The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-02-14
D0d6 HdrkinS' Wedding
Copyright. 1896. BY American Press Associa-
tion.
(Continued)

women love in lovers. He had heard, it
is true, of coquetrics, retreats and fenc-
ing on the part of women in lovo affairs,
and ON these traditions he tried to hang
slender hope
What in the world would, ever become
Of sincere lovers, handicapped by the
helpless simplicities and duplicities of
yonfh, in a society where they arc left
TO work out their own salvation, If IL
were not for the faint guidance offered
BY the literature Of love storiesi
But already tho ring had been sent
for. Three days passed, and tho wedding
was at hand. Nearly all his guests from
the hotel were TO make the journey TO
Art Harkins' in "a big wagon, sitting
upon straw piled in its bed.
Harry had given up tho hope of the
buggy ride with Charley. He was afraid
TO propose it lest no should be refused,
but under the encouragement OF her
smiles the same idea had entered tho
brain Of tho other young man. He en-
gagged the buggy and engaged Charley
to ride in it.
So lightly did Mrs. Peytee carry her
duties that she climbed into the big
wagon, ignorant Of this little game Of
puss in the corner and supposing Harry
was carrying out the campaign he had
sketched her. Her mind was uncommon
ly preocoupied with plans for the subju-
CATION of tho colonel, who had been
showing of late coquetry unbecoming
Q gentleman and q soldier, particularly
one so rheumatic.
Harry saw Charley depart in bitter
ness of soul too deep to be profaned b?
the pen of such light minded character
rs myself Then, his feet carrying him
as if with volition Of their own, he
started to walk through the woods TO
Harkins', the place where he could look
upon her onco more. There was no rea-
son to suppose that in any case he would
not see her frequently for years to come,
but be did not think about that. He felt
as if that night bounded life.
AS Harry came ont of the primitive
forest upon the wood pile that occupied
Art Harkins' front yard he could see
through the door of the log house, by
the light of the little festal fire burning
in the big fireplace. the newly arrived
guests as they greeted Mrs. Harkins and
the white gowned, red armed bride
Mrs. Harkins, in her purple calico, met
the occasion with the true mountain
eer's unspoiled, easy cordiality, blessed
ly unconscious Of any real social dis
tinctions between white folks. Dade
showed an assurance of different ma
ture There was something in her
hearty welcome that might be attribut-
cd 10 tolerable understanding of the
business of the coal company, but SINH
larly fortifying knowledge failed to con-
Ter the same ease upon her father. He
shifted uneasily about the room, wear
ing, sure enough, his broad hat upon
his head, but touching it politely when
any of the ladies spoke to him, and be-
hind him, when he could get there, kept
the shamefaced groom elect, sunk in
that peculiarly painful misery which
apes delight and marks the man in his
position the world over.
Harry watched Charley as she gently
insisted upon speaking to him and bent
her tact to tightening his sufferings for
an instant. Then rs she disappeared
from his view he came on, as if pulled
by a string, and after speaking to his
hostess stationed himself where, from
across the room, he could best see her.
Besides the hotel party only the white
haired old circuit riding preacher and
a few of tho Harkins' kinspeople were
present, but these, with the family were
enough to establish their own rigid ruls
of etiquette upon the company. Every
ono was forced to feel that the least
gayety or relaxation would be a grave
indecorum, and the occasion was mark
ed by much the same manners as pre-
vail at funerals. When the company
were all seated, the young couple left
the room, and three minutes passed,
during which silence prevailed or was
broken only by whispers. Before they
knew Z. Harry and Charley caught them.
selves In the act of exchanging q glance
such glance as for awhile had made
such world of intimate companionship
for them.
When tho bridal pair entered and tho
preacher took his position before them,
two young men, sons of the house, un-
seen before, came sloughing in by back
door, staying near it, and with sulien
shamefacedness ignoring the presence of
the guests. After the ceremony the cloud
still did not lift. The guests from the
hotel, the bride and groom and the
preacher were Immediately ushered into
another room and seated at long sup
per table. Mrs. Harkins tried TO got Art
60 take his place at its head, but Art
pulled his hat farther down OH his head
and went out of doors without a word.
Mrs. Harkins and somo of her "kin"
waited on tho tablo and served good
supper of cold chicken, oysters ('coxe"
oysters, if you know what they are), hot
biscuit, coffee and cake. The hotel peo-
pie tried now to give something of that
jollity to the occasion that had charac-
terized it in their previous imaginings,
but they wero under a saddoning spell,
and besides. not realizing that the we'd
ding feast was to come SO early, they had