The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-03-31
1.-The Eve Of Her Wedding"
Ry Madpe II, Tucker.

think OF Eva ana lEe SlelL L "doo
home Just before her wedding.
The first of these is. keep a thing seven
years and you'll have some good OF IT,. Inc
other mo good thing Is ever waste. .oo.
Not that either of thess adases apply olrec,-
~ TO Eva, for l think 1t would have oeen lm-
possible to have kept her seven yeats connu,
| ering the number OF active sui'oTs tnst
swarmed about like bees In the money par
Eva had been reared on a large plantation
miles from neighbors and from town. Ihele
was a large family, Eva hsl spn vc oelms 'n nf
any Kind made a inior In inc hAuse neees,
sary, The children had no company except
themselves. But they we're Oh an invep nm
turn Of mind, and never touhu lime Many
heavy on their HANDS. ESQ
While we were chums In the senior Eva
would tell me Of the'srort loey hho atnons
themselves at home. One summer the olusr
boys had organized y circus and were nehrt-
brOk en- that she could not WALK me tan!
rome. T. gene, her eldest brother, hho pm
mr. q t.l, yTaph Instrument in the mousse. IL
was CONNECTED With the railroad station hVe
miles away. 1--WE all learned Inc cnde, Eve
told noe, sand used to send MESSAGES 10 i
Young operator many times a day she
wnnId never 90 further into details than thls,
for She was always overcome With lhughier.
I fancy there was more man copiu De loln II
she were 30 inclined. u,.
nineteen, We parted with promises vi week.
~ letters and frequent vlsl's. Inc Iftters
started out well, but xh hhey ,b "a vi su.sn went ar no
,r,hor ,han ,bst farewell promise. For four
Years | had not heard from E0n. Then came
a !. ,u, p hs m 1s rhe 10 Maf rel i it Was then FIJI
ruary. I was 10 come down without 1ali
She simply could not be married nnIess was
there TO witness u. Ihere was phge aist
page OF this sort, and quite as much express
Ing her own great happiness ana descIlol, z
the one" mBn - the only perfect peing on
the Garth. ,horsodr
II uas Eva iuat HI l had known her. l did
NOT hesitate an instant. 1 did not even tske
lime 10 wrIie her. but | sent a message over
The wire II SD all be there"
I went down TWO days before the wedding.
Eva drove In 10 meet me-, / was surprised Al
the beauty of her Eome-a greaI, hospl'an!s
building In the midst OF an acre OF lawn, ano
acre arer acln nj a dense grove. Inc p'an,a-
ton proper with It's arrays OF negro caeits
stIetch,d far TO TIE rear. Inc inI'IoSu TEL
through 4 corner ofihe rrose-l slhg'e tihch
= nlIh led 10 private grounds miles iufthef
I had heard and read much OF Southern
hospitality. hut l had not imaelnea II a0,e
"a he Ioraine household disp nseo ~. lAty
were o. the original French Hngnepots'
Their home had stood a iorg tine with al
open door for friends and those VINO were IN
At present, The house party was mace up OF
a dozen young people In addition 10 me
family. There were riding ana dIiVlng par
tIes arranged sails ny moonlight, olnper CIV.
IN by some OF the nelghoors seven miles
away' TO which we drove In a coach and fouf
alter The fashions Of The gentry. oil Old. ad-
vlsed Eva 10 rest fearing iba, ' 1on o w n' u q, De ep .
fears. She had always been slropg' never
kpowipg hat fatigue meant:
Her wedding WAS arranged for THURSDAY
noon. On Wednesday. evening a iafe%tiI
dinner WAS 10 be given at an adjrlnlrg plan.
tatIon. Early In the afternoon Eva slppeo
in TO me If you will sui port me" She saiu.
"Ill come to open rebeill"n, l cenhct go 10
Neliie's tonight. VIII you remain at home
with me spd urge The otbers 10 e? l sEou!G
Ike 10 have a quiet last evening IN my GIL
hood home"
she added =, on bad better Flip down ana ste
the Holloway contribution. Every thing ID
silver that the mind OF man can conceive.
Where do you fancy L shall Keep these Pres
entl?" .-u
Where indeed! They were coming IN from
a host OF rich relatives and family lrlends.
