The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-02-07

tiuttered about uneasily, watching
through the window for the carriage
from the railroad station.
81 hope" said Margery, with ner-
vOus attempt at cheerfulness, that she
will be barely decent presentable.
Think of the people who will call! |
hope she won't be worse than we're
prepared to see her"
''She 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 drop
ped 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 suffus-
ed with genial, blissful smiles.
''This is my wife," he said, proudly.
my mother, Dora; my father; my sis
tiers Kitty and Margery!"
And with caressing touch, he took
by the hand and led forward among
them
| What?
MIR. Seely gazed with startling eyes;
Mrs. Seely dropped the hand she had
| started to hold out, with her face grow
ing ashy, and Kitty and Margery gasped.
| For what they saw was a woman of
\ apparently 40 years with face powder
ed and painted in the most unblushing
manner, with thin gray hair crimped
over wrinkled forehead in sickening
affectation of youthfulness, and with a
diminutive, gaily trimmed bonnet perch
ed thereon; with an affected, mincing
gait and a sjmpering smile.
This is my wife" Harvey repeated.
'Have you no welcome for herr"
The bride Uttered.
"Mebby they think | amt good
enough for 'em, DEAR" she observed,
tartly.
Impossible, my pet" Harvey re-
sponded; and patted her falsely bloom
ing cheek affectionately. Besides, if
you were but shadow-a caricature of
! your beautiful self, they would not
have been surprised. They were pre-
pared 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 it could not be worse But this
| NI6lCUtu, WIlllhleCl, D6(llZtueu creature
| had they dreamed of this?
| Harvey watched them with all undis-
| turbed smile-his father, turning away
at last and rubbing his forehead with
his handkerchief weakly; Mrs Seely,
! gazing at her daughter-in-law with a
dreadful fascination, and the girls, sink
ing into chairs III dismayed silence.
'WelL mother. said Harvey, lightly,
/ ''of course new addition to the family is
an object of interest," but don't forget
that | have an appetite, and getting
married has rather improved it. Take
off your bonnet, my own. Here, Kitty.'
Kitty came forward with a set face
and tightly-closed lips, to receive the
marvellous combination of beads and
silk flowers held out to her with dis
f, gushing air of sprightliness. 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 soup" the bride observed
looking round the table with girlish
smile; ''ain't nothing l admire So Just
pass that celery, father-in-law. Deli
cious! amt it, daring?"
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 shipper
ing, senSelesS, ungrammatical remark
of their terrible daughter-in law.
Kitty and Margery excused them
selves during the second course, and
flew to their rooms to cry themselves to
sleep, in an agony of dismay and morti-
tication.
Il shan't think of setting up said
the bride, rising from the table with an
apologize giggle, and with the last OF
her dessert held aloft. I'm too wore
out. If anybody calls-o' corse every
body'll call-just tell 'em I'll see 'em
tomorrow. Come on, dearr'
| And she tripped up stairs, with juve-
nile nod over her shoulder, and with
her beaming young husband following
| Mrs. Seely wrung her hands despair
ingly:
1--WE said it could not be worse" she
said, family. But this! How shall we
endure it?''
81 shall not endure it,' said her hus.
band; his face had grown almost care
worn during the last two hours 81
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 silence.
Il had pictured her to myself" said
Mrs. Seely, beginning to Sob ''as a
young girl-a person of suitable age fol
my poor, misguided boy, decently edu.
Gated, and at least lady. And even
then, when l did not doubt that it was
such one he had chosen, | thought
myself the most unhappy creature in
the world, because she had not wealth
and an old name. Surely it is a iudg-
ment upon us. Oh, was there ever So
dreadful thing?"
Probably not said her husband,
grimly.
1t was a solemn group which waited
in the dining room, next morning, fol-
the appearance of the newly-wedded
couple.
There were marks of tossing night
on every tace-in troubled brows, swollen
"a In .ala n1r i