The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-04-13

"On the NINTH" Harvey rejoined
"Of course you will all be there?" h.
added, rather obviously.
by no means!" said his father
shortly.
you could hardly expect it." sale
Mrs. Seely, reproachfully.
Very well; If Mohammed won
come You've heard the observa
ton. We shall pay you a visit imme
diately on our return from our wed
ding tour. with your kind permission
You must know Dora"
When he left the house, an houl
later, he had the required permission
His mother and the girls had ever
kissed him good-by, in an injured and
reproachful way; and his father had
shaken hands, coolly.
But his ears still rang with that
odious assertion, at could not be
worse!" and he was thoughtful all the
way back to the city.
III.
The Seelys were in q state of sub
dued excitement.
Harvey's wedding tour was com
pleted; and they had received a tele-
gram that afternoon to the effect that
he would be ION hand" tonight, with
his new wife.
The dining-room table was set for
dinner; and Mrs. Seely wandered
from one end of it to the other, ner-
vously.
Her husband sat under the chande-
lier with his evening newspaper; but
he was not reading it. Kitty and
Margery fluttered about uneasily,
watching through the window for the
carriage from the railroad station.
81 hope" said Margery. with a ner-
vous attempt at cheerfulness, that
she will be barely decent-present-
able. Think of the people who will
call! l 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
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.
This is my wife," he said. proudly.
"My mother, Dora; my father; my
sisters Kitty and Margery!"
And, with 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 a woman of
40 years. with a face
powdered and painted in the most I'M
blushing manner. with thin gray hair
crimped over a wrinkled forehead in
a sickening affectation of youthfulness,
and with a diminutive. gaily-trimmed
bonnet perched thereon; with an af-
fected, mincing gait and a simpering
smile.
This is my wife," Harvey repeated.
Have you no welcome for herr"
The bride Uttered.
"Mebbe they think / amt good
enough for 'em. dear?" she observed,
tartly.
Impossible, my pet" Harvey re-
sponded; and patted her falsely
blooming cheek affectionately. BE
sides, If you were but a shadow
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 ut could not be worse" But
this wretched. wrinkled, bedizened
creature-had they dreamed of this?
Harvey watched them with an un-
disturbed smile-his father. turning
away at last and rubbing his forehead
with hts handkerchief weakly; Mrs.
Seely, gazing at her daughter-in-law
with q dreadful fascination. and the
girls, sinking into chairs in dismayed
silence.
well, mother" said Harvey, light
ly, "of course new addition to the
family is an object Of interest; but
don't forget that l have an appetite,
and getting married has rather i'm
proved it. Take of your bonnet. my
own. Here, Kitty"
Kitty came forward with set face
and tightly-closed lips, to receive the
combination Of beads and
silk flowers held out to her with
disgusting 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 a girlish
smile; "ain't nothing / admire so!
Just pass that celery, father-in-law.
Delicious! amt it, darling?"
Extremely, my DEAR" said the
bridegroom, complacently.
Ignorant and vulgar! What dread
full things would they discover next?
It was an evening they never for
got. The unfortunate parents sat with
pale faces and unsteady hands, star
ing into their empty plates, or looking
at each other with fresh horror at
each simpering, senseless. ingram
NAUTICAL remark of their terrible daugh-
ter-in,law.
Kitty and Margery excused them
selves during the second course, and
flew f0 their rooms IN cry themselves