The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-19
The Bayards'
Wedding Tour
BY GERTRUDE WINTHROP.


| bridges pyramida1 Partisan eoiffure.
Mrs. Langley cried just enough not to
redden her nose; Mr.. Langley did, the
dignified paterfamilias to a charm; and
Willis and Alma were so affeetionate as to
give the world an idea that here was a
match made in heaven.
| The bridal breakfast over, the white sat
in, point lace and orange blossoms laid
aside, the pretty travelling suit of gray cloth
with azurlne trimmings was donned and the
couple prepared to start upon the wedding
! tour.
They arrived at the station just In sea-
SON. The whistle sounded in the distance.
| Willis buckled up his travelling shawl and
| Alma grasped her parasol.
| willis, dearest, do run out and see to
| the trunks! l should die if, when we get
! to Canada my clothes should not be there!
| 1t would be dreadful to be obliged to go to
| dinner in my travelling dress! Do see to
| them, there's darlingr'
Willis vanished; the train, putting and
| smoking. shot into the depot. A conductor
| popped his head into the ladies' room,
shouting at the top of his voice: "All
| aboard for D. All aboard! Come, hurry
| up, ladies! Five minutes behind time and
| another train is due"
Alma did not know whether she was
| bound for D or not; probably she was,
| she said rapidly ITO herself, and she had bet
| ter get in and let Willis follow. So she en-
tered the train, feeling very much as sea,
| and ready to cry at the slightest provoca-
| ton. The porter passed by her seat. She
| caught him by the arm.
rs my husband"
"Oh, yes, yes, all rightn' said he hur-
rying on in a way railway porters have.
TN send him right along" and he vanish
| ed from view in the long line of moving
| cars.
Meanwhile Willis having seen to the bag
| gage-a proceeding that had occupied more
| time than he intended it should returned
| to the ladies' room to find Alma missing.
He searched about wildly inquiring of
| every one he met, but without success.
She's probably already in the train, sir
said the ticket agent of whom he made in
| quiry. you are going to Canada, 1 think
| you said; that's the train for Canada, you
will likely find her there. Just starting
not a moment to lose
Willis grasped the railing of the hind car
as 1t flew by, and finging open the door,
he rushed through car after car, but seek
ing in vain for Alma. She was not on the
train.
Most likely she got on the wrong train
and went by c. said the conductor.
We stop there fifteen or twenty minutes
for refreshments. You'll doubtless find her
there"
The cars flew over the track But it
seemed ages to Willis before they whirled
up to the station at C., and then he did
not wait to practice any courtesy. He leap
ed out impetuously, knocking over an old
lady with a iower-pot and bird cage in
her hand. The old lady was indignant and
hit Willis a rap with her umbrella that
spoiled forever the fair proportions of his
bridal beaver. He flew through the aston
ished crowd pushing aside everything that
came in his way, until he reached the clerk
of the station.
YES" said the clerk che believed there
was one lady who alone; she had
gone to the W hotel-she must be the
one."
Willis waited to hear no more. He hur-
ried up the street to the place, where the
landlord assured him that no lady of AL
ma s description had arrived. Perhaps she
had stopped at NJ, ten miles back. But
the next train for that village would not
be along until the next morning! Willis
could not wait, he would walk.
After four hours of hard walking he be-
gan to think that something must be
wrong. He ought to be approaching the
suburbs of M. In fact, he ought to have
reached the village itself before this time.
He grew a little doubtful about being
the right road and began 10 look about
him. There was no road at all, or rather
it was all road; for all vestige of fences
and wheel tracks had vanished.
The very character of the ground beneath
his feet changed at every step he took. 1t
grew softer and softer until he sank ankle
deep in the mud; and, suddenly, before he
could turn about, he fell in almost to his
armpits
Thus slowly the hours wore away. The
night was ages long. The sun had never
taken so much time to rise in. AS soon as
1T was fairly light Willis began to scream
at the top of his voice, in the hope that
some one might be going somewhere might
hear him. He amused himself in this way
for an hour and at the end of that time
you would not have distinguished his voice
from that of frog close at hand, who had
been doing his best to rival our hero.
At last just as Willis was beginning to
despair, he heard a voice in the distance
calling out,
"Halloo therei Is that you, or a frog?"
"It's me-" cried Willis, land I shall be
dead in ten minutes!"
Directly an old man appeared.
you're in for 1T, amt YEP" he said
"Well. you'll go right our to our house and
have a cup of coffee and something to eat
and a suit of the old mans clothes to put
on while dry yours"
The couple made their way toward Mrs
Lanes house and after a good breakfast
the old lady made Willis lie down on the
lounge while she sent Tom over to M
with the wagon to get Alma.
Tom returned about noon He had
secured the whole village, but found moth
ing. Only one passenger had left the train
at M on the previous day, and that
one was an old man with patent plasters
for sale.
Poor Willis was frenZled He rushed out
of the house and stood looking first up and
down the road, uncertain which way to
wend his course. He finally decided to go
over to D. and make inquiry there.
When he arrived bystander informed him
that lady answering the description he
gave of Alma had been seen the day before il
at D, crying, and saying she had lost
her husband. He thought she had gone
to the American hotel to wait for him. She
expected him by every train, said the ticket |
agent. i
He hurried with all speed to the hotel. /
Yes, she was there, said the clerk. She /
was waiting for her husband. Room 1923, i
right hand, second flight i
Willis flew up the stairs, not waiting for /
the elevator, burst open the door of 1923, and |
entered without ceremony. She was sitting |
by the window looking for him, with her |
back to the door He sprang forward, and /
holding her in his arms, rained kisses upon /
her face
my Alma! my darling! my love! Have /
I found you at last?"
She tured her face and looked at him be- /
fora che smoke and then she set up such a Il