Mount Vernon signal. (Mt. Vernon, Ky.) 18??-current, 1901-12-20

ing. Then, when have a good start
I'll come back for you." $50
Lucilla smiled and sighed at the same
time. "That will be nice" she said,
."but It would be much nicer to be
married in our own church and live
here where we have so many friends.
A moment later she added, nervously,
as she caught sight of an approaching
figure in the distance, you must leave
me now, Tom; some one is coming,
and if we're seen together and father
hears of it,"
"Eoknow," interrupted Tom, hell
forbid your speaking to me. Well, III
go. Good-by, my darling, I'll watch for
a chance for word with you after
prayer meeting tonight"
"All right, but do be careful" urged
Lucilla. Sand, Tom," she continued,
earnestly, please go to the meeting
this afternoons; no good will ever
come of Sinking your duty"
II will. You're an angel, Lucilla, and
far too good for me- With these
words Tom started off in another d.
rection.
Lucilla walked home in reverie.
She was wondering why, when all she
and Tom wanted was to marry and
be happy, they must both be made
miserable because of petty quarrel
The trouble had come about in this,
way. A good deal of rivalry had al
ways existed between the two heads
of the Lawton family because, being
twins, neither brother, and conse-
| quently, neither brothers wife, could
| James Lawton, Lucilla's father,
claimed prestige by reason of greater
wealth, that of Joseph Lawton, Toms
/ adopted father, on account of social
| position.
The James Lawtons, though emf
nently respectable, and well thought of
by everybody. were not 'in society,""
| They had, in fact. always professed
themselves as not desiring to be, but
when Mrs. Joseph Lawion announced
/ the engagement of her daughter Ger
trude to che of the brightest social
! lights of the town, Mrs. james Lawton
at once decided in her secret heart
| that the wedding would be an auspiz
| cious occasion for Lucilla to make her
! debut in Riverdale society.
/ The wedding day approached and
! large number of invitations were
! sent out from the handsome house on
: the h;ll, but none came addressed to
/ "Mr. James Lawton and family" =,
! That gentleman's wife held her head
high, and to the other ms mbers of the
family, who had all been hidden to the
! nuptals, she declared herself indif-
; ferert 10 the slight They, not liking
i to become involved in matter go del
icate, said as little as possible about
it to her, and nothing at all in the
other house.
When the wedding day came, Ger
trude, who was in her room being
dressed in the white gown and the
filmy white veil woman wears but
once in her life, sent downstairs for
her girl cousins.
They focked into the room. fresh,
rosy-cheeked hevy, all eager for
glimpse of the bride. "Where is Luz
cilla?" asked Gertrude, after they had
kissed her. For a moment there was
an awkward pause, and then by de-
grees the whole thing came ont.
Mrs. Joseph Lawton paused in her
task of giving the last touches TO the
brides hair before reioning her
guests, and with uplifted brush de-
clared that James Lawton's invitation
had gone with the others. 81 addressed
It myself" cried Gertrude. "Aad Tom
mailed it," added her mCther.
LuciIla went over all these details
in her 'h:nd as she walked ,owly home
along the pleasant street. For herself
she had been quite willing o accept
the word of her aunt and cousins that
the invitation had been sent, hut her
father and mother took another view
of the matter, and after the cyrlana-
tion which Mrs. Joseph Lawtcn called
to give on the day after the wedding,
was followed by stony silence on the
part of her hostess, the rivalry be-
tween the two households became an
open breach.
This was why when Tom told Luz
ella that he loved her, the young
, couple were obliged to keep their en-
gagement a secret.
That evening after the prayer meet
ing Lucilln and her mother started to
walk home under the stars. They had
gone but few steps when Mrs. Law
ton recol.ected an important some
thing she had forgotten to say to the
: minister's wife and went back into the
church.
"Lucilla," said voice at the girls
side, and Tom stepped out from the
shadow.
They had but q moment together,
but the briefest moments are boons
to lovers.
"Did you go to the meeting?" asked
Lucilla.
YES" answered Tom, "ard it's
lucky did. But for my vote the thing
would have been Il tie and iho chances
are we should have had no new town
hall. As it is, we are TO put up fine
one They will begin to tear the old
building down on Monday, so rs to be
ready TO break Ground as soon as the
spring opens. When shall see you
again, dear? II is hateful TO me to have
to skulk about to meet You as though
our love were something to be a. hamed