Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1896-02-07
MisctllaueoMs.
A BRIDAL PRESENT.

"Another ring at the bell-and an
other present Mamie, it is very nice
to be a bride y
Alice Dupre spoke little repiningly,
she was Nannie's first bridesmaid, and
was trcading the borders of that De-
batable Land where girlhood has died
out and sage middle age has hardly yet
commenced.
Mamie was very pretty, and Mary
Bolton, the other bridesmaid, was q
handsome brunette of twenty,
"Nunnie, you are doing remarkably
WE'LL" said Mrs Creswick, complacent-
ly surveying the table spread with wed :
ding gifts THAT silver tea-service {
your Cousin Dudley's is really splendid. ;"
Eyes, and the pearls that Miss Aubrey
sent" added Alice,
"Your present is very neat, too, my
DEAR" said the old lady kindly; but
| wonder your Uncle Jared's has not
come. lie asked me about the wedding
a week ago, and he SAID he should send
some remembrance.
Again and again in the course of the
rapidly darkening winter afternoon the
bell pcaled, and fresh presents were
brought in
But where is Uncle Jared's pres
ent?" Mamie kept repeating; and no.
body could tell
Not until o'clock ut night did the
much loOked-for testimonial arrive,
when Frank Vavasor, the young BRIDE
groom that was to be, Was in tho draw
ing-room admiring the various presents.
From Uncle Jared know his
cramped handwriting. exclaimed Nan
mic, as the servant brought in a square,
solid looking package, wrapped in brown
paper and directed to Miss Anna Cres-
wick "What can is be2
"A set of gold spoons perhaps, sug-
gested Alice.
The girls held their breath as Frank
removed the brown paper wrappings.
Alas for the vanity of human expecta-
tions, it was no spice-b breathing casket--
no velvet or morocco case, satin lined
and filled with gold or silver. IL was
only quarto volume bound in sober
brown, aud apparently well used.
"a Bible! !" calculated Alice, dis
painfully.
"Yes, and an old one at that" said
Mary.
"IIere is a note, said Frank, "let us
see what he says
"My Dear Niece:
"At this important junction OF
your life, cannot give you more lit
ting offering than the Bible which was
your grandmothers You will probably
have trinkets and jewclry in abundance,
but this book will be more precious than
all Your aifectionatc uncle,
JARED LEE"
Mamie had burst into tears Of NOR
tilication.
"Oh, Frank, rusty old second
hand Bible"
ave can never put that on the
table," said Alice, scornfully. what
an idea"
And Uncle Jared's present, long look
ed for and loudly heralded, was put in
IN obscure corner, where pair Of statu-
cites concealed it from view
.eTbe mean old miser," was Mrs.
Creswick's indignant comment, while
Mamie, who was really fond Of her old
uncle, cried.
And here We close the volume Of
Nannie's life to be opened ten years
afterwards
There are few homes in which the
lapse OF ten years does not make a wide
differeDce-and in that of Mr.. and Mrs.
Vavasor the change perhaps greater
than the average. They had lived too
fast--a common mistake-and whom
once they began to rctrench. ill-luck
seemed to follow them Mamie the
spoiled daughter Of n luxurious home,
was learning all the bitterness Of power
ty now And Frank nobody exactly
knew ho".had refrigerated IN inc world