The Washington bee. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1884-1922, 1895-11-23

ding was only three days off now, anC
the squire had taken fancy to keep ii
in honor of his coming happiness.
When we rolled up to the open door
way there he was, magnificent in a
rosebud satin waistcoat and with q
flower in his buttonhole; for all the
world like bedscked old turkey cock!
Welcome to the Mansion House,
he said. gayly. as I bundled up the
stairs first. And then to Marcy, though
quite loud enough for me to hear: I'm
three short days!"-meaning, Of course
the marriage that was to leave her in
his home forever.
She WINGED as II he had struck her,
her face as white as her muslin frock,
and I verify believe that IL he hadn't
walked her into the dining room on his
arm, she would have fallen
Uncle and I were on each side, and
Marcy was at the foot in the place of
honor; where, three times a day, she
was soon to face old Tom, until death
should mercifully take one or the other
Of them out Of the world. None Of us
talked much. none, even my uncle. who
was emptying goblet after goblet of
wine to drown his thoughts. And when
the squire stood up suddenly, with lis
champagne glass, to toast the bride
frozen bride, that looked ready for
the tomb almost welcomed the inter-
ruption that followed.
ITO the bFide!" repeated the squire,
glass high in air, and was echoed by a
dreadful laugh.
ITO the devil, you mean; to the devil,
sou old villain!' said voice. "He gs:vs
you money enough to buy a wife, so
toast him deep!"
And there, in the middle of the floor
landed by a jump through the flung up
window, was Jack. his clothes covered
with mud and Satan in his eye. True
love, poisoned by wounded vanity, you
see. my dears, may sleep drugsed for
awhile, but the time will come when
it will fight like a tiger for what it
feels it's own. And this had been the
case with Jack, who was now almost
maddened with thinking over the COM
ing wedding.
'You young puppy" roared the
squire, didn't tell you not to come
here again?'
THAT for your telling!" said JACK,
diabolically cool; and with the whirl
of long whip in his hand, the squires
uplifted wine glass fell to the floor, cut
like flower from the shank.
Then followed terrible scene, while
we looked on like people in a night
mare. The two men seemed suddenly
to turn into raging demons, but from
the very first 1 could see Jack had the
upper hand. He held the squire,
squirming and cursing like a trooper,
down in his chair as if he had been q
child
Marcy he called out over his head,
Ibid you write me that letter Of your
own ACCOUNT"
And getting no answer beyond the de-
NAL of her death white face and piteous
eyes, his rage knew no bounds. "Your
friend the devil gave you money enough
to buy wife," he kept saying, shaking
the squire as cat would mouse, "but
by heaven it's only over my dead body
you'll get ter!"
Defend yourself, you old rascal" he
yelled. Defend yourself, for Kin Or
not we are one too many on earth"
There were pair of swords crossed
on the wall, slender. murderous dueling
swords. and tearing them down he flung
one to his uncle, and in moment they
were fighting like mad, parrying,
thrusting and feinting with a dexterity
sickening to see.
For the squire, you must understand,
was an experienced swordsman; he had
pinked his man in his time; but fired
by love and hate, and always a good
fencer, Jack was a match for him.
One moment it was he who was doing
the parrying. The next 1T was the
squire. And presently, as If in dream
could see my uncle and Prince the
negro butler standing on chairs and
putting out the candles that We're fast
ened to the antlers of the deer heads
against the walls in the hope that this
would stop them.
But it did nothing of the sort It
only made them all the more determin-
ed to kill each other. And directly in
the pitch dark, after moments crop
that sent an icy chill to
the roots Of my hair-their swords
clashed and we knew that the duel was
not yet over.
Marcy fell in a faint across my lap
and my uncle began to pray. All I
would beat, and with my heart in my
mouth I sat staring at the sparks that
flew from their swords and waiting for
the end.
At last. after an eternity Of time,
time made up of appalling silences and
mad, blind loomings together-snd
again that hideous groping-there was
a cry, a fall, and when the frightened
negro made light again there was the
squire, pinned by Jacks sword through
an ear to the floor, and there outside
the window were Jack and Marcy cling
ing to each other on the same horse
and ready to dash off into the night.
Well, my dears, said little Miss Pep
per mildly, in conclusion of her spirited
recital, Of course they got married and
lived happy ever after. And equally
of course the squire melted in time ar d
forgave 1Rem and tore up the notes he
held against my uncle. And to this
very day, if any of you should go to
Buck Forest, anybody there would tell
you how Jack Brice won his bride on
night.
An Uninstructed Gobblef.