Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-03-13
THE WRONG BRIDAL.

"Who is the pretty girl you just bowed
tor" said Captain Bigg to his friend John
Arminger.
"Well, she's a girl with whom my &C
qu%aintance began in rather a remarkable
way. You remember the eldest Stackpoole
girl?"
II remember the eldest Miss Stackpoole
-Freddy-the one who hunts-but l
should never dream of calling her a girl.
And what possible connection has she with
your charming young friend?"
"a very close me-, as you shall soon
hear If only you will keep quiet and give
me my head. You have evidently not
heard that, to the surprise and delight of
her friends, Freddy Stackpoole became en-
gagged last spring to a fellow called Her
ford, worth a lot Of money, but rather an
Gent. You see, I've known the Stack
pooles all my life. We belong to the same
county, hunt with the same pack OF
hounds. I sent Freddy a letter of congrat-
ulations and a hunting crop-I heard aft.
erward that she got 23-and accepted an
invite to the wedding, which was to take
place at st. Paul's, Knightsbridge, yester-
day at half past 2 o'clock"
but this is all beside the question:"
protested Captain Bigg.
"It is not-it's the main part, so shut
up. I arrived in good time and entered
the church. The church was crammed,
and 1 was a good deal surprised, 1 must
confess, for I had no notion the Stack
pooles had so many friends in London.
However, I had no time to speculate, for
an energetic youth caught hold Of me and
~breathlessly asked, Friend of bride or
bridegroom
Bride I answered.
"'Here you are. Sit this side.' And
he showed me into a back seat next to an
old gentleman who sat by the door and
whose legs and stick I nearly tumbled
over. He was a little chap with a white
beard and red face and wore an old fash
Toned blue frock coat and a pair of baggy
lavender gloves.
II looked about me, and I give you my
solemn word of honor that among all the
crowd I did not see a soul I knew. Can
you believe it?
II happened to notice the old boy beside
AAO L Ouu6AV hA1h WoUCIlllS lIo luIulN0ly
out of the corner of his eye. Our chances
met, and he said:
GA friend of the bride, STRIP
Bless you, yes,' I answered, known
her since I was in pinafores'-
"'Since you were in pinaforesv he re-
peated. And he seemed rather taken
aback.
"'Why, yes And I was thinking of
adding that she was 10 or 10 years my Sc
nior, but most fortunately refrained.
HE stared very hard for some time and
then said: i suppose you are acquainted
with most OF the people here? Can you
tell me who some of them are-any celeb
rites, eh?'
"You are aware, Bigg, of my fatal pas
sion for a practical joke. Well, here was a
temptation I was powerless to resist. I
fell-and for positively the last time. So
I answered:
"'Oh, yes, / think 1 can point you out
two OF three we'll known characters
"'Thank you, he replied. I'm a coun-
try cousin, or rather country grandfather,
as you may see, and I very rarely come to
London. Now, who is that stout, very
dark woman in yellow with the gold
spikes in her bonnet?'
"'Oh, that I promptly returned, lis
the queen Of the Sandwich Islands. She
is over here inoog. at present-just a visit
to her dressmaker.'
Dear me! Why, I always thought
that Mother Nature was her modiste, said
the old man, with twinkling eyes.
"'Oh, no, she is quite civilized-wears
shoes and stockings and rarely touches I
raw meat
"'And, pray, why does she honor this
ceremony with her presence
Because n of the bridegroom's
cousins is attached to her court as chief
pearl diver. He is called the king fisher,
and I need scarcely add that it is a purely
nominal, but well paid post
" Thank you. I see. Now can you tell
me who those two elderly men are who
have come in together2'
with pleasure I answered. The
short one Is Henrik Ibsen and the other is
Lord Salisbury
Dear me, this Is most Interestingly
And the lady in the wonderful mantlep'
is Sarah Bern1ardt, and the little
man just behind her in spectacles Is the
embassador-Don Jose Manola.
He is a celebrated Walter. and his fan
dango Is q thing to see.'
I'm immensely obliged to you for a
great and unexpected treat. Hullo!
think she has come, he added, craning his
neck.
Eyes, she undoubtedly had arrived
there wal the usual commotion and whis-
pering and organ pealing, the usual pro-
session Of choir boys. Then the bride,
very slowly-a lovely bride,
white as her gowns girl Of 10,
as lace and diamonds could make
her, leaning on the arm Of q boy Of 30
not my bride, but an utter and complete
She WA followed by ten brides
maids In white silk frocks, white feathered
and carrying immense bouquets Of
ed roses, and the procession passed, leav-
ng me dumfounded. ! was ar unlimited
guest at the wrong wedding.
my first idea was to make a bolt for 1t,
)ut grandparents lerg and stick c,1t oF that