The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-06-07
A COUNTRY WEDDING.


Reader, have you ever attended q coun-
try wedding II not. come with me this
cold. clear. wintty night. on which Miss
Laura Herbert In TO become Mrs. Chester
Strong.
Here we are at the gate. This old gravel
walk leads UP TO the door.
The house appears gay and cheerful: the
windows are illuminated: and through the
Enclosed shutters we can nee the great
fireplace all agiow with the heap Of blazing
hickory logs. But u In much too cold 10
stand here long. 30 we enter the house.
Come, reader. share our mantle OF In
visibility. and we will observe the proceed
ings at our ease.
The portraits OF Colonel Strong and his
daughter hang over the mantclp.ece. and
several engravings deck the wall. which
IL newly papered. and q real ''boughtcn''
carpet covers the moor. There are new
haircioth chairs. too-a great curiosity az
the natives. who seemingly doubt their
strength. were We TO judge by the cautious
and deliberate manner they seat them
selves for the first time upon them. There
In piano-a great curiosity. 'kiah simp-
son. who frst heard u. dwelt at length
upon the delicious music. and now the
shiny box" was the cynosure OF all eyes.
The bride-elect has n fairylike form:
dark. merry eyes: short. clustering curls
OF jetty sheen; tempting lips and dimpied
chin: and beautiful hands and arms.
Stationed In yon corner In Miss Maria
spinster. where she has her cavalier. Mr..
VIII waddle. securely penned up. seem
ingiy In readiness TO intercept the unlucky
wight should he attempt the Eight he IN
evidently meditating.
She II possessed OF two small. ferretlike
eyes, a thin. plnched nose, double rows Of
stin. w'ry curls, a long. bony neck and
angular form, wide. smiling mouth. and
Inns .rakK
in me. she In the picture OF a sharp. vim
egary old maid.
There are other persons worth noting
here. Gaze just to the right OF the fire.
place. At FIRST glance you weuld take her
TO he n mere child-a school pirl-but n
second would bewilder you. In truth. she
II very nearly out OF her teens. Hers -
"A very pleasing face. the more 20 when ,he
speaks. Her ever soft though clear voice
thrills upon your ear even after she
rauSes. Hear * once In "a song. then for
get u ~ YOU can. Though gentle, almost
orcamily so. there IT, thrilling music In her
voice that nils the heart and banlshcE
every eva thought. IL IL a pleasing pIciutc.
bg: We must not finger longer. even
though ia. subject DC gentle Allie Porter. /
Near the west window u seated Aana
Riley and Emma Gore. You might search
Tar without nnding "A pr"iti.r coupe than
this. Beware. Kind friend: ore look ut
Em'na's wonderful hair aud great. lust
rous. black eyes, one glance ia them. and /
defy sou 20 find your hrart. unless you ,
ASK her Tor %. Ask her 10 sinL and you F.
think no more Of yCEr heart, you only /,
dcsirc hers.
Hut see. The old maid has thawc,l out
a. last. and IL addressing hong. lauk VIII
Wgddie. who plainly w.Shss he were some /
where Ear from her n!mbl, tongue.
Il haven't thanked you Yet, Mr.. VIII. for /.
your attention comm over here. I do /
blicNe I'd "a fra II IL hadn't tin fer YOU" 1
All" sroancd VIII. la au aside. she /
Rugged one 80 ! could scarcely breathe" /
Don't Miss iauTy sing purity? l do I
wonder 20 she raaly did 'AkC advantage O. /
l"ap-ycar an pop the question But ! /
don't think It's any more u right 81 she I
did. What's lcAp-ycar made for II not to |
give W. poor wimm"n a Chauc. to XII mar /
Ticd. when the men H. scCh fools? Now !
cf ! wasn't scch a young and riddy sal /
perhaps I'd pop 10 some good. sober man |
who'd take good care O. wiIs an family /
Some one like you. WIN. a few years old |
cr'n me"
Snakes and lizards" sasped VIII. asid.. |
Shes goih' TO pop. and IL old enough 10 !
bc my grandmother"
And he began bcckonInI fgri!vely TO one I
OF his comrades for relief. but In vain.
Yes, Mr.. VIII. don't think ANYBODY !
has any right to liv" single all their lives. /
That's not what were tended for. S'posln' |
nobody Was to git married for two hun /
drcd years why. whatd become q ~ u!lG /
Goodness KNOWS don't. spOsc yuu1I /
sit wife some a. those days Mr.. WHIP"
"lordy, Miss Maricr. wtatd | wan to .
sit married fer" s,Hmmcrcd VIII. adding 4
tn himself. IT'S comm now kuow,d n .
when she made me come. the leather !
skinned witch" :
Lawful sakcs, WIN. how YOU do talk, I
whatd your sister Ellen sit married for. 4
What does any body marry for? wouldn't /
81 Dc nice to have some sober. steady per-
son 10 sew buttons on your shirts an darn !
your socks for YOU insinuAIIngly added /
the siren.
Darn the socks"' muttercd VIII brush.
Ing away the drops or cold T-rspirAtlon
that dampened his forehead.
Yes. so l said. Darn your socks. cook
for you. and meet you Mt the door at
night with a sweet kiss when you come
home all tired from work. Oh. wouldn't
that be nice-such happiness" and she
pcercd into his face with a loving glanC.
that could not be mistaken.
Really. Miss MAricr. ! b'I.eye I must 20
out In the hall. III want to-cough."
gasped WIN.
Law, VIII. cough away-'twon', hur,
noihin'. what's the matter % you tonight.
anyhow You act Justs though you was
aferrd I'd bite you. You wasa't SO BASH
full the night you tuck me home from the
party. Don't you remember how you
kissed me then. dear wan" and she
placed one hand afiectIonat,!y upon his
''Oh. dear" groaned waddle inwardly,
how l wish somcbody'd come an take
her away. Ill bet a cookie the old she
witch'll marry me atorc the nights over!
Darn her. she did all the kissin' hcrscir-I
lidn't"
See. WIN. they're staHdIn' up an par
sons Eittin' his book. Don't IL make you
feel funny? ! trCmble so 7 can sca'Cc!y sit
sti!l oh. hain't u orful' hut then It's hu-
man naiur an all on W. Iaust do the same
lnl'sS We want TO live an dc old maids
an bachelor Say. VIII. it's lcap-year
how. S'p"Sln' some nice young gal'd AK
you To hcy h"r-whard you say?"
oh. lordy' don't know" groancd
waddlc. hts eyes looking like two young