The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1905-11-03
HE WHO LAUGHS LAST.


ny HENRY CLEVELAND WOOD.
copyright. 1905, Daily Story Pub. Coz
The pretty wedding With tts echoes
of Mendelssohn. and lights. music and
flowers, was a dream of the past night.
the happy couple having started on
their wedding journey some hours be-
fore.
In the wake of the event, the menu
bers of the house party, convened for
the occasion. were beginning to scat
ter.
The westward bound were to be only
two In number, and the existence Of
these two had been made as enlivening
as a party of young people on mischief
bent could invent or devise. Now
that the hour OF departure had come.
the evidently repentent band was
striving to make the amende honorable
The girls assisted Helena in her pack
ing. and had kindly attended to her
ticket and berth while she had gone
on a morning drive. No less attentive
had been Kenton's companions, until
less guileless and suspicious pair would
readily have scented mischief under
this guise OF devoted friendship. A
subdued sadness pervaded the party
quite in keeping with the occasion OF
leave-taking.
In the midst Of the adieux, the two
travellers, surrounded by solicitous
friends. and the train pulling in--the
baggage wagon. mysteriously delayed.
finally arrived. A trunk and dress-suit
case were deposited on the platform
near the group, and Immediately the
two pieces OF baggage became the Gen.
ter of attraction to the crowd OF idlers
and employees at the station.
The trunk was beribboned and be-
decxed to the verge of frivoltty. on Its
white duck cover large crimson hearts
were pasted. some OF them arrow
pierceda Scarcely less ornate was the
dress suit case, with a generous sup
ply of twin hearts and streamers OF
white ribbons, while fastened to the
handle by a paddock, to which there
was no key, and that only file might
sever, was~a sheep-bell that tinkied
loudly, Ii not melodiously. ON the slight
est provoeation.
The respective owners recognised
their baggage almost at the same In
slant, and their faces became an inter-
esting study.
LINDA, this is some OF your out
rageous work. declared Helena, turn
ing on one of her pretty companions
a look of righteous indignation. the
crimson in her cheeks scarcely less
deep that that of the hearts bedecking
the trunk.
Dear, do be composed" cried Linda,
the unabashed. affecting entire inno-
cence concerning the accusation. Look
how the people. are staring from the
car windows. How very rude OF them.
They will suspect at once 1t Is newly
welded couple. ] do hope you will
have q perfectly lovely wedding jour-
ney, dear" she added In cruelty loud
voice.
'T1i settle with you later for this"
vowed Kenton, breathing vengeance
In an underbreath to his chum, Van
Dorm, who had seized the dress suit
case, and, in a seeming effort to be
useful, was prancing around the party
in so lively a manner that the bell
kept up continuous jangle.
"An aboard" shouted the conductor |
The two victims stood looking at
one another In a dazed helpless
apathy that would have touched with |
pity less adamantine hearts.
There was q bewilderinG chorus. |
do hurryi You'll get left" Good |
bye, dear" Good luck, old feilowl"
Look PLEASANT and amid such ex- |
the two unfortunates were |
suddenly deluged with rice, and sim |
Div pushed to the car steps by the con-
spirators, Heads were blocking the |
that side OF the train and
a suppressed litter ran the length or |
the coach on their entrance.
This is your section" The conduc- |
tor waved his hand toward the seats |
which had been reserved. Alas! More |
treachery. The section was festooned |
orffateiy with white ribbons, a bunch |
Df white roses. which had done duty |
the night before at the wedding OF the
real ones, and now looked rather |
,aded, depended from the closed upper |
berth, like a wilted marriage bell, and
The two seats were literally sprinkled |
with rice. Several conspicuous pia-
cards were pinned on the woodwork
around the windows.
This is ridiculous! Absurdr cried
Helena. looking about her. but in vain,
or an empty seat into which she might
irop. Il positively will not sit there"
It's outrageous" growled Kenton.
II 1 had Van Dorm by the neck I'd
wiring it," he added viciously. 'of
course he is the ringieader in this af-
air, I'll warrant" The speaker ruth
essly tore down the placards and
and tossed them out the
window. Now you need not feel so
Pray be seated. and
will go forward into the smoker"
The solace of a favorite cigar Is a
wonderful sedative. After Kenton
lad finished a couple, he felt far less
avage. and much more inclined to re-
lection. Looking back over his past
onely life, he could not but admit
hat 1t would be a most fortunate
hing, indeed, il he were really now
m his bridal trip. Certainly he could
wish for no fairer companion through
life than Helena. This was not a
lew thought by any means. It had
made its way into his brain ere this
n protean guises, but now, under the
PRESSURE of the recent joke, the matter
Ippealed more forcibly to him than
t had ever done before.
What a lucky dog he might con-
ider himself II he could only win such
woman as Helena, Yet now how
ould he hope to do so in the face OF