The St. Johns herald., 1897-04-10

 the colonel, seating himself slowly in the shock bottom chair negro girl placed for him in front of the rest of the party. The excitement of the ladies, young and old, rose to dramatic heights, and even the young men could not pre- vent their countenances frightening. A pretty, crinkly headed, brown hued girl, all ribbons and bangles, fell upon the colonel bodily.
 "Aw, paw," she cried again, "tell us, is it over at the Alpine House?''
 ''More likely it t'sdown at thecollege, !" said another lady.
 ''Tell us, colonel" said one of the young men, with an effort at insouci- ance.
 Charley" said the colonel to his daughter, who, despite her failure to be Q boy, had been named for himself, ''get away from my lame shoulder. Sit down, and I'll tell you all about it. l reckon none of you q guess in month.
 The suspense intensified and in several to whether anything so inconceivable could be desirable.
 "Art Harkins has girl who is going to get married Wednesday night. He's going to give her a big wedding and invites everybody in the house to-
 The colonel got no further. A shrill vocal storm broke over his head, and he tilted his chair back against a wooden pillar and waited for it to subside.
 All bis audience were sufficiently in- terested and informed in the affairs of the mine to know that just now an in vitation from Art Harkins resembled in one way similar attention from royal ty. It had the force of a command. Art Harkins was mountaineer who could not read nor write, but who, by astute- ness. energy, and, as was generally be- heved, cunning unscrupulousness, had actually contrived to get rich, rich not D. -sl .s l-l-..s. s.sss4A>-- ,..----44ol4 Ss,-- In the opinion of the impressive, imagi- native and influential banBTupts who formed the majority of the mining com pany. Harkius was member of the company and a large stock owner. and all the women ill tho hotel knew that for
 
 had been hanging in midair ill some in- oomprehensible but terribly real busi- ness uncertainty, from which only Art Harkins could deliver them. And now this homespun diplomat invited them to awedding party! The group on the gal lery grew so vocal that feminine re-en-, forcements hurried out of the house to see what was the matter. Under the cir cumstances, after little bewildered wayering, it was soon agreed that noth- ing could be more amusing, more fun, more novel and generally delightful than to go to Dade Harkins' wedding.
 And then," said Mrs. Peytee, mo one but ourselves, no one that matters, mean, need know anything about it. 'Tisn't as if we were over at the Alpine House and had to explain things some way to half the gulf states. '
 Mrs. Peytee was Q round little bru- nette widow who was often called ''very taking. '' She was a cousin of Charley Overman's, through Charley's mothers s side of the house, and in very easy go- ing way, which was all the way they knew, she was chaperoning the girl. So- cially she shone the more for her con- nection with the Overmans.
 The colonel was considered an impor- tant man throughout the state, and, moreover, be was counted charming, "a fine conversationist and good speak er." In her heart of hearts Mrs. Peytee had come to the conclusion that it was most desirable that he should marry good wife, have somebody better than giddy slip of a girl to take care of him and let somebody get the good of the -''--.-e --Es''.- f------r--- ----------r7 - wife. M]s Peytee had faith in the fn- ture Of the mines, and she liked tbe colo De.
 Several }adie= areGr tEc summer col ori~a 2vertoaia d.T5ued the exist en-e g. .-.-a views is ajrs Fessaa's mind-by the power of kindred sympa- thies perhaps-although she had never confded in them. Charley, however, was unsuspicious. Just now she was de- voting all the thought she gave the sub jects of love and marriage to their more important aspects as connected with herself. She was in love with one of the young men on the gallery, and he was in love with her.
 His name was Harry Williams, and he was the son of another member of the mining company. Itwas a desirable and suitable thing that these two should marry, and as nobody had the least ob- lection or threw the slightest obstacle in the way of their courtship, but, on the contrary, as every one about did what they could, in the modest south ern way, to further it, of course their progress toward an understanding was slow. Upon themselves devolved the whole task of making the path of true love properly difficult.
 Charley had firm ideas as to the de- gree of assertive, persistent devotion, displayed regardless of discouragements, that became @ man and suitor, and that permitted girl to surrender grace fully, and Harry had fixed sentiments as to the bad taste and blindness and inn pertinence of a man who put himself in the position of a rejected suitor. It will be seen at once that these young people were both very young and that the girl,