The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1908-07-11

sulIe Suu gracious tudnkS. win Una
he had dismissed the matter from hi.
mind. A friend had happened on the
scene In time to present him. the
young woman had said it was a pity
that he should have been put to sc
much trouble on her account and he
had recited foolish speceh-he had
read it in French novel-to the eff
feet that any man should consider il
an honor to be her slave.
He had certainly not gone out Of his
way to met her, nor tried to extend
the acquaintance beyond the first
meeting. And as for his foolish
speech, it was preposterous to torture
It into an offer of marriage. But there
was her letter, and there was no mis-
taking its meaning
"A mistake of the postman, of
course he thought at first, but the
address on the envelope, Mr.. Richard
Broadhurst, 54 George street." settled
that point against him.
The letter made it clear, provokingly
clear, that Miss Virginia Hamilton
looked upon him as a sutton, and that
she was graciously yielding to his en-
treaties.
why one would think from this" he
said, that had thrown myself at her
feet and begged her to be my Wits,
when, confound her, | wouldn't-but
what's the use Of storming around
about it? l must get this matter
Strengthened out"
For Richard Broadhurst was the last
man on earth who was thinking Of
marriage.
But, after all, why not? The bold.
ness OF the thought both startled and
amused him. 1t came back. Why not?
He could not answer the question, al
though he called up all his oldtime
prejudices and all the arguments
which to him had seemed to prove
conclusively that he should never
marry.
He remembered that Miss Virginia
was not bad to look upon, that she
gave evidences Of refinement, and that
her manner was pleasing. True, he
had noticed a certain haughtiness in
her bearing, but that, he thought,
would be for the world and not for the
man she loved. His old ideas about
marriage might be all right so far as
the rest of the women in the world
was concerned but Miss Virginia
well, that was another matter. A wife,
after all-if Miss Virginia were the
wife-might not be the worst thing in
the world.
After accepting his offer Of marriage
which he had not made-Miss Vir-
ginia had written that she would re-
main with her aunt in New York till
week before the wedding, the date of
which, he learned from her letter, was
three months hence.
I suppose" she had written, that
you will call upon your old friend Mr.
Gay to act as groomsman. Mr.. Gay
was the friend who had introduced
them.
Evidently" Broadhurst laughed,
there isn't much for the modern
groom to do but to appear at the right
The bridetobe picks out the groom,
hints at whom she would like to be
best man. names the place and date
of the wedding, and looks after things
generally. But for the fact that there
couldn't very we'll be a wedding with
out a groom, l suppose they would
eliminate him. But I'll let Miss Vir-
ginia manage this little affair"
Then he notified his friend Gay that,
being inexperienced in such matters.
he was going to put himself into Gays
hands, and asked him to look after
such little details as his bride-to.be
had not thought to arrange.
He was in a fever OF excitement till
Gays answer came. but il treasured
him. 1t was as follows:
old hand at the business. and will
see you through it. Congratulate you
on the bride you are to get. Now. old
man, keep cool and don't get excited.
Above all, don't do foolish things. Just
buy your wedding clothes. be sure to
get here on time, and don't worry
about anything else. l will attend to
al little details"
Really, he's an accommodating fell
low Broadhurst thought, but /
should like to have something to say
In this matter. The groom seems to
be almost as unimportant a factor in
wedding as an unpreferred creditor
where the assets are ten cents on the
dollar"
Then followed three months Of &c
stasy, intermixed al times, il is true.
with the fear that something might
dash the cup of newly found bliss from
his lips
The weeks passed without Broad
hurst hearing again from Gay or from
Miss Virginia week before the date
OF the wedding, he thought that per
haps he ought TO 60 over and see them !
but feared 10 intrude. They were |
busy, no doubt, with the arrangements. |
and would not care to be bothered BY !
enc who was TO play the minor part Of !
groom. SO, impatient though he was, |
re concsJded 10 await his cue before |
appearing on the scene Then. there |
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