Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10
7 Il e


ing, and for the life of me couldn't help join
ing in, though my face was as red as fire, and
wanted to pitch the things into the street.
Land sakes!" said she, annie Louise, can
ye get beau thatll make We better presents than
those? You're real good-oolng girl though
do say it, with them light curls of yours and
your pretty blue eyes, and dimples, and don't
need to play second to nobody but We don't
seem to have about Henry, if We did
graduate first at the High School"
Don't you like Henry, Aunt Martha?" said L
haring right up.
ooh, um, l didn't say that" she grumbled
If you're suited it's nothing to me, and guess
he's got enough money to keep you decent after
you're married, if he is close now"
When it May, Aunt Martha asked
Henry when were to be married, for she
wanted to go off and make visit in Pennsylvania
afterwards. Henry had always spoken of get
ting married in the spring, and I'd been making
my wedding clothes all winter. Henry didn't
give her any real kind answer he said he would
talk it with me first. We didn't intend to
have any fine doings, he knew that, for l couldn't
afford it, and we'd settled to have the ceremony
plain and private at home.
But that evening when we were sitting close
on the side piazza and the mist was rising up
over the meadow and the tree-toads were going
on like mad down by the pond, be told me that
he'd always had dreadful queer feeling about
getting married since he knew me. He said he
loved me so much that he couldn't get over the
idea that there was doom about it, and he was
sure certain that if the day was set, and him
looking forward to it, that when the minister
came and the words to be spoken that made
us one he'd just drop down dead with joy before
he could say, annie Louise, take thee!'
"Well, then, amt ever to be married." |
said little huffy, though | could feel his form
quiver with the tumultuous throbbing of his
heart.
Then he explained his plan to me- He said the
dream of his life to call me his, but it was
the anticipation which his sensitive spirit could
not stand. Instead of setting the day, he wanted
to leave word with DR.. Macfarren to come in any
evening that convenient and marry us out of
hand. 1t wouldn't take but minute after he
once came and it would be all almost be-
fore we knew it was going to be done
] thought it was a mighty queer way of doing
things, but he talked to me, low and fondly, un.
til he made me see it all as he did. And then we
set out for month the like of which / think no
body ever went through before. Aunt Martha
had wedding-cake made, and packed my valise
for we had settled to go right in to Jersey City
the first thing, and from there TO Paterson to sec
Henrys married sister, and the Falls (f they were
falling); and | kept my blue duck suit and white
sailor hat, and gloves, ready to put on and start
off with at a moments notice.
1t was awful exciting, | can tell you Every
evening | wore my white dress, for | was set on
being welded in white, and sat the piazza OF
in the paror with Henry from eight till ten
O'Clock, waiting to hear the sound of Dr. Mac
farrens footsteps coming down the street w,
couldn't talk or even sit in comfort, for lust a,
soon as we did begin to forget for a moment one
or other of us would be sure to start and saw
whats that sound?" or Didn't you hear the
gate elick?" and then we would watch and lister
again.
Henry always came at half-past seventh,
didn't visit with me in the daytime any more, h,
was working so hard-and he always whispered
as he embraced me- Il feel that we shall seal Tn,
bond tonight Annie Louise" and if he spoke al
all afterwards it about the shortness and un
certainty OF human Lie and the vanity of oul
wishes. When he left, at half past ten (fol