Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-10-13

OAR01bS0
us. or nearly all'-Miss Smithers gave
q slightly hesitating "ahem" at this
point-"approved his Partially for
Alice.
"Yet a good many years went by, and
that wedding did not come off. There
seemed to be some hitch in the mat
ter-or perhaps there were a number
of successive bitches that prevented
the matrimonial hitch.
1t seemed that Alice, being good at
repartee, would often say things that
would wound Roberts pride, and
he, being needlessly touchy, would
take offense and go off for a time. If
they were indeed lovers, it seemed that
they had more than the usual allow
ance Of lovers quarrels. Many times
we expected to get the announcement
of their marriage, or, at any rate en-
gagement, but it never came-at least
not for a good many years. And then
good cid Parson Wentworth just hap
pened to blunder them into It," Miss
Smithers paused for breath, and Mrs.
Benton caught hers with anxious ex-
pectancy.
How did Mr.. Wentworth finally
manage it?" she exclaimed.
oh. he didn't manage it at all, that
was the funny part of it, quickly ex-
planned Miss Smithers. "He did it in
a dreamy sort of way, almost with
out knowing it.
zone day. as it chanced-I suppose
/ ought to say providentially happened
Robert and Alice, unbeknown to each
other, had important errands at the
parsonage. Something about the
church work it was. and they happened
to stumble across one another on the
porch of the parsonage. Now they had
lust had a big misunderstanding. Old
Mother Jenkins overheard Alice say to
Robert that she would never speak
Ia him again, and Robert had replied
that she would never more be troubled
with his company. So it was very
awkward, their meeting there on the
porch. While they were b~lushing and
stammering something or other, Mrs.
Wentworth came out and drew them
both into the parlor.
"Well, would you believe it? While
the three of them, with Mrs. Went
worth's sister who was there, were
trying to make conversation in a
stumbling kind of way, in came DR..
Wentworth, holding a book in his
hand, and with his face all radiant
with smiles.
1--we were just waiting for you
he said. but 1 had not told Mrs. Went
worth Just whose hands | was to join
to-day. OF course, we all knew your
hearts had beer joined for some time
he added, with an attempt at humor
You are a little earlier than we ex-
pected, but never mind, the sooner the
better
why. doctor gasped Robert.
while Alice was too amazed to say
anything, what do you mean? There
must be ome misatke.'
"For an instant the eyes of the two
embarrassed visitors met. then they
looked 1xedly out of the window. For
a few moments there was silence in the
room, and the dreamy eyes of the rec
tor opened wide with surprise. Per-
maps | have made a mistake he be-
gan. almost inquiringly. But here a
sudden resolution came to the deacon.
He had been sure Of his love for Alice
for many years, but he had persuaded
himself that he was not so sure of her.
Yet perhaps the doctor was right in
assuming that their hearts had been
joined all this time.
Stepping quickly to Alice's side,
taking her hand, and looking down
with loving scrutiny into her blushing
face, he murmured: Alice, shall we
keep our friends waiting any longer?
Are you ready now?'
"a moments pause. and then Alice
rose and gave her hand to Robert.
Just as congratulations had been
offered the doorbell rang and a tele-
gram arrived from the couple the
DOCTOR had expected, stating that they
had been detained by a railway acct
dent. but would be on hand to be
married a few hours later. 1t was
only then that the parson realized that
he hoC made q p,fcta1ya b.k T. 1L.