The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-13
(This story was begun in Sunday Spy of July 28)
CHAPTER XXXVII.
EDITH.


After leaving General Washington on
that afternoon of our first meeting,
Aunt Sally announced her intention Of
riding home with us for the evening.
This pleased Edith, as l could see, and
we both anticipated the furry my
Aunt would create in the quiet house
hold of the Horne's. In this, we were
doomed to disappointment, for her ad-
vent was that of an old acquaintance.
She had met Uncle Jason many times
and knew him we'll Aunt Abigail she
had hardly noticed, so taken up with
Edith had she been that morning the
ladies called upon her at the inn; but
now they took to one another, as OPP
posites often do At dinner they sat
side by side and had their heads to-
gether over sundry recipes for sylla-
bub shrub and conserves. discussing
with deep interest all the intricacies
and mysteries of the housewives art.
l could see that Edith was greatly in
terested in their talk, but to please me
she took paFtin the political and bust
ness discussion Uncle Jason and I were
engaged in, and, manlike, 1 was fiat
tered and happy. After dinner we all
gathered before the great fire and there
for time the older ladies pursued their
discussion, including needlework now,
in which like all else pertaining to
housekeeping or business, my Aunt
seemed past mistress. We three, I'm
Gle Jason, Edith and I, pursued our dis
cussion, until Uncle Jason falling asleep
over his pipe, Edith and l were left to
one another. Thus occupied, l noted
not the lapse of time and know not
how long we should have remained in
that sweet communion, when all were
brought back-Uncle Jason from his
sleep, Edith and I from the Elysian
fields in which we had been wandering
hand in hand, by Aunt Sally, who as
1 first remember, was inquiring when
the wedding was to occur
Both Edith and l confusedly sat
apart and admitted we had not got
that far yet; whereat my blunt brusque
little kinswoman proceeded to take the
matter in hand and plan as if we were
in no wise concerned. She would have
liked much to have seen me married
at the old place, but of course that was
not to be thought of. After such
long engagement-she assumed that it
had been long and no one disputed her
the holidays now at hand, were the
best time in the world. 1 had little
time she was sure, to attend to the
management of the estate, and as she
had managed it for 25 years, she reck-
oned she could a while longer. My
pay as captain would not in her judg-
ment suffice for my needs, especially
now that 1 was about to take wife,
and so the estate stood ready to pay
me an income of $4,000 a year sterling,
until such time as 1 should retire from
the army and take my own private af
fairs in charge. The wedding she
would have made a grand affair, in
Christ Church at least, but here both
Edith and 1 interposed. The rector
we had known and loved had, like
Duche of Christ Church, followed
Howe. The new man at Christ Church
neither of us knew. The chapel was a
ruin.
well! But Lordy Heavens! You've
got to be married somewhere and
somebody's got to do it, snapped my
Aunt.
1 ventured to remark that in all civ
ilized communities, the bride named
the day and place, the groom looked
after other matters. 1 didn't know, of
course, what the custom might be in
the Shenandoah. Then there was a
scene and 1 was rescued from my
aunt's hands by Edith, who announced
her choice as this old drawing room
in which we had spent so many happy
hours. 1 nominated Mr.. Kirkland to
officiate, and peace reigned. Indeed,
Aunt Sally offered no objection to all
this, and so it was arranged. She had
intended going home on the morrow,
but she would send Hosea instead, and
would come down from the inn and help
arrange matters, at least three or four
hours each day. Come to think of it,
she had promised George and Martin"
to come and dine with them anyway,
and she Peelzened she must remain in
town and Keep her word good 1 fear
she would have had us married within
two weeks If she could have had
her way, but we begged her
to allow us 80 days more
of courtship and to this she graciously
consented.
And thus it came about that on the
evening of Tuesday, January IL, 1880,
| Edith Darrah and 1 were made hus
band and wife. There have been pref
ty home weddings. Under proper cir
cumstances they are ever so, but ours
Well. 1t seems to me as I look back
at it now after all these years, the
beginning of heayen. A heaven have
enjoyed for nearly 60 years. A heaven
we both have faith to believe shall ex
tend through all eternity.