Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-11-01
SOCIETY EVENT OF THE WEEK.
From satnrday,s Daily

Animas valley, not less beautiful than
the vale OF Cashmere, was swept by
ambrosial airs and resounded with
shouts and applause for the victors
in ball game. that pair of blue
eyes looked into a pair of brown ones
and forgot all other eyes they had ever
seen before. II must have been the
lovely innocence of the brown ones
and the delicacy of the face and fig
ure of the young girl who owned them
that made the blue eyes forget all
others. It was the tenderness of the
blue eyes that made the young woman
forget all else in the world for the
moment, including the score she had
been so intently keeping No bright
particular star had even shone long
at time in her galaxy of admirers,
and friends who introduced the pair
exchanged indulgent smiles and pre-
dicted that the new attachment would
last but a pretty moon: but they did
not reckon on the wonderful law Of
affinity. ever decisive and enduring
The dainty girl whose heart strings
had been swept by the master hand
of love dispensed with all other ad
mirers and waited patiently for the
JtilOultdt NlHllh VI lHb AObHE iIHNtl-
ing auditor of the Denver Post; and
long before the return of autumn the
heart of Durango society was in such
flutter as it had not been for
long time over the whispered engage
ment of Gertrude, for though born in
Cleveland, Ohio. she had grown up
from infancy among them and they
did not look quite kindly on some
Prince Charming from another city
coming to carry her away. Even her
mother reproached him prettily for
coming so far from home to win
from her her only child, but Prince
Charming shook his head. and assured
her that in all the world there was
none other.
And so it was. with her child's hap
piness in the ascendancy. the mother
sought with fear and trembling the
doting father to tell him the time had
come when they must part with their
little girl--she who had made life so
glad for them, who had filled their
home with exquisite harmony from
the masters of music by her skillful
touch. and had painted many of the
most beautiful pieces that adorned
the walls: who was mistress of every
detail of housekeeping, and who had
given them joy of her birth by often
declaring her love of life: she who
was practical and without fads. save
that she loved a gallop on a spirited
horse over the mountain roads and
trails, drinking in the sunshine which
had woven itself for twenty summers
into her nature of gold. 1t was she.
the light of the household, with whom
they must part. The love of mother
and father balanced the scales. and
the cards read:
Mr.. and Mrs. Frederick w Strater
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Gertrude to H. Wayne Russell.
Wednesday at high noon, October the
twenty-fourth, one thousand nine hun.
dred and six; ten hundred and forty
six Boulevard, Durango. At home af.
ter December first, Denver, Colorado"
1t was to be a home wedding be-
cause of the difference in religious
belief. The wardrobe must be sim
pie, there must be no veil, no train
and no bridesmaids. this sensible
young woman had decreed. The hour
had almost arrived. and the bride
stood radiant in her wedding gown
before her mother and Mary" Ga
loved member of the Strater house.
hold for thirty-three years., for in.
spection. Mary" cried in a tone OF
warning: 20. the beads, the gold
beads, child, take them off they
mean tears" Only a few moments to
spare, but the little bride flew up
stairs and tore the beads from her
white neck, for had not all the pretty
superstitions been observed. even Il
the something and something new
something borrowed and something
blue; and the decorations, too, wer,
all in white and green, a symbol OF
good fortune
Come, Gertrude, it is only three
minutes more until you are mine,
said voice SO tender that It betrayed
the secret of its victory. Eyes. dear
only three minutes more that you are
mine" said the father. in broken
tones and with moist eyes. Don't
say that, papa, she said pleadingly. and
both smiled through tears, the former
feeling as he looked upon the young
man OF gentle bearing who awaited
them on the balcony, that he was in
deed gaining n son instead of losing
daughter. and that she would he his
own little girl forever and aye just
the same.
The sweet strains of Lohengrin's
wedding march from Feichtingers or
chestra reached the upper rooms and
the bridal party proceeded to the east
parlor on the lower floor where
large number Of guests had Assem-
bled. -
Like a vestal, Gertrude looked as
she stood under floral bell in the
east parlor, gowned in princess
dress of white mousseline, taffeta and
lace. bowing modestly over the bride
roses that dropped in her hand. The
groom looked all that he pledged un
der the beautiful Catholic service per
formed by Rev. Father Duffy, a few
moments later, which moments were
so silent that some there were who
could hear the choir invisible The
sun streamed through the little col.
ored window above their heads like
benson from heaven. and no
sound there was save the rythmic
heartbeats of those who witnessed
and the words that fell in solemn
measure from the good priests lips.
Ii lost the golden circlet that was
taken from tha heart of m A,,,,.ia..