The Redwood gazette., 1897-02-25

. WOI0 6l6tln8 up ana saying shocking
things. Why, think wedding with
out bride is ten times worse than q
funeral without a-without az
But here, it must be admitted, the
burst Of laughter in which Rorke in
dulged was too much for her determine
tion to weep, and, blazing through her
tears, the maiden demanded explanation
Of his unseemly conduct. Rorke was q
permanent member Of the colonel's es-
tabfishment now, but he could not risk
Miss Lucretia's displeasure, and was
wise and knew his danger and fed to
the kitchen, there to tell cook and
Chinaman the lady's plaintive mono
logue, while Amory, equally conscience
less, ran out to convulse with it the
party on the porch. And then in the
midst of all the laughter came delirious
news from the ''best man" sent to meet
the bride and Ormsby at the station and
break to them the direful news that
"the bridegroom was late. The train
had passed Fetterman Bend The bride
| would be there in 20 minutes.
And she came, and what scene there
was! And how she was hugged and
kissed and mauled and pulled about,
and how she strove to tell Of her tribu-
lations and could not for the volume of
welcome, exclamation and interroga-
tion, and not until trunks, boxes and
what alls had been whisked away to her
room aloft and somebody said it was al
| most l l o'clock did she find breath and
opportunity to say: Gracious heavens
And I'm to be married at noon! And
not a thing done yet! Why-why-
where's Willy?"
Aghast they looked at one another.
Was not all this to have been explained
by Wayne? Hadn't Wayne told her
Told her? Told her what? All Major
Wayne said to her about Willy was that
he was almost frantic with impatience
to meet her, but he'd-he' d have to take
his bath first What did he mean by
sending such ridiculous stuff? What
were they all laughing-crying at;
Isn't here? Couldn't cross? Can't he
swim? Why, the man she thought he
was would swim Niagara rather thar
miss his wedding day! And then-oh,
day Of days-perhaps her words an.
initiated space and reached the ears o1
the maddened lover, for at the very mo.
ment came an Irish howl from the porch
without. ''Oh, fur the luv of God, shtoI
him! Don't let him! Oh, mother o1
Moses, it's drownin he is!'' And then,
all shrieks and terror, did most Of the
party scatter for the balconies while
all shrieks and terror and protestations
that she'd never speak to him again i:
he dared to, Kitty collapsed upon a sofa
| Was ever there q wedding day tt
match it? Soaked to the skin, dripping
but triumphant, Will Fa1rar rode ou
Of the floods and up the heights amid tht
frenzied acclamations of the garrison
and throwing himself from the saddl'
at the colonels gate demanded to see
if not to squeeze, his bride. There, wer
they gathered, the elite of Fort Frayne
some in wedding garb, some in travel
ing dress, and what cheer went up a
he sprang to the porch and his mothe
wanted to clasp him, dripping thougl
he was, to her heart of hearts. Not s.
Kitty. 'Don't you come near me, yo1
dreadful thing!" she cried, and, laugh
ing and protesting, he was led away t
be caparisoned for the ceremony. Lu
cretia's spirits were once more il
ebullition. Wayne was back, the re
mains had come; SO why longer dela
proceedings?
They were not. There was as blith
and bright and joyous SO. dier weddin;
that perfect monday as ever was seel
within the walls of old Fort Frayne, AM
Kitty made a bewitchirg bride, an,
there was a wonderful unloading o
sorrow from heart after heart on to tn
shoulders of one luckless, sorely trie'
man, Major Percival Wayne. Oh, Ma
Anthony! But here was one Of thy de
scendants ten times worthy thy name
In that one day there came crushing il
upon him the consequences of genera
ton of misdoing.
It was enough that he should hav
failed to explain matters to Kitty.
was worse when he took the first oppor
tunity to explain matters to Jack. Hi
| way VI uO4A9 AZ Go oOAuONAoU 40 1oA
lows, and they were dressing for tn
ceremony, and Jack, gorgeous in hi
full dress uniform as lieutenant of tn
Seventh, was sick at heart over the cold
constrained greeting accorded him b
Ellis.
"Why, of course, old fellow, 20
didn' t impose silence on me, and pos
let out about your engagement
my what?" says poor Jack aghast.
"Your engagement. You said, eve
to attend Kitty's wedding, you couldn'
get away until yours was fulflled-ol
the 10th, wasn't ~
Certainly, our annual inspection
No man i'll the Seventh would miss tina
for love or money"
But, Jack, don't you know? I'r
sure you told me a lady was in the case
You told me her name, and-indeed
you did-that Effie and you were to b
ted
"You transcendental idiot! told 20
F and Company F and Company I
were tied for place Ind neither dare
lose a point.