The Van Buren press., 1895-01-12
ON HER WEDDING DAY.

ON He'll EUU1NO LA IL
II was . quiet wedding-no show.
no fuss. no flurrys oat just unostenta.
tious and decorouA as best beseems
the ceremony. No carriage even.
Only . step separated Ben Varley's
cottage from the church, and old Ben,
with his daughter, the bride, and her
cousin, Kate Fletcher, had walked the
distance. Dick Ford and his "best
man," Rueben Grmmc. In likewise
reached the ancient, lichened edifce.
The little building was well-nigh full
of interested fisherfolk, . state of re-
pletion which the rector's most
learned sermons failed to bring about
ON Sundays. Various CALCULATIONS
uttered In would-bo undertoues-
s.Doesn' her luik bonnie?' "She's
paler nor like to see." sGray suits
her, II do'i-from the women, with
sundry sniggerings and rib-digginga
on the part Of the men. marked the
passage Of the .'happy pair" -, leav.
Ing the church. they trod the leaf
atrewn path Of the churchyard.
"Eh. but he's for init to get sich q
winsome young woman" said Miss
Mitchell. IN elderly spinster.
..She moan knows what she's ventur-
In on" replied Mrs. Hogan, whose
husband was reckoned the most hem
peclxed man In Port st. Bedc. 1.-The
troubles, the worrits O. men folks
enow to drive body crazy. Oh,
know 1t, Miss Mitchell, nobody better" /"
shaking her head dolefully.
.'Guid luck 60 wi ye, Mrs. Ford, I"
chorused the women, and MAY ye
liver be blithe. Dick" shouted the men.
Dick smiled and raised his hat awk-
wardly-it being the frat time he had
ever donned silk hat, he did not feel
1t home In it-while Father chung more
tightly to his arm ~ the good wishes
throngsd In on every side Bride and
bridegroom came first, Of course;
Rube Greene linked next with Kate;
then followed, In straggling order, Old
Ben and Dicks father-his mother,
like Fathers, had long been at rest be-
meath the shade Of the church tower
Bob Yardes, Ralph Thwaites, with Mrs.
Thwaites, Simon Hawker and wife,
and other friends who had been In
vited to celebrate the event. And 90
the little train wended down to the
I'rawlers' INN, In the big upstairs room
of which the wedding breakfast was
spread.
The weather since early morn had
been none the best, tempest lowered
In the air. The elms in the church
yard creaked and bent their tops, al
though NO wind was astir; the hush
that presaged the coming storm was
painful in its brooding stiffness. The
long-drawn roar of tho ocean sm ote
the ears Of the wedding party as they
left the church, from the hill the
waves could be seen breaking far out
to sea, ovsrleaping and licking the
Fork rocks like angry tongues Of flame
around martyr at the stake. The
wind too, had come, ut frst In short,
fitful gusts, grad ually prolonged, until.
before the inn was reached, the full
force of it, strength was put forth.
Heavy drops Of rain foil spatterinR on
the uneven cobbles Of the street and
on the gray shales Of the roofA
1--WE shall haze II noo," muttered
Reuben to Kate, glancing with
puckered brow to seaward. "There'll
be no boats ventur' out to-neet, I'm
thinkin'."
NAY, an hope not" was the reply.
Kate was too engrossed just then to
give more than lsconic answer-too
much engrossed In the study of her
cousins gray. dress, In considering
what improvements its style. fit and
texture were susceptible of. anent the
time whom she herself should take the
foremost place in such another process
sion. Besides, she resented the trans
ference of Rube's attentions from her
own pretty self TO the black, wrathful
elements. What place have storms
and discord In the music of marriage
bellsf Verify, none. They might re-
serve themselves-at least 30 Kate
thought-for later period.
But her pique soon wore of whom
the company was seated round the
loaded table at the Trawlers' inn.
Here the sullen moan of the wind, the
thunder of the sea, the patter of the
rain. were forgotten in . flow of bois-
ferrous humor more appropriate to the
occasion. Geniality and high spirits
blotted them from the memory - ef-
fectually As II they were non-existent
The season was to be . season of Joy,
despite all drawbacks, and right
tovially was it inaugurated. Mine
host had catered TO taste.
There were speeches. Of course
speeches little disjointed, perhaps, q,
but full of pleasant banter, and of that
species Of wit denominated broad.
The homely sentiments were received
with vast applause, and the lively sal
lies evoked grins and laughter, that
showed . thorough appreciation of
their point
Dick rose TO reply. On entering the
inn he had been in sore perplexity as
TO whether he should remove his
gloves or not. his knowledge of the
usages Of society not extending to
certainty on the matter. In fear lest
he should violate some unknown canon
OF etiquette, and probably remember
ing the trouble he had In getting them
on, he finally decided to retain the
"hand-shoes" as long
Is he could endure the infiction.
Wen nc ees* stood up he twitched