Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-01-07

things. Why, think wedding with
out a bride is ten times worse than
funeral without a-without a.
But here, it must be admitted, the
burst Of laughter in which Rorke in
dulged was too much for her detcrmina-
tion to weep, and, blazing through her
tears, the maiden demanded explanation
of his unseemly conduct. Rorke was a
permanent member of the colonel's es.
tablishment 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 q 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 i 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 than
miss his wedding day! And thcn-oh,
day of days-perhaps her words an
initiated space and reached the ears Of
the maddened lover, for at the very mo-
ment came an Irish howl from the porch
without "Oh, fur the luv of God, shtop
him! Don't let him! Oh, mother of
Moses it's drownin he isl" 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 II
he dared to- Kitty collapsed upon sofa.
Was ever there q wedding day to
match it? Soaked to the skin, dripping,
but triumphant, Will Fa1rar rode out
of the floods and up the heights amid the
frenzied acclamations Of the garrison,
and throwing himself from the saddle
at the colonel's gate demanded to see,
if not to squeeze, his bride. There were
they gathered, the elite of Fort Frayne.
some in wedding garb, some in travel
ing dress, and what cheer went up as
he sprang to the porch and his mother
wanted to clasp him, dripping though
he was, to her heart Of hearts. Not so
Kitty. Don't you come near me, you
dreadful thing!' she cried, and, laugh
ing and protesting, he was led away to
be caparisoned for the ceremony. Lu-
cretia's spirits were once more in
ebullition. Wayne was back, the re-
mains had come; so why longer delay
proceedings?
They were not. There was as blithe
and bright and joyous q soldier wedding
that perfect MONDAY as ever was seen
within the walls of old Fort Frayne, and
Kitty made a bewitching bride, and
there was q wonderful unloading OF
sorrow from heart after heart Oh to the
shoulders of one luckless, sorely tried
man, Major Percival Wayne. On. Mad
Anthony But here was one Of thy de-
scendants ten times worthy thy name!
In that one day there came crushing in
upon him the consequences OF a genera
tion Of misdoing.
1t was enough that he should have
failed to explain matters to Kitty. 1t
was worse when he took the first oppor-
tunity to explain matters to Jack. His
way Of doing it was somewhat as fol-
lows, and they were dressing for the
ceremony, and Jack, gorgeous in his
full dress uniform as a lieutenant OF the
Seventh, was sick at heart over the cold,
constrained greeting accorded him by
Ellis.
"Why, Of course, old fellow, you
didn't impose silence on me, and s'pose
I let out about your engagement
my what?" says poor Jack aghast
"Your engagement. You said, even
to attend Kitty's wedding, you couldn't
get away until yours was fulilled-on
the 10th, wasn't it?'
"Certainly, our annual inspection.
No man in the Seventh would miss that
for love or money"
"But, Jack, don't you know? I'm
sure you told me lady was in the case.
You told me her name, and-indeed,
you did-that Effie and you were to be
tied"-
"You transcendental idiot! told you
+ and I-Company f and Company l.
were tied for place and neither dared
lose point.
And then, instead of smashing
Wayne, as was his first thought, Jack
fled down stairs in search of Ellis and
found her and told her Wayne's story
and then his own, breathlessly, eagerly,
imploringly, and there were blushes and
tears and soft laughter and soft, happy
murmurs, and-and how horribly those
big epaulets get in the way and service
medals and soutache braid scratch at
such timesl And at last did Jack uplift
his voice again to say, ellis, I'm in
heaven. and then did she uplift q
blushing, tear stained, kiss rumpled face