The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-06-01

window for the carriage from the railroad
staten.
IT hope, said Margery, with ner-
vous attempt at cheerfulness, s'that she
will be barely decent-presentable. Think
Of the people who will call ! / hope she
won't be worse than wer prepared to see
her,
ssshe couldn't be, said Mrs. seely,
dismally.
There was roll of wheels, and the
twinkle Of the carriage-lamp at the door,
and the bell rang sharply.
Kitty and Margery clasped hands in
sympathetic agitation; Mr.. Seely dropped
his newspaper and arose; and Mrs. Seely
advanced toward the hall door with dignity.
1t opened wide before she could reach
it, and Harvey entered, his face suffused
with genial, blissful smiles
''fhis is my wife, he said, proudly.
My mother, Dora; my father; my sisters
Kitty and Margery!"
And, with a caressing touch. he took by
the hand and led forward among them
What?
Mr.. Seely gazed with startling eyes;
Mrs. Seely dropped the hand she had
started to hold out, with her face growing
ashy, and Kitty and Margery gasped.
For what they saw was woman of ap-
parently 40 years with face powdered
and painted in the most unblushing man
ner, with thin gray hair crimped over a
wrinkled forehead in sckening affectation
of youthfulness, and with diminutive,
gaily trimmed bonnet perched thereon;
with an affected, mincing gait and simp-
ering smile.
''This is my wife" Harvey repeated.
Have Won no welcome for her ?
The bride Uttered
''Mebbe they think ain good enough
for em, dear p she observed, tartly.
Impossible, my pet, Harvey respond
ed and patted her falsely blooming cheek
affectionately. Besides, if you were but
a shahow-a caricature of your beautiful
self, they would not have been surprised.
They were prepared for the worst.
He looked at his Mortified relatives
meaningly.
The truth of his words flashed over
them.
Yes, they had all said, repeatedly, that
cit could not be worse y Bat this wretch
ed, wrinkled. bedizened creature-had they
dreamed of this
Harvey watched them with an undisturb-
ed smile-his father, turning away at last
and rubbing his forehead with his hand
kerchief weakly; Mrs Seely, gazing at her
daughter law with dreadful fascination,
and the girls sinking into chairs in dismay
ed silence.
'sWell, mother, said Harvey, lightly,
''of course new addition to the family is
an object of interest; but don forget that
have an appetite, and getting married
has rather improved H. Take off your
bonnet, my own. Here, Kitty
Kitty came forward with set face and
tightly closed lips, to receive the marvel
GUS combination of beads and silk flowers
held out to her with disgusting air of
sprightleness. She was afraid to trust
herself to speak.
Poor Mrs Seely, sick at heart, had
made her way to the bell and rang it, and
dinner came down presently.
Turtle soupr' the bride observed,
looking round the table with girlish smile;
e'ain' nothing | admire so! just pass
that celery, father-in-law Delicious! ain t
it, darling p
Extremely, my dear, said the bride
groom, complacently.
Ignorant and vulgar What dreadful
things would they discover next?
1t was an evening they never forgot.
The unfortunate parents sat with pale
faces and unsteady hands, staring into
their empty plates, or looking at each other
with fresh horror at each simpering, sense
less, ungrammatical remark of their terrible
daughter-in- law.
Kitty and Margery excused themselves
during the second course, and flew to
their rooms to cry themselves to sleep,
in an agony of dismay and modification.
i shan think of setting up, = said the
BRIDE rising from the table with an apollo
getic giggle, and with the last of her des-
sert held aloft. I'm too worn out. If
anybody calls-o' course everybody call
Just tell EN- I'll see EN- tomorrow.
Come on, dearp'
And she tripped up stairs, with juve-
nile nod over her shoulder, and with her
beaning young husband following
Mrs Seely wrung her hands despair
ingly.
eve said it could not be worse, she
said, family. ''But this How shall we
endure it?
~ shall not endure i'll said her hus-
band his face had grown almost careworn
during the last two hours II shall send
them packing tomorrow, and if ever he
enters my house again
He brought his hand down on the table
threateningly.
"But that will not help matters said
his wife, miserably. He is ruined; we
are disgraced; and everybody will know it.
There was a silence.
81 had pictured her to myself, said
Mrs. Seely, beginning to sob, las a young
girl-a person of suitable age for my poor,
misguided boy, decently educated, and at
least lady. And even then, when did
not doubt that it was such one he had
chosen, l thought myself the most unhappy
creature in the world, because she had not
wealth and an old name. Surely it is
judgment upon us. Oh. was there ever
so dreadful thing p
Probably not, said her husband,
grimly.
1t was solemn group which waited in
the dining room next morning, for the APP
pearance of the newly welded couple
There were marks of tossing night on
every face-in troubled brows, swollen lids
and pale cheeks-and general gloom pre-
vailed.
Mr.. Seely stood in front of the fire place,
watching the half door with stern face.
He was master in his own house at least,
and he was determined that it should not
be disgraced by his SON wife for another
hour
please get them away before anybody
comes papar' said Kitty. 1t would be
dreadful if anybody were to see herr'
Dreadful Margery echoed, with