concerning Nell for
awhile As the plan was laid one Of
the girls said - he came out
''Zeke, Nell couldn't wait 20 long.
But she doesn't want YOU 10 feel had
about it-r
why, no." Zeke replied pleasantly
Il couldn't get away sooner" But his
face showed his disappointment
We had found out the secret at least
And now our luck hung upon the
chance Of Zeke and Nell not Speaking
of that nights work. Slim thread il
was, but anyway We could serenade
them just the saline.
We were busy. Masks 10 make
drums to find, and horns and bells and
old tin pans and-well, You young
boys know how il was told by your
fathers, and you old boys have all been
there.
knew Zeke had rented rooms in an
l. Of Farmer Jud-on's house, and by
P<ering into the windows we saw every
thing was in readiness, even TO fuel in
the woodbox.
They were married few minutes
before since learned IL, had break
fast al and repaired 10 their new
home II look il over. Father and moth
er said they were going to town and
did, but stopped there on their way
hither- None ofmy brothers and si--
ters mi,trusied enc word, and some of
Nelly's Cousins were IL ignorant a.
We She was the only child, - she
had no one 10 keep it from at home
Zeke since has told me the boys had
made their brags about no one ever
'-leIling" where they were,
and for this reasan and this alone had
he kept the ss7cret-
A. soon a. night had spread her
wings over the earth We gathered our
IrappiBgs tsseIher for our grand SCI
enade. We were not quite sure wheth-
er the bride and groom would inlmesli-
aiely settle Down in their Rev home or
Iarry a day or - al the cid home. We
knew well that the minister from Glen
dale had returned home, for i myself
had met him with his wife in a closed
carriage that afternaon- But - twilight
cheerful light from Zeke's
new home told very plainly 10 u where
they where We maTShaied our foross
and took our places in line Not a
drum was heard, not a bagle note, not
the clap ola broken bell, though |
have often wondered how We ali kept
from shouting aloud a. We Peered into
each others faces.
Tramp, tramp. along the slippery
road Forward in an irregular trian-
gle We stood before the lighted rooms
and commenced our bonbarJinient.
Louder and louder grew our frenzied
music, and no one opened the door.
Finally the door wa opened, and We
were invited in Just behind me was
Bob, enormously padded and painted,
and in a disguised voice he said, push
ing NE q little ahead Wa their cap
tain !. salute the bride - In little
Above stood two forms with something
white thrown over them suppose
Nelly had done this TO hide her blush
ing face. 30 thinking Of that other
kis- o1t in the moonlight, strode up
to them. picked out Nelly by the skirts
visible bene2Ih the cover, pulled of the
same with quick motion and planted
a kiss upon the rosy mouth Of the
blushing bride-Or - | supposed
Shout upon shout came from tho-e b.
hind me while l rubbed my eye 10 -ee
if was indeed awake
For there before me stood not Nellie
and Zeke, hui Mr.. Whitney and his
white haired little wife. Wild with
the discrimination 70 nedeem myself
and punish thO-e who had CAUSED me
To make thi, mistake. I ransaeked the
hou-e for the One- / most wished 10
find. Others helped me, but it was
finally told u by Neliy'> father that
the bride and groom with the minister
had gone Ia 6;lendAle. there 10 take 4
conveyance 20 PoIker'> Conner 20 visit
with relatives for several weeks Dur
ing the excitement | had fOrgogton 10
disguise my VOICE Ii was too late
when / recovered myself / was --~old"
completely Salute the bride" was
huried at me for years. and always up
my hack would creep The ehill- a. they
hsd fhSr nixht wh-n I found I hai