Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-06-27

wards the hall door With dignity.
IL opened wide before she could
reach it. and Harvey entered, his
face suffused With genial, blissful
smiles.
This is my wife, be said. proud.
~. Ny mother, Dora my father;
my sisters Kitty and Msrgeryl'
And, with . caressing touch, be
took By the hand and led forward
among them
What
Mr.. Seels gazsd With startling
eyes Mrs. Seely dropped the hand
she had started to hold ont, with
her face growing ashy, and Kitty
and Margery gssped.
For what they saw was q woman
Of apparently 40 years with face
powdered and painted in the most
unblushing manner, with thin gray
hair crimped oyer o wrinkled fore
head in q sickening affection OF
youthfulness, and with q diminu-
tive, gaily-trimmed bonnet perched
thereon with an affected, mincin q
gait and simpering smile.
This is my wife, Harvey repeat
ed. Have you no welcome for
her?'
The bride Uttered.
'Mebbe they think amt good
enough for 'em, dear 2 she observ-
ed, tartly.
impossible, my pet, Harvey
responded ; and patted her falsely.
blooming cheek affectionately.
Besides, il you we're but a shadow
"a caricature of your beautiful
self, they would not have been sur.
prised. They we're prepared for
the worst.
He looked al his horrified rels.
tives meaningly.
The truth of his words flashed
over them.
Yes, they had all said, repeated.
ly, that ut could not be worse.
But this wretched, wrinkled, be,
diaesAa sEaataa haathsy asesrnpd
I of this
/ Harvey watched them with an
undiaturbed smile-his father,
turning away at last and rubbing
his forehead with his handkerchiei
weakly; Mrs.. Seely, gazing at hel
daughter-in-law with q dreadfuI
fascination. and the girls sink ine
into chairs in dismayed silence.
well, mothe,,' said Harvey
lightly, 'of course new addition
to the family is an object Of inter
est; but don't forget that hav,
an appetite, and getting married
has rather improved it. Take of
your bonnet, my own. Here Kitty?
Kitty came forward with a set
face and tightly-closed lips, to re-
ceive the marvellous combination o.
beads and silk flowers held out ts
her with disgusting air Of spright
illness. 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 pre-
sently.
Turtle soup !! the bride observed
looking round the table with I
girlish smile !; 'ain't nothing ad
mire so! Just pass that celery
father-in.law. Delicious amt it
darling!'
Extremely. my DEAR said th'
bridegroom, placently. :
Ignorant and vulgar Wha
dreadful things would they discoveI
next
Ii was an evening they never for
got. The unfortunate parents ga
with pale faces and unsteady hands
staring into their empty plates. Of
looking at each other with fresl
horror at each simpering, senseless
ungrammatical remark Of their ter
rible daughter-in-law.
Kitty and Margery excused them
selves during the second course
aad few to their rooms to cry them
selves to sleep, in an agony of dis
may and modification.
Il shan't think of setting up,
said the bride, rising from the tabl,
with an apoiogetic giggle, and will
the last Of her desert held aloft
I'm too worn ont. III anybody
calls-o' course everybody'll call
just tell 'em I'll see 'em tomorrow
Come on, dear =
And she tripped upstairs, with
Juvenile nod over her shoulder. AM