Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-02-01
CONCLUDED FROM 3RD PAGE.

and put her off with saying he'd see
about it after the wedding; that he mus
take her to that.
Harry cursed himself for a fool and
carried himself bravely, with sinking
heart, but quite without that self seek
ing, domineering spirit Of. pursuit that
women love in lovers He had heard, it
is true, of coquetries, retreats and fenC-
ing on the part of women i'll love 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
youth, i'll society where they are left
to work out their own salvation, if it
were not for the faint guidance offered
by the literature of love storiesl
But already the ring had been sent
for Three days passed. and the 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 it's bed.
Harry had given up the hope of the
buggy ride with Charley He was afraid
to propose it lest he should be refused,
but under the encouragement Of her
smiles the same idea had entered the
brain Of the other young man. He en-
gagged the buggy and engaged Charley
to ride in it.
So lightly did Mrs. Peytee carry her
+1,nt .,l,n al l,Dl inf hn !,
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
" preoccupiod with plans for the subju
cation of the colonel, who had been
showing of late a coquetry unbecoming
a gentleman and a soldier, particularly
one so rheumatic.
Harry saw Charley depart in bitter
ness of soul too deep to be profaned by
the pen of such a light minded character
as myself Them his feet carrying him
as if with n volition of their own, he
started to walk through the woods to
Harllins', the place where he could look
upon her once 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 out of the primitive
forest upon the wood pile that occupied
Art Harlins' front yard he could see
through the door of the log house, by
the light of the little fcStal 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-
ed to a tolerablc understanding of the
business of the coal company, but SINH
larly fOrtifying knowledge failed to con-
fer the same case 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 shamcfaced groom elect, sunk i'll
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 as 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 the Harkins' kinspeople were
present. but these, with the family, were
enough to establish their own rigid rule
of etiquette upon the company. Every
one 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 it Harry and Charley caught them