The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-28
-. The Uedding Dress -.

Mr.. Roderick Henton was about 10 Wis
1t his great-aunt. and he sat In the train
under the glass roof OF Paddington, i'm
patient to start. There are various rea-
sons for visiting ones great-aunt, such
as politeness. policy, necessity--or, 1T may
View, or TO gain IL Qrom hers). But i'm
patience IL not as a rule. one of the ac-
companying emotions. The explanation
of II In Hentons case was this: He had
Just returned from Blois. a town OF mid
die France. and from a study of the
French language. and there had preceded
him-by the space of three months-from
the same town and the same study ono
whom he knew to be the most beautiful
lady I'm the world. She lived at Paign-
ton; Mr.. Henton's great-aunt also lived
there. Que voulez-vous?" as they used
TO say at Blois-Mr. Henton was i'm
patient to visit his great-aunt
Three months is long time. particu-
lsrly when spent I'm a perusal of the
French irregular verbs and the equally
irregular French minor poets. Henton
realized that az he sat In the train It
is possible TO forget SO many things In
three months. He himself could forget
nothing-except irregular verbs--either I'm
those three months. or three before, when
there had been boating, riding. picnics
on the Loire. But would, she remember
that afternoon, for instance--the vines
were particularly purple on either bank,
and there was hardly gust or ripple
when he ran the boat on TO a sandbank
and they had TO wait there for over an
hour i'm midstream? She had been most
gracious about II, and he had considered
few places equal to a ssndbank on the
Loire. But after three months! The
most beautiful person I'm the world must
surely have so many other things-and
people-to remember. Would the train
never start?
Some one--a msn--camc up 10 the car
riage door opened IL and began TO ram in
baggage-things strapped together. and
parasols and "A box marked with care ."
rs that ALP asked the man. turning
ia some people behind
Everything. But have YOU put my box
In carefully"
Henton sat up In his seat. II was the
inevitable third person. IL was she IL
was her luggage. She was coming down
IN the same train with him. Truly the
Great Western was the finest line In the
world.
The man was resssuring her about tho
box:
1T wouldn't do II your wedding dress
went wrong" he said.
Henton. who had risen 10 his feet
eagerly, collapsed Wedding dress?
II shouldn't he able TO proceed with
the ceremony N II were crushed"
Poor bridegroom said one OF tho
others
ITS In the rack" chattered the man.
And there's no hurry about getting IN
Train doesn't go for ten minutes vet. Let's
walk up and down. ] suppose after to-
morrow We shan't see you till tho honey
moons over?'
The party turned away from tho car
risge door and went down the platform.
Henton was left ~ his contemplation.
the hateful box before his eyes So-she
was to he married tomorrow. and by an
irony OF fate he was 20 travel down with
her and her wedding dress This was TO
put faith In a woman. II might have
been expected. Of course. n he had not
been fool n would have been polite
to let him know she was engaged; that
could easily have been dones At least
two things were certain; Of all rivers
I'm the world the Loire was the most de-
ceptive: of all railway lines. the Great
Western was the most diabolicsi. What
is the good OF vines Oelns purple " Of
running boats on the ssndbsnks7
An old gentleman sOt into The Csrrisss
took corner By the door aud threw a