Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-11-14

church, with only the bridal attend.
ants and a few close friends and rela.
tives to witness the ceremony, though
there was to be a grand feast at the
home of the brides aunt, Mrs. Ceder-
quist. After the latter the new
ly welded pair were to take a trip
to New York and other eastern
points.
That was in April last. Miss Lind
quist, her bridesmaid, two young won.
en- friends, three male friends, a
cousin and her aunt, and 'Rasmussen's
best mar and six of his friends, wait
ed at the church. Rasmussen did not
come, and the bride.to-be and the
bridal party retired-Miss Inga broken
hearted, Nothing was heard from
Rasmussen, no one knew where he
raj Mrs. Cederquist, the bride-elect's
aunt, and several of her gentlemen
friends were anxious to notify the pc.
lice of the fiance's disappearance, fear.
ing that maybe he was a victim of
foul play. But intimates Of the miss.
ing man protested that 1t would re.
suit In sensational notoriety for all
concerned, and their objections pre-.
vailed. Three weeks later, or in the
early part of May, Handsome AL" re-
appeared and called on his weeping
sweetheart. He pleaded hard for for
%giveness, alleging that he suddenly
became frightened at assuming the
responsibilities Of married life, and
was so worried about this while on
his way to church that yielding to i'm
pulse, he fled and went to Milwaukee.
Secured Forgiveness.
So e~loquently did the recreant
lover plead that his sweetheart for
gave and took him back. Then new
plans were made. and II was de cided
that the wedding should be the last
week in May. Again the milliner
was "waitin' at the church for the
second time, but the faithless lover
came not. Once more the bride-to-be
returned home to put away her wed.
ding dress and finery, shed tears,
wiring her hands-and plan new crea-
lions for her rich customers. Sew
eral weeks later Rasmussen turned up
at Miss L%indquist's home, but the in
dignant Mrs. Cederquist, in her
wrath, refused to admit him, and
drove the trifing fellow away; he had
brought sadness and disappointment
too often to that home, she declared,
to be permitted to again enter its por-
tails.
But Rasmussen was not TO be de-
MED, and again his pleadings won for
%giveness. For the third time the
wedding day was set, and again the
bridegroom came not. What expla-
nations he made that caused his res
toration to favor can but be guessed,
but again he was forgiven, and again
were preparations made for the nup-
tials.
History repeated itself on this occa-
sion and on another that followed,
and then for the sixth time the bride
arrayed for the ceremony, confident
that at last she might rely on the fer.
vent promise Of her lover.
But, no. Again the wedding process.
sion was m%arshaled at the altar, and
the bridegroom was Conspicuous by
his absence"
Bride at Last Aroused.
Everybody was too ~dumfounded to
utter a word; even the repeatedly de-
ceived minister was SO stunned that
he could not vent his anger in words.
When the others recovered the power
of speech there was a babble of indig-
nant talk. Only the bride was silent
for "A time. She smiled family, but
her face showed a grim determine.
ton, which the others could not read.
Bidding her aunt, the bridesmaid, at.
tendant and her gentleman cousin
enter the carriages. she informed the
rest of the party that there would be
no feast at her home that day, but
later on they would receive an invita-.
ton to dine with her and her "hus.
band" Then Miss L~indquist drove
home. leaving her guests to wonder
what she meant.
The patient mllliner was aroused.
She said little, but seemed to have
some plan Of action ready. There
was much going and coming on her
part in a way that smacked of mys
terry and promised a great surprise.
Evidently she contemplated q strategic
move and like a good general she kept
silent until the time came.
Plans Carefully Laid.
1t was the latter part of September
when Miss Lindquist had her plans
ready. She called on the pastor of her
church-the church at which she wait
ed six times in vain. She had a brief