The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-01-31
Ddd6 HdrklnS' W6ddln0
By VIOLA ROsEBoR0,


Overtonia was a new coal mining town
built on the foundation of an old noun.
tain village.
When the white front gate clicked
and the thin bent figure of the coal
Company's president came slowly up the
walk, everybody on the gallery shifted
position little as an unconscious ex-
preston Of Difference, and as the dignita-
ry drew nearer the two young men Of
the party rose to their feet, but though
the apparent difficulty of his movement
might have seemed to sanction such
courtesy they did not offer him an arm
up the steps. They we'll knew that the
colonel would not appreciate such at
tention. The colonel's clean shaven
dark face wore an odd characteristic ex-
preston, because his brows were knit,
and his lips and keen blue eyes were
family and quizzically smiling When
he reached the top of the steps, he lift
ed his broad soft hat to the ladies and
took look at everybody. "I've got some
news for you, he said.
saw, paw"
"Colonel, you're godsend.
'"Tell us, quick
The replies to this beneficent state
ment tumbled over each other.
you're all invited to party" said
the colonel, seating himself slowly in
the shock bottom chair negro girl
placed for him in front of the rest of the
party. The excitement of the ladies,
young and old, rose to dramatic heights,
and even the young men could not pre-
vent their countenanees Frightening. A
pretty, orinkly headed, brown hued girl,
all ribbons and bangles, fell upon the
colonel bodily.
saw, paw" she cried again, "tell
us, is it over at the Alpine House?''
''More likely it'sdown at thecollege
said another lady.
''Tell us, colonel" said one of the
young men, with an effort at insouci-
ance.
Charley said the colonel to his
daughter, who, despite her failure to be
q boy, had been named for himself, "get
away from my lame shoulder. Sit down,
and I'll tell you all about it. I reckon
none of you'd guess in a month"
The suspense intensified and in several
minds became shadowed with doubt as
to whether anything so inconceivable
could be desirable
art Harkins has girl who is going
to get married Wednesday night. He's
going to give her a big wedding and
invites everybody in the house to-
The colonel got no further. A shrill
vocal storm broke over his head, and he
tilted his chair back against wooden
pillar and waited for it to subside.
All his audience were sufficiently in
terested and informed in the affairs Of
the mine to know that just now an in
vitation from Art Harkins resembled in
one way similar attention from royal
ty. It had the force Of command Art
Harkins was mountaineer who could
not read nor write, but who, by astute.
ness, energy, and, as was generally be.
lieved, cunning unscrupulousness, had
actually contrived to get rich, rich not
merely for mountaineer, but rich even
in the opinion of the impressive, imagi-
native and influential bankrupts who
formed the majority of the mining COM
pany. Harkins was member of the
and large stock owner, and
all the women III the hotel knew that for
weeks their various masculine relatives
had been hanging in midair in some in
comprehensive but terribly real bust
ness uncertainty, from which only Art
Harkins could deliver them. And now
this homespun diplomat invited them to
a wedding party! The group ON the gal
10 hot ,;,,;,
forcements hurried out of the house to
see what was the matter. Under the cir
after a little bewildered
it was soon agreed that moth
ing could be more amusing, more fun,
more novel and generally delightful
than to go to Dade Harkins' wedding.
"And then," said Mrs. Peytee, "no
one but ourselves, no one that matters, l
mean, need know anything about it.
'Tisn't as if we were over at the Alpine
House and had to explain things some
way to half the gulf states.''
Mrs. Peytee was a round little bru-
1ette widow who was often called "very |
taking" She was a cousin of Charley |
Overman's, through Charley's mothers
side of the house, and in q very easy 60
ng way, which was all the way they
Knew, she was chaperoning the girl So
,ially she shone the more for her con.
1ection with the Overmans.
The colonel was considered an impor-
amt man throughout the state, and,
moreover, he was counted charming, "a
inc conversational and a good speak.
sr." In her heart of hearts Mrs Peytee
lad come to the conclusion that it was
most desirable that he should marry,a
good wife, have somebody better than
yiddy slip Of girl to take care of him
md let somebody get the good of the
position awaiting his
wife. Mrs. Peytee had faith in the fu-
ure Of the mines, and she liked the colo
lel.
Several ladies among the summer COL
,nists ar Overtonia OWNED the exist
nee Of these views in Mrs Peytee's
the power Of kindred sympa.
hies Derhaps--althouphs she had never