The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-08-18

with tears. "I can't bear TO have them
think that because / am going TO be the
| wife OF the mine owner and live in his
house. i am going TO be lifted SO far
away from them that they will-Stuart,
you know what mean. II / didn't be-
lieve so completely In you and your
| thought of stewardship OF Gods property.
i would never dare marry you, man
with all his money and master Of such
house. I cannot even think OF the
selfish surroundings OF my life without
shudder.
We need great wisdom to use Gods
blessings. II will be Joy TO US TO work
out the problem together won't it?"
Stuart said something so softly that.
with the exception OF Rhena, only a
snowbird on ar tree near by heard IL,
and the snowbird never told.
They talked for awhile about their ap-
preaching marriage. 1t was to be the
| following week
Louise and Aunt Royal are going to
New York the first OF the week. My
only regret. Rhena, is in being unable TO
reconcile them to us We move In diff
ferent world from theirs"
you have done all you could. am
| sure. Stuart" replied Rhena gently. She
was thinking OF another matter Finally
she asked. almost timidly; THE army
has asked me II expected to be mar
ried I'm the church. Would you mind
Stuart. II we were married IN the old
hallY'
NO" said Stuart. He was and always
had been Indifferent TO the particular
forms and ceremonies OF life. even the
old life from which he was now emanci-
pated, and ne understood Rhena's reason
for this request She belonged to the
army. and the little squad of officers and
privates was very dear to her. She
longed to assure them In every way pos
sible that her marriage had not In any
way removed them from her In sympa-
thy.
So one evening about a week after the
departure Of Louise and. Aunt Royal
Stuart went down to Eric's cottage and
met Andrew and the doctor there To-
gether they went over to Rhena's lodging
and presently she came out dressed In
the army costume. that Stuart said was
the best and most becoming for her 10
wear. She took his arm. and with Eric
and the doctor and Andrew marching be-
hind they stepped over to the hall.
The army was In great excitement IL
had paraded the streets. held IT'S outdoor
meeting and was back at the hall TO well
come the bride and groom. The little
band stood just outside. and what II
lacked In numbers II made up In muscle.
The big drum had never received such
vigorous beating as IL received that night.
The tambourines would certainly have
been knocked into small pieces II they
had not been made Of very tough ma
teriai And "Scaly joe" now known as
witnessing Joseph" would surely have
blown. himself through the holes Of his
flute II he had not been possessed OF
pair OF lunks that could be almost In
definitely expanded.
Outside the hall. standing about I'm
great crowd. were the miners OF Cham
pIon. They greeted the little bridal party
with hearty cheers as u came up. and as
soon as the hand had finished and Stuart
and Rhena- Andrew and Eric and the doc
tor had zone in they crowded after. hlling
up the old room until II could not hold
another person.
There were a good many brief prayers
san and rousi9g ON h nIassr sSngs as me
jor, also carried away by the greatness
OF the occasion, made rattling speech,
iclniahs from the rest of the army. The
collection was not forgotten. and as IL
was an occasion out of lifetime and the
we4s ws sgsr ngn
the major began TO think of putting up
suitable headquarters at once
read the ma marriage % service, Rhsna and
Stuart standing In the middle OF the plat
form, Eric and the doctor a little one
ceremony was was not strictly according to
ssaon goes tonight" @ as ySi "ywSiitnessins Jossephs
said In few remarks after s, the sollee
and power That was almost as good q |
prayer as some we have here In the hall
confession hs nights; sd; said the major after
pressiye TO Stuart, In spite of the sur
roundings and the army exercises that
accompanied them, for he felt In 4 all
this costume. which had become dear to |
a sin sick and body suffering humanity, |
In hand with him through life with ell |
these people now crowded into the hall. |
the largest factor In both their expert !
enees, and II seemed 70 % him specially az.
most sacred event OF their lives, In the |
pre- sence OF those whom they had begun |
to help and regard as truly belonging, 10 |
the great brotherhood in the family which |
is one In God the Father.
They had planned to remain some time |
attsr the service was over TO shake hands |
with the men But the crowd outside
the majors suggestion. the men filed up |
TO the platform. shook hands, offered their |
greetings. and went down the other side |
men outside soon learned OF this arrange |
ment and formed a line that reached out /
INTO the square, past the band stand, ana
before stuart and Rhena knew what the 1
major had arranged they were facing "A
stream of miners that bade fair 10 keep |
them standing there two OF three hours.
which never looked so beautiful in its |
army bonnet as tonight.
You forget SIR that I have stood IN /
this hall a good many long hours this |
winter. ] feel quite confident OF firing /
you out. Isn't 4 beautiful OF them7 This
Is worth more. stuart, than all the "a shion \
and parade OF society, for these people
love us, and we know H."
Aye. aye" replied Stuart, proudly. |
happy Of bis wife's health and strength |
and Christian beauty. That belongs 20
be- IL is worth a million times more TO us
than all the gingerbread trimmings OF |
society fashionable weddings"
Meanwhile the doctor Andrew and Erie
disappeared. When Stuart and Rhena fin.
ally came out after receiving the men
and after a closing volley OF shouts and
trumbeats from the army. they found the
ter trimmed with spruce boughs' The
doctor motfonod them TO take the back
seat
What" cried Stuart, you here vet
doctor? i thought sure you had been
called away"
Its wonder I wasn't" replied the
ioctor All through the ceremony
thought could hear n voice saying Is
lDCtlr n fharQ9 Hat urao 80 |