The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-06-08
A COUNTRY WEDDING,

Joseph l.. Badger. il. in New York
Weekly.
Reader. have you ever attended Il coun-
try wedding? 1T not, come with me this
cold. clear, wintry night. on which Miss
Laura Herbert is 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 see the great
fireplace all aglow with the heap of blazing
hickory logs. But 1t is much too cold to
stand here long. so enter the house
Come, reader. share our mantle of in
visibility, and we will observe the proceed
ings at our case.
The portraits of Colonel Strong and his
daughter hang over the mantelpiece. and
several engravings deck the wall which
Is newly papered, and real ''boughten
carpet covers the floor. There are new
hatrcioth chairs. too-a great curiosity as
the natives. who seemingly doubt their
strength. We're we to judge by the cautious
and deliberate manner they seat them
selves for the first time upon them. There
Is u p1ano-a great curiosity. 'Kiah Simp-
SON. who first heard it, dwelt ut length
upon the delicious music, and now the
shiny box" was the cynosure of all eyes
The brlde-elect has a fairylike form:
dark, merry eyes; short, clustering curls
OF jetty sheen; tempting lips ana dimpled
chin and beautiful hands and arms.
Stationed in yon corner is Miss Maria
Spinster. where she has her cavalier Mr..
VIII Waddlc. securely penned up seem
ingly In readiness to intercept the unlucky
wight should he attempt the flight he is
evidently :.editating.
She Is possessed of two small ferretlike
eyes, a thin. Mnched nose double rows of
stun. wiry curls. 4 long. bony neck and
angular FORM wide, smiling mouth, and
long. Northumberland hands and arms.
In flne. she Is the picture OF Il SHARP vim
egary old maid.
There are other persons worth noting
mere. Gaze Just to the right of the fire.
place AT first glance you would take her
to be mere chld-a school girl--but ii
second would bewllder you. III truth, she
Is very nearly out of her teens. Hers is
very pleasing face, the more SO when she
speaks. Her ever soft though clear voice
thrills upon your ear even after she
pauses. Hear ii once In song. then for
get 1t II you can. Though gentle. almost
drcamily 80, there Is thrilling music In her
voice that fills the heart and banishes
every evil thought. 1t Is pleasing picture,
but we must not linger longer, even
though the subject be gentle Allie Porter.
Near the west window Is seated Anna
Riley and Emma Gore. You might search
far without finding u prettier couple than
this. Beware, kind friend. one look at
lsama's wonderful hair ard great. lust
rous. black eyes. one glance In them, and
DEFY you 10 find your heart unless Won
ask her for It. Ask her to sing. and you
think no more Of your heart. YOU only
desire hers.
But sec! The old maid has thawcd out
at last. and Is addressing long lank VIII
~ la MI, t,no
where FAR from her nimble tongue
haven't thanked you yet. Mr. WILL for
your attention comm over here. | do
b'lieve I'D u friz If 1t hadn't bin fer you.'
ALI" groaned VIII, in an aside: ..shc
Rugged one so could scarcely breathe"
Don't Miss Larry sing purity? | do
wonder c! she rasly did take advantage o.
leap-year an pop the question: But /
don't think it's any more'n right eff she
Old. What's leap-year made for eff not TO
give us poor wimmen a chance to git mar
ried. when the men Is sech fools: Now
ef wasn't sech young and glddy gal
perhaps I'd pop to some good. sober man
who'dftake good care O. wife an family.
Some one like you, VIII. few years old
er'n me-
Snakes and lizards!" gasped VIII, aside.
Shes goin to pop, and Is old enough to
be my grandmother
And he began reckoning furtively to one
of his comrades for relief, but in vain.
Yes, Mr. VIII. don't think anybody
has any right to live single all their lives
THAT'S not VIVA we're tended for S'posin.
nobody was IT, git married for two hun
dred years, why, what'd become O. us all?
Goodness knows-I don't. i s'pose You'll
git a wife some o those days. Mr.. wil?r
Lordy, Miss Marier, what'd wan to
GIT married fer?" stammered WIN, adding
| to himself. Its comm now---I knowed 1t
When she made me come. the leather
| skinned WITCH
Lawful sakes! Will. how YOU do talk
What d your sister Ellen git married for /?
What does anybody marry for? Wouldn't
| 1t be nice to have some sober, steady per
| son to sew buttons on your shirts an darn
| your socks for you?" insnuatinxly added
the siren
Darn the socks!" muttered VIII. brush
ing away the drops Of cold perspiration
that dampened his forehead
Yes. SO ] said. Darn your socks, cook
Tor you, and meet you at the door at
night with sweet kiss, when you come
nome all tired from work Oh, wouldn't
that be nice-such happiness" and che
peered into his face with a loving glance
i that could not be mistaken.
Really, Mas AIarier, b'l.eye must 90
out In the hall. IL want to-cough, +"
/ Easped Will.
Law. Will. cough away--,twon,t hurt
nothin. What's the matter o. you tonight.
anyhow? You act just's though Won was
\ afeerd I'd bite you. You WASN'T so BASH
ful the night you tuck me home from the
/ party. Don't YOU remember how you
kissed me then. dear Will?" and she
1 placed one hand affectionately upon his
4 coAt-sleeve. ~
i "Oh. dear" groaned waddle inwardly.
how I wish somebody'd come an. take
her away. III bet q cookie the old she
1 yitch'll marry me afore the nights over.
4 Darn her. she did all the lkissin' herself
See. Will, they're standin, up an. par
sons sittin' i.s book /, Don't il make YOU
i feel funny tremble so i can SCARCELY Sit
4 sstan. Oh hain't y orful! hut then It's hu-
Il man natur. m. all on us must do the ZANE
4 onless We want to live an die old mufls
an bachelors. Say. Win. it's leap-year
nov , i. Z some nice young sal'd *
:Oh. lordy! I don't know rroanad
waffle. his eyes looking like tSS young
moons. Miss Marier don,t-nlea ~