The age-herald., 1897-11-07

emerged from the darkness
 "Wess will ave big infare." remarks batter familas; then adds i1npres sively 10 his wife: sI see John Golding's gray hoises hitehed over wonder. That's some- thing I never reekoned on coming to pass"
 "Pa," says an obServant youngster who has b.en looking into the low wfn- dow, 'ithereas Gen. Durdxin in the back room, and Col Reynolds tailkirg to him."
 Politics" says his father, Senltentious- ly. Look out, Sambo,' to the negro who has come forward Ito take out the team; that off mule will bear watching sometimes. She's light in the heels" Th.n batter famlilias lifts his youngster out of the carryaal in a sound s'eep and turns toward the baek steps of the dwelling, his flock following alter.
 Everybody drives night into the big back yard on this ocoasions People can get up to the step better there, for the front yard has flower garden. There s no avenue with a carrbageWay winding up to the house. This is TO manorial mansion. The front door, the back door. and the side door, all are wide open, and every one is welcome to go in and out as he pqeases.
 Yes, Yves of truth holds big infare. The big, bare front room to4the right is alive with girls in their best clotheS and on their best behavior They have flowers dn their hair and lace about the unTOdtS or tIlSlI n1BH-1tEKcu WaHlcl frocks. The bride, all in filmy white, with veil, wreath, orange blossoms, all complete, is in there with them. The atmosphere of the room is at high pressure of constraint. The gills' talk Is fragmentaTy and stiled, the made con- versation of those n5t adeP.is in the art. Serena asks Lucia how they all are at her house, and follows this up by inquir- ing df her little brolthsr has lad line croup again. Somebody asks her next neighbor if she has studied her Bible lesson yet for next Sunday. Another makes a. feeble effort to d scribe orocihet pattern, and no single one of the queStioneTs or those who answer feehS the least interest in the subjects refer red to- All are intent on noting the brides dress and demeanor, and are smilirgay excited over the distractions of the occasion.
 In the opposite room, ovar across the hall, the young men are circled about the blazing fire. Some wear blossoms in the buttonhodes of their Us. All bear traces of recent ministnltions on the part of barbsr or a substitute. They are but httle more at ease than the girls. Occasionally one goss to the door and looks across the strip of hallway into the festive front room. He would like to venture across. Maybe a particular girl whom he hk.E is seated in pGacn sight. But who can get up courage to face that battery of bright eyes? to be the first to break tine ice, as 1t were, and be the cyEosure of all for that first ter rible interval? He goes back to his seat by the fire, where the bridegroom is malk- ing an effort to be entertaining and look ing wofully awkward and ill at ease.
 'Fine-looking wife you've got, Wes," says an old farmer, skipping him Sn the shoulder. You had better show some of these other fellows the way over to Barnwell, if there's more like her there. l do like to see girl good and stout, with high color.''
 A laugh goes the rounds at this, and Wes colors up to his ears. He is a young fellow, only just able to vote for the first time this year, and he feels the responsibilities devolving on him.
 In the big bedroom back of the parlor are gathered the mothers and spinsters of the assembly. All the rockers are in that room, and women with placid faces and double chins sit and pet thsir babies in the cheery radiance of the lightwood logs. There are women seated in rows on the big beds, infants and young chil- dren are sound asleep. among the pill lows, and general flavor of comfort and home is in the atmosphere. The ma irons are having much better time, so far as jollity is concerned, than the fresh-faced young girls in the front room or the swadns gathered about their sometime comrade, eho has this day stepped out from their ranks
 After awhile the bride enters in the wake of her mother-in-law and shakes hands with Aunt Georgiana," Cousin Bill's wife" Miss Angles sister," and "Westleys second cousin from Gaor- gia," each in turn, as they are named.
 How do you like over in this part?" asks her cousin from Georgia, who is Of a lively disposition, and generally takes the lead in any company she's in. Then, after this vein of conversation can be worked no further, Miss Angles sister asks if the bride likes housekeeping, and Cousin Bills wife thinks to ask if she knows the minister of their church. The women make mental notes of her dress as they ask these questions, ard the bride acquits herself admirably, takes two or three of the babies in turn on her lap, praises the ringlets of one child, the complexion of another, the eyes of a third, talks baby talk awhile, and altogether is rather sorry when she has to go back to the girl-encompassed stiffness of the front room.
 Still another apartment is monopolized by the older men of the company, and the livellness of the affair, whatever of gayety there is, centers there. The night being cold frequent libatlons are indulg- ed in, anecdotes are told, and presently the overfiowing mirth draws some of the bridegroom's followers to the scene. Then it is that the General, who has made profuse apologies for the absence or ms WlIS anu uduSntefS, anu tne Soi- onel, who, in like case has made ex- cuses for his family, beg to be present. ed to the bride. Once in tine midst of the constrained circle in the front room, where her ladysho holds court, the General extlaims al tee abssnre If the opposite sex and volunteers 10 gt up some fur
 "They just need something to start them," he says "Ain't there fiddler about?" But the suggestion falls flat. A hush comes over the company, and the hostess reminds him that they are all church members. Dancing is out of the question. The General makes gest- ure of despair, but meanwhile there is a whisper of supper in ths air. and more stir and animation pervades tine room than have distinguished it during the entire evening. All go out to the big dining room across the back porch, where tablss, contrived with a view to ample accommodations, are literally heaped up with savory meats and sweets and delicacies
 Blessed intervention! In the general commotion that ensues, atoms of sore reprassqd S0oia hi1itv hafOra kent ana ri