Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-11-08

pOrcn, the DellS that had funS TOT the
lLarriages and deaths Of 50 many gen
erations were silent now.
The young lover, thinking of his
.-~-ll1g's fine lace veil and da:r y
= css, had insisted upon carriage
rot from The Barley Now at St.
Dy1o's, but from THE Rarcliffe Arms''
Z. Darlington; then the people OF St.
Byno's would know nothing Of it. That
wG5 the last straw to Miss Ather-
O.; a veil and wreath had been
CROUCH, but a carriage was mere tn
ahc -eIt she could bear.
Miss Aherton declared that she had
q keen sense of the fitness of things,
aid that, for the orphan daughter OF
q poor doctor, veil, a wreath, and a
carriage were absurd. m fact, such
things belonged to the order she de-
tested, the aristocrats; and she would
have none of them.
But" said the young lover, how
could my beautiful bride walk through
the fields and the high-road in dainty
wedding dress, which v ouId be caught
by the brambles and thorn5?"
Miss Atherton's sense Of economy
came to her aid. The dress being eX-
pc1Sive and beautiful, i certainly
would be foolish to allow it to trail
over the grass and the dying leaves.
So the carriage came from Radcliffe
Arms" at Darlington, and the wedding
party, consisting Of Lord RIVERS, Vic
let and Miss Atherton, drove to church.
ITO think" said Miss Atherton,
that at my age 1 should be present
at a Wedding-I, who have protested
against love and marriage all these
years"
Her manner was q protest still, for
nothing could have been more grim
and stern.
The Reverend Maurice Thorn, to
whom both aunt and niece were we'll
Known, looked in establishment at the
wedding party. But Miss Anterior
herself knew only too we'll the secret
of her presence there. She had come
that with her own eyes she might see
every precaution taken as to the valid
ity Of Violet's marriage.
One of Miss Atherton's fixed ideas
was that, sooner or later, every man
grew tired of his wife, and would be
glad to free himself from her in any
way he could. This she was quite de-
tC~Iined the young artist should
mover do, if by any means she could
prevent it. He was taking her niece
away, just as she had grown not mere
ly q useful, but pleasant companion
He should not have it in lis power to
leave her when he was sired of her.
Lord RIVERS had felt embarrassed
about his name. One day, when they
were speaking on the subject, he had
tOld Violet that his name was Ran
G0;ph. She had thought 1t odd that
he should be called Randolph Ran
dolph; still, many people had thf, same
Christian name as surname; and she
had scarcely given another thought to
the matter until there had been a Dues
ton Of packing and directing her
trunks, when she had blushed and
laughed to see her name-"Mrs. Ran
dolphin great letters.
Lord RIVERS was no less anxious
than Miss Anterior that everything
should be perfectly legal ard in order
even to the name. He gave it boldly
as Randolph, RIVERS Randolph" no
one paying any attention to the inter-
mediate name. Miss Anterior heard
it when the minister asked, Randolph
RIVERS Randolph, wilt thou have this
woman to thy welded wife," but it
did not strike her as being in any way
peculiar. nor did she thipk any fur
cher Of the matter
There had been no preparations for
a wedding breakfast. Miss Atherton
would not hear of any; but Lord Ryv-
ers had seen tears in Violet's eyes, and
had acted in accordance with what he
believed to be her wish.
Il cannot imagine any one married
without wedding breakfast" Violet
had said, piteousIy.
To marry without money or love
might be venial offense but without
a wedding-cake was not to be dreamed
o.. The eager young lover sent off to
London and ordered a bride-cake.
1t was necessity that they should
return to the cottage after the cere-
mony; even Miss Anterior owned
with a snap that almost annihflated
Lord RIVERS for a time, that Violet
could not start for the Continent in q
veil and wreath.
Il never intended her to enter nv
doors after she was married" said
Miss Atherton; but in this case il
cannot be helped"
To her surprise, when they reached
home, the table in the pretty little
parlOr was set, decorated with beauti
full flowers, the bride-cake being placed
in the middle between-Worst of ALL
two bottles Of champagne.
Lord RIVERS was amused at heI
frankly expressed horror. He thought
ard thought justly, that this was one
o. the most original CT weddings
There was no kiss, no caress, no wish
Ing OF happiness or joy; not that that
| mattered, for he was in an elysium OF
love and Violet in a maze OF delight
She laughed when Miss Atherton
| looked at the table, and uplifting he1
| hands, cried:
Bride-cake and champagne in my
house,"
They generally accompany love and
marriage" said Lord RIVERS.