There wae solid silver enough Tor a dcZep
young couples; diamonds, PeEuan's auu 'of-
when we made known our intention o;
remaining at home the entire party would
tInnities and an excessive amount OF tact to
rid ourselves OF them. The party set on early
In the evening. The thee men servants were
In attendance upon them; Eva ARD IoiioW-
ed them half way down the driveway, listen
ing 10 their words Of admoniitnn thout not
btipg fearful and locking the doors securely.
They dwelt so much on iheIe no. oelng sm5
danger for ms In being alone that grew qulle
nervous. Had they not brought up me sun
jeci, such a hing as fear would not have ell
tered my mind.
traced our sic ps to the house and sat on the
norcb. We could hear The colored women
sirging as they finished their WORK IN Inc
"They think we all have gone, Maria never
sings when she knows any Of The family are
within" Soon after the singing cenaeo. we
heard the voices rising and iaillng ln me
peculiarly sweet and p!aiptive melody OF me
Southern darkey's iolksoDg. Al last IL cleo
away entirely. maria has a family q heI
own down at the Cross Roads" said Eva;
"Her husband Ia dead and Mara has a bail
dozen little picksnipnIcs To cnre for. Maggie
ia her neice. She is going with her to spend
ihe night. couldn't refuse her. II Is away
the custom to permit the servants a Htlle
licence at The time of wtdd1ng.".
Sitting en- the verapda, just outside IN.
long window which led from me Library. we
st and talked until dark ness fell. Iben Eva
excused bpreeNf n order 10 l'eht Up. j cen.
less d-enry," she said as She lett nj. l hao
expected her TO return, bnt AFTER q t%
mono mis- she called out TO me TO cone lb.iue
Library End be were brlIlirn Mt with leh's.
The little room hack Of be library where We
were accustomed TO gather for a col hdentlFl
ta1k, was dark.
hut in - sui = onsc!Cu> way, II ctme 10 me
that Eva wished 10 k Up The room nniighleo.
Draw Ing q chair near htr. tha phctc me 80
that my ey ca were iu,lcd away rcnl cur H.
tie longine-room. She fefseif was seated 81
the long table. She sal !hclDg me, Ier tim>
stretched out before her. Chif.a nd silver
dayepports and tab e.. brit-a-brac vas Fl ling
up every available place. These were Ior inc
brIde-c-be. krtw that In The little saie III
the corner were di" monds wor:h a small Ioi-
tune. some which were family BEDROOMS
had been brought from the safety vaults tbrI
that the brides moIhtr n. light adorn herttlf
for her daughters wtddlnt; theie were glte
or family possessit nv Hflch would pass 10
Eva on h. W. ddIpg Jay. On the table was
The telegraph instrument on which Eva ana
her brothers hrd pr, ciiced In their chlIdhood
days. Now, Eva looked at II WlstiulIy az snr
laid her fne err uron II. Poor old CHICKEN
childhood had gone How many happy d.ys
we had then. Days when can Liver c'"e
back"
I glanced up at fer. Her voice bad o
upon her, she gave a great sob, and thrt~'ns
her arms straight ont upon lbe table hurled
her b Tad ur on lhtm nd schhtd ms 'lnrgh
her heart would bretk. Again l WEE COZ =
scious of SOIL eih'r e wrCDg: TOR WHICH she Sod
bed aloud her fre'r res'fd lightly on the ey.
I saw It mole and | caught Tie clici click Of
the message.
sbcnt 10 move lcwald her To comfort her.
But ste babe n sit still where / was, hat She
was Il miserably unbtpp! 10 WIN eyhPt-
Thy. ho
told n e in q voice hi. II sIrLrg and upinusi :
al. lie very opptt:t tEtr LHtuTal tones. maj
she VRs rol liTTy In INC lh'telt 81 mr.
marrii ge, that III fsll er he'd uLdniy pc
vi de d her tc ttceri the mar, That she chrea
was surprised hey ord measure. During
tie week ihai ! Ltd cen IL ihtir tunl any.
Eva hnd ro' s;t.d ih' TrIl e. sr n a. r Tl,I' = :
in her isCe III he'd ever nad II N tn9tGtf. l
could Int Sit Fl d litter Irdetd.tl gRNeme
no OF poriui ity ior a word, irr snt ia q