The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-01-15

Dear mel" said Tom, lifting his
blonde brows. cit was Muriada /
wanted, not your money, Miss Della
vigue. Of course, if you chose TO
leave it to us, after you had done: with
it, it would have been very acceptable.
Ready cash always comes handy.
Now, you know that, Muriade, as we'll
as do" in response to warming
gesture from his fiancee.
"Oh, Tom, you are such bunglerp'
said Muriade, half laughing, half cry
ing.
well, perhaps I am" confessed
Tom. ''But want Miss Delavigue
to understand the whole thing. The
money is hers, and we don't grudge it
to her. And we're ready to work for
our own, aren't we, Muriade? I'm
not rich, but my Office brings me a
thousand dollars year, and we're
both going to economic like every
thing-aren't we, Muriade? And Ma
jor Larkington's brick, and we hope
you'll be happy, exactly as we're going
to be-
And Tom Whitworth squeezed Miss
Delavigue's hand until the old lady
cried out for mercy.
"And now, aunt" said Muriade,
radiantly, ''when is the wedding to
be? And why haven't you said any
thing about it before?"
Miss Delavigue hesitated little.
She blushed. Apparently she did not
know what to say on the spur of the
moment.
WELL" she faltered, "Major Lar
kington did say something about the
twentieth of December"
christmas -time!'' exclaimed Mu-
riade. "Oh, Tom, how perfectly de-
lightful! Couldn't we manage to have
our wedding at the same timer"
NO." said Tom, stoutly. "We
must be married on the first of De-
cember. You said we should, Mu-
riade, and you mustn't go back of
your word"
''But. Tom, it would only be three
weeks"
''Three weeks or three days."
| stoudly maintained Tom Whitworth,
''you promised me, and 1 can't let you
Off"
"Well, then, you obstinate fellow"
said Muriade, i've can be back from
our trip just in time to dance at Aunt
Delavigue's wedding"
Agreed said Tom, looking very
happy, indeed.
Apparently the young couple were
in no wise discounted at the idea of
going to housekeeping on capital of
love, and love alone.
Tom Whitworth began to look dill
gently around among dim old auction
rooms and musty secondhand stores,
to find something astoundingly cheap
and delightfully."- comfortable, where
with to garnish the small cottage
which he had decided to take little
out of town, so as to economic in
rent.
And Muriade joined cooking class,
made herself a bib-apron, and began
to come down into Miss Delavigue's
kitchen to experiment in pies and
buildings, dainty little tea-biscuit, and
salad which might have tempted an
anchorite to break his VOWS
And she studied up the question of
polishing brasses, cleaning plate
glass, mending china, and darning
table linen with notable earnestness.
And she was more affectionate than
ever with her aunt.
Because" she told Tom, ''there
is something SO pathetic about Aunt
Delavigue's happiness, coming so
strangely in the autumn of her life.
And I'm afraid, Tom-now don't tell
anybody-that Major darlington is
only going to marry her for her money.
For he is certainly ten years younger
than she is, and he has only come from
Philadelphia once to see her since the
engagement.
Love is like the Measles" said
Tom, philosophically. Every one
has it different way"
While Miss Delavigue, who had
been Judge and jury all by herself, at
least rendered the verdict to public
consisting of herself, alone.
ssThey love each other, after all.
My money had nothing to do with it.
Tom loves Muriade, and Muriade has
not ceased to love her old aunt, now
that she no longer believes herself to
be an heiress. There is such thing
as honor, and truth, and real affection
in the world, after all.
The first of December came, and
Miss Delavigue gave Muriade the
prettiest of weddings, under mar
rage bell of white rose-buds and smi-
lax, with an artistic little dejeuner, and
the bride went away in a dove-colored
silk dress, with daisies in her hat.
.But, aunt" she said, sits so
strange that Major darlington isn't
here?"
ssHe couldn't come" said Miss
Delavigue. He'll be on hand on the
twentieth. Mind you and Tom get
back in time,''
eOh, well be sure to do thatl" saih
Mwiade, 'sAad b. sure! Amt, that