The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1910-09-29
GOING TO
WEDDING
did you have a good timer" asked

did you have a good timer" asked
the bookkeeper.
The young woman stenographer
dropped her heavy suitcase. Having
assured herself that the manager had
not yet reached the Office that morn
Ing, she turned upon the b%ookkeeper
a severe countenance.
"You are the most tactless man /
know" she declared. did you ever
hear of any one having a good time
at anybody's wedding?"
The bookkeeper shook his head.
That's the point of my subtle joke"
he said.
well, it sounded to me like an Or
binary foolish question. l am a little
peevish. I think. for I am trying to
count up how much the wedding cost
me-"
Il thought you liked to spend
money"
Il do. when I have some chance of
getting a fair return for it. But what
pleasure do I get out of this? Not
any"
First" went on the stenographer,
bitterly. II had to forfeit a days sal.
airy for a substitute stenographer;
then, in order to catch the six o'clock
train had to hire. a taxicab. Next |
a to say good-by to six perfectly
good dollars for my railroad ticket.
When I reached the town my thir.
teen-year-old nephew pushed me into
a cab as If l were a bag of meal. Then
he disappeared bashfully into the dark.
ness, leaving me alone in the cab
with a nicelooking young man who
was going to the same place. All the
romances folnded on the girl and the
man meeting on the way to the house
party flashed through my mind and ]
began to think that perhaps the wed.
ding wouldn't be such a bore, after
ALL"
didn't know before that you were
so dependent on a mere man for your
happiness" said the bookkeeper.
You are always Dragging about the
good times at your club"
"a girls club is a jolly affair in it.
SELF" explained the ste%nographer, "but
a church sociable or a wedding needs
some foreign element-for example,
an interesting man-to make it en-.
durable"
And this particular man."
His name was Smith. His wife and
his small son were waiting for him at
the house."
Loves young dream blasted!" muir.
INJURED the bookkeeper.
II had n stroke Of luck" saids.the
stenographer. The house was so full
of relatives that I had to go to a
neighbours to sleep. l thought how
lovely it was that I would not have to
get up at seven o'clock in order to get
to the Office on time. They called me
at six o'clock.
after breakfast I helped make all
the beds and then I sneaked off into
n corner of the library and began
to read a book. Unfortunately, my
brother-in-law saw me and my repose-
full attitude seemed to irritate him, for
he asked me to get up and dust a pic
ture Frame"
1T was selfish of you to shirk-"
Young man, don't you know that
one of the greatest lessons in life Is
to learn ones own responsibility and
let other peoples alone? The caterers
were there to cater; the decorate
were there to decorate; the bride and
the bridesmaids were in the hands of
the hairdresser. I think it was nice
OF me not to go rushing around yelling
Isn't there something I can dog
Il got even with my brother-in-law,
however. All Of his personal property
that was downstairs l carried up, and
anything l found of his upstairs 1 took
downstairs. They will have to clean
house again before he finds his things.
"Of course we had a stand-up lunch
In the buffers pantry-and my suit
Will have to go to the cleaners.
1.-TWO hours later the wedding march
began. Then the procession came in,
everybody counting four on each foot
and all wishing they were well out of
the whole business. Then during the
ceremony there were some unostenta-
tious tears shed. The man who wrote
'Merrily the Wedding Bells certainly
had a wonderful Imagination. Next
came the refreshments and the
showering of rice.
We'll, this morning l crawled out at
1880 and caught the train back to
Chicago"
But you had a visit with your rela-
tives."
Il didn't. Besides, the trip cost me
ten dollars. without counting the pres
ent."
you could have gone to a lot of
matinees for that"
The stenographer nodded. Without
Anybody's being tired out or sick from
overwork,". she said. II know one
thing. If ever I get married I'll put a
standing advertisement Of it in the
newspaper. That will do away with
addressing and stamping Invitations.
Then we will walk over to the nearest
minister's"
"Hush!" warned the bookkeeper.
''Get busvi Here comes tha hooa0