The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1907-08-30
AFTER THE
HAPPY EVENT

Paterfamilias coming downstairs TO
breakfast had slipped on the grains OF
rice on the stairs and wrenched his
back Materfamilias was grieving over
the loss of her favorite daughter and
the fact that two of her best plates
had been broken and three silver
spoons stolen by some one in attend
ance at the reception.
Margaret came in looking Ike a
thundercloud. when people are starv-
ing t0 death in China il does seem
shame that more than a million
pounds of rice should be lying all over
this house." she said.
Then she turned TO the assembled
multitude. MY feet hurt" she cried
Il stood up seven hours running yes
terday and my feet are nearly killing
me, and | cannot find anywhere the
only shoes | ever loved. They are so
soft and easy that never knew had
them on and instead of being able to
wear those to-day when l am so tired
here | had to put on a new pair of
ssiff ties to come down TO breakfast
in.
HAS any one seen my slippers? l
looked in every room In this house for
them, and they are not to be found.
/ suppose one of the maids in a spasm
of cleanliness tucked them on re-
mote shelf in some dark closet and |
will never see them any more"
What did they look like?" asked
her elder brother, languidly.
They had once been beautiful. They
had coquettish red heels andd jaunty
gold buckles, and once upon a time
| paid nine dollars for those foolish
things. Have you seen them, Bob?"
Yes"
"Where?"
Tied to Mirandas trunk by means
of long piece of white ribbon. Fact
is, | tied them myself, and they were
a. decorative as possible. What's the
use of raving, Madge, they are gone
now?"
But Robert had his troubles a lit
tie later, when he took his handker-
chief out of his raincoat pocket in a
crowded car and fiirted a lot of rice
into the face of a young woman sit
ting on the seat near which he was
standing, and in whose eyes he had
imagined he saw little look OF inter
est directed at him.
Later in the day the feminine mem
bers of the family gathered in the
late lamented Mirandas room to di-
vide among them the possessions of
that young woman, which she had,
In the pride of her rousseau, contemp-
tuously minated that they might
have.
They had quarreled over blue XII
mono and large tan sunshade. and
were just beginning to row over a
very delicate petticoat, which only
needed a little mending here and
there TO make ii desirable, when ma
terfamilias came into the room with
a perturbed look on her face.
Whoever took those teaspoons
must have taken my umbrella, also"
she said. My best umbrella, the silk
one with the worked metal handle.
1t was the prettiest one | ever saw.
Your aunt gave it to me and she told
me herself that it cost $25 in Paris
| had it put away most carefully in
my closet, but it isn't there now. And
think-it had never even had the
cover off it,"
Il suppose we had better tell her."
said Madge to the other girls.
Yes, no use putting it off any long
err" they replied in chorus.
Very well, then, mother, Miranda
took your umbrella with her. She
said hers wasn't nearly handsome
enough for her going-away gown, and
SO she took yours and asked us to
tell you after she had gone. She said
we were TO say thank you for her,
and to add that you had always been
such an indulgent mother that she
knew you would not mind"
Wouldn't l, indeed! Well, shall
write to her to-day to send IT back by
express at once. She took your brace
let. Madge-I suppose | might as we'll
break it to you now-and some of the
baby pins of the other girls"
Robert" remarked the fond sis
tiers Of the bride in one breath
mere is dHOlneT ulSdRTeedDl6
thing | have to say to you, my daugh
ters, that | might as we'll say now and
get it over" went on materfamilias.
The expense of Mirandas wedding
has been so great that your father has
decided that he will not be able to
send us to Narragansett this summer
as usual, but that instead we will have
TO go TO the Eastern Shore. | know
you are going to be disappointed, but
remember Miranda was the Oldest,
and it was proper she should be given
smart wedding Next summer we
will take up our usual life but this
year you must make some sacrifices
for the sake of your dear sister"
Dear, indeed" murmured Madge,
and there were lamentations from
far and near.
Taking it altogether, a wedding in
he family is not the unalloyed bless