The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1895-02-09
MY WEDDING EVE.
A Shop-walker's story.

providers in the Borough, n 1t was
Mr.. Spencely's own daughter, and the
sweetest girl in the world to boot, that
I was to marry on the morrow. l was
in the counting-house with Mr. Mason,
talking over some matter Of business,
when a shopman came to say l was
wanted. I ran down stairs to my. spec
ial department, the drapery, to find that
a lady was awaiting MY coming. She
had, it turned out, made some large pur-
chases. to the extent Of three hundred
pounds, but. having forgotten her peck
etbook, had requested that someone
might 60 with her to receive payment.
In keeping with our usual course OF
business, this task fell to me.
The lady's carriage was standing at
the door, footman and coachman both
in a quiet and becoming livery.
"A regular ~tip-topper," whispered
Bob Edwards to me, n Of hands,
who had himself been waiting on the
lady. Buys everything without ask
ing the price"
1 felt rather shy and, I fear. aWk-
ward at first, but before our drive came
to an end I was satisfied fifth myself
and charmed with my companion. we
drew up before a substantial house IN
one Of the smaller squares of the west
end. A grave-looking major-domo OF
butler, as I took him to be, opened the
door, and I was ushered into II room,
while the lady and her butler convers'
ed in q low tone in the hall.
"Mr. Stewart will see you in a min
ute" the lady at length said, pushing
open the door a little further, and clos
ing it as she withdrew her head. Ihen
I heard the outer door close with a
bang, the carriage steps put up, m the
noise of wheels rapidly retiring. Mr.
Stewart was evidently in no hurry, for
ten minutes passed, and still no sign OF
his coming. I was anxious to get back
to business, and began to feel annoy
ed.
I had been walking the feeling of,
but at last, out Of patience, l proceeded
to open the door. 1t was fast. For a
moment I suspected a trap, but 1T was
for a moment only. Mrs. Stewart, l
reflected, was a thorough lady. Besides
had she been dishonest, the amount at
stake was a mere bagatelle to one who
could afford to live In such a house.
She had probably exceeded he limits
Of her commission, not an unusual
thing with ladies shopping, as l know
to my-nO, to their husbands cost,
and she and MIR. Stewart would be hav-
ing a little matrimonial "tif" over the
bill. For a few brief moments I COM
placently, by a natural divergence OF
the train of thought, pictured Elias fu-
ture linked with mine, without the
slightest possibility of any difference
ever arising. I learned better after
wards-but that is DEPRESSING.
In the midst Of this day-drem, l re-
member, l mechanically surveyed the
apartment. The windows struck me
as being an unusual height from the
floor. There were no chairs, except
one q library c%hair-near the massive
table, but luxurious seats extended
along three sides of the room. l
threw myself into the chair and tried
to push it back from the table. Both
alike refused to stir; they were screwed
fast to the floor.
I now awoke from my dream to the
conviction that l was a-well, not ex-
actly a Solomon. and that l a been
trapped. l rained blows upon the door
with hands and feet, too, and, after a
Ihort delay, the aforesaid butler appear
ed, accompanied by two men, presum-
ably fellow-servants.
"Why am I kept waiting here" I de-
manded. =.
Don't get excited, my dear SIR"
"Tell Mr.. Stewart I can't wait any
longer, and that I must have the
money"
"AIi in good time, my dear sir; all
in good time. Don't get excited, I beg
Of you. Excitement to a nervous tenn
permanent IS"
NERVOUS temperament be hanged.
Fay me my money and let me out OF
this"
"Au in good time, all in good time"
What was / to do? The man was
smiling, unctuous, imperturbable, deaf
to my arguments, nnmoved by my pro-
testations. I ragged and stO" ned, called
them all swindlers, and threatened to
have them indicted. 1t was all OF no
use; / might as we'll have stormed at
| the table and the solitary chair.
Gradually I cooled down, as n who
| needs must, and, in a hoarse voice,
| begged them to say what they intended
| doing with me, and what in the world
it all meant, for it had now dawned
upon Inc that they were not acting a
part, but were sincere according to
their light.
And then, to my horror, I learned
| that the gentleman I had taken for q
butler was Aloysius Ftzsi1nmons, M.
D., F. r. G. f., the. great specialist
I'm obscure diseases of the nerves and
brain, and keeper of a private establish
| ment devoted to the care of the cere-
| brally afflicted" as he uOted from his
| own prospectus, which / had afterward
| the pleasure of perusing. / confessed,
somewhat injudiciously, that I had new
er so much as heard Of him before,
| but it only furnished him with fresh
proof of my insanity. He wound up a
long monologue by telling me that Mrs.
| Hall was to call on the morrow to in
quire how I was getting Oh.
And who may Mrs. Hall be-" l
asked, scarce knowing what / said,
for everything seemed topsy-turvy now.
"Poor man, poor man, a bad case,"
I heard him say, soto v0ce; 'he has
even forgotten his own name" Then
aloud, 1.-The lady who accompanied you
here. your Wife"
my wifew I shouted.
"Quiet, my dear sir; you forget your
promise"
Her name is Stewart" T managed
to say, quietly; land so far from her
being my wife, / am unmarried, and
tomorrow is my wedding day"
Eyes, / know. Your good lady has
told us all about that; but, perhaps,
by tomorrow you will be better and