The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-09-06
"A TAWDREY HOUSE
The Private Wedding.

IL was tnc NOiSo VI hdtiet tue Hidlu, dt
abe exacted the toll OF caustio comment
for her toll.
.1he ould jackdaw!- she was saying
Back from Oorip a. from a sloond burt
Seen be a blind mar in the dark with hei
wigs and enamels and Directory gownds
she might be mistuk for wan Of her OWE
stipdarters, 80 she might, instid OF the
very skeeriest OF the ould bats, rats and
thraps on the odder side OF 90. Yis, Mr..
Sniffen, I'm coomin'. / might hev
knowed IL you heard a little you wud want
to hear II ALL
And with that Katie, the maid, tousled,
belligerent, indomitable, banged 10 from
the next DON and, standing with arms
akimbo, explained that the cause OF her
wrath was the return from Europe in a
state of juvenile resplendency Of Mrs.
Cadell, who had left seemingly confirmed
in her elderly and becraped widowhood.
= 1T means, sor,' the girl went on, that
she is goin' to be marret, the big fool Of an
ould fool! I had 1t stright FROM her maid
that she whit silly over a man young
enough to be her son and ould enough 10
know better and has stayed so and wuss
liver since. l that Miss ElsieIand
Miss Picnic will be twins be misfortune
as twins they are be the coorse Of natur'
whin their pops mcn,y goes to strangers
yit unborn"
I felt truly concerned at this news as I
went down to the Office. My ~acquaint-
arce with Christopher Cadell began when
his first wife was living and he was only
moderately rich. Then she died and he
made a fortune in wheat.
A coarse and common man, Christie
pher, who might better have remained
disoonsolate and comfortable. l can see
him now fairly doubled up over a table
Full OF vlafNdB and half choking himself
to death in his greed, while his little pig
tailed daughters on the other side ate
their porridge in awe.
\ Finally he did wholly choke himself
to death n month after his marriage to
the present rejnvenated rcllct, then a
hard faced ~soinstcr Of uncertain age
and certain temper who had nursed his
first wife. She had evidently nursed
him too into her ways Of thinking. for
when his will wac opened it was found
that he had left his vast fortune abso-
lutely and solely to her. relying on her
devotion to his twin daughters to do
equal n exact Justice 5y them Nov.
wore beautiful young women, this de-
votion had gone asnash before the first
attack of a fortune hunter.
I had always liked the two girls: what
is more to the point. they interested me
as unusual, even abnormal types. |
remember away back when their mother
was still alive meeting little Phemie on
the etreet n few blocks from the hotel
crying piteously.
Why, what is the matter. my dear?'
asked,
Mother 10 hurried and poor Elsie is
-Whonf Where!- 1 persisted.
Just now-at the hotel" abe answered.
But You cant know, you are not there
'So. bit Elsie is she replied, with
o conviction OF grief which 1 could not
ahoot.
And surely enough when we arrived
at the hotel we found that the elevator
had fallen; inficting those injuries on
Mrs. Cadet from which she died.
Careful observation ard exI crincnt
after this incident showed me that there
was a certain commun ity Of tEcucht Re
tween the two sisters Under erdent of
time and space, but limited in this respect.
The power, whatever 1t was, flowed from
Elsie ard was received by Picnic and
without intention on either part, but never
fowei from Phemie end was receiyed h.
Elsie. In a sense the soul OF the one vas
q transmitter: the soul of the other was
a receiver.
This strange unity. ignored by their
and accepted so naturally by themselves
as never, so far as / know. to have been a
Of comment between them. re-
Cured to INT now when. as | stepped from
the elevator, / came upon a fair and pretty
girl walking up and down the corridor
bv the parlor in high excitement. II was
Phenie Cadet.
-The vulgar wretch she was saving.
"How did he dare to be so rude to Elsie,'
Just then the door from the street
opened. Entered Mrs. Cadet, gorgeous, .
vet showing signs of her unequal conflict
with aga, a thic'tset Young mar of mean
EXPRESSION and with the u~umistakable !,
walk Of n groom, carrying a suit cnse as
II to the manner born, and a dark and
girl who hurried from the others
without a word or look.
ooh, Elsie cried Picnic. wasn't he
to vol!"
Flsie's black eyes flashed fire. and then.
seeing me, perh,2s ove-,ear, she drew
her arm around her sisters waist and
thew strolled away in close and eager
ri. |
As I turned to the office / met Mrs.
Csdcll, with her olowntsh admirer, still
cliuGing desperately to his satohel despite
hallboy besiegement. just behind her. :,
The poor woman's face flushed under
It's paint. and her faded ewes glowed
pleasure, but the hand she extended
trembled almost convulsively.
@Oh. Mr.. Snifren. OF all persons in the
you are the one | want most to see.-
she cried. LET me present Mr.. Timothy
.ashley, a dear friend whom 1 met abroad,
one Of the Surrey Cashleys. you know"
Surrey? ! thought it likely as l noted
the way he circled around the poor ladg,
FOR all the world like a hosfler grooming
horse.
MIR. Cashley is my inten ded. you
Mrs. Cadell went on. after our
grave salutation, her hand on my arm
ever an increasing agitation,
indeed ! may say that he has come here
for The express purpose OF marrying me.
Now, Mr.. Snifen, family matters OF
high importance make it incumbent that
be should return at once. and strange,as
Il may seem. he would not return alone"
This with a litter, partly girlish, partly
grandmotherly, and altogether pitiable.
Now l want to ask you as my oldest
friend to make the simple arrange
.ents for our wedding tonight; to see
Ounce and bring him TO my parlor
A ~ ~