The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1910-12-15
CHATTER Xxx

II you wish to be married beIor|
you leave here he said. there is thl
old French priest who used to be ms
mothers chaplain still here. He IS Z
nonogenarian. but stlp a priest for al
that He viii marry Sou yet tonight
AZ you wish. and I think. Miss Lancey
It might be better X the ceremony .wers
celebrated Do you not think so.
There's no knowing what may await
you
Betty flushed. but Larry hesitated
not a minute.
Bring him on. bring him on. he
cried. Wen be married tonight
and III be the best man. shouted
Johnny.
And City Editor Burton can ush-
-wnl you let Meta be the brides
maid2~ questioned Betty. ~Oh. but
what shall do for wedding gown p
II you weren't so big" said Tyosa.
surveying her critically. we could loa I
you Mrs. Hackleyes mothers bridal
robe. have II stil upstairs in an old
chest
Meta and Tyoga had come IN silent
" in the wake OF lie Malheureux. But.
mother" inferposed Meta. there are
other garments up In the old chest
Perhaps we could make some OF them
1T"
your wedding clothes win At as wen
as mine. anyhow" ventured Larry.
Put a woman on desert island and
the prospect OF a wedding win cause
her inventive faculties 10 evoke the
aesh-pots Of Egypt from the barrenest
sand
The old chest proved treasure
house. The gowns. the youngest Of
them. were at least a quarter OF a CEN
fury old. and some OF them were Of the
mode OF the French empire All were
rich with rare lace and heavily wrought
hand-embroidery. Some were OF cloth
OF gold. furnished now with the scowl
OF time. but exquisite stiiL There were
quaint old slippers. and a bridal veil /
OF the flmiest Honiton that ever came
on a loom.
No bride could be decked with more 4
loving hands than was Betty for her
midnight marriage in mid-Africa- Meta.
as bridesmaid. had a glowing frock Of
scarlet satin and faintest amber lace.
and great topazes about her shining
ebony neck. and Tyoga produced a new
frock from somewhere But Betty. an.
Betty. An old court gown OF cloth OF
gold and yellowed satin was her bridal
robe. over II all ran delicately
wrought roses In faded pinks The
marvellous web Of Honiton draped her
sweet face and rippled to the hem OF
her dress. The neck Of the dress was
low. and Betfy's white shoulders were
a sparkle OF diamond pendants falling
from a high diamond collar Ty0ga had
placed around her throat and her
plump arms were half covered with
fowery bracelets When they reached
the chapel lie Bfalheureux himself pu-
. diamond girdle around the brides
none too slender waist
Ny gift to the bride" he explained
Johnny's head was the brightest
spot in the chapel From the musty
odor within and the drip OF water or
the moss-g grown walls. the chapel.
which had been reached through weird
ways. was evidently a subterranean
room The altar was OF ivory. the SER
vice dazzling beyond belief. and the {
altar cloths Of exquisite workmanship :
The ebony pews were miracles Of the J
carvers art and the ever-present Loop
ard skin rugs were on the floor. The 7
with nair and skin as gray as the pelt ]
OF field mouse. mumbled through the
dong Latin ritual. at a slow. nerve Q
racking pace. The candles fIickered j
and the scent OF the jasmine and lotus ,
with which Benoni had wreathed the '
altar, and filled the great vases that a
Ranked the sanctuary, grew unbear- {
able. n
The wedding supper was laid in the =
little sitting room. There were many Z
flowers. and the vIands. oddly assorted =
10 occidental eyes. rested royalty on =
platters and dishes OF pure gold. No =
body ate much. though Meta. Tyoga
and Benonl served assiduousiy. lie m
ldalheuFeux touched nothing at all q
Betty. after several urgings. forbore q
10 press him She had noticed that he h
never drank before anyone. and had q
long since grown accustomed to the IL
down dropping veil. The closely shroud le
"a figure. the well-concealed feet ana nc
hands. When the last course was n
served lie Malheureux arose. he
Let me not be the skeleton n fhe CT
feast" he temporized. but Time does To-
not pause for as. The woman Won
know al cerisse Wayne. in reality N,
cerisse Wayne Hackleye, was my fun en-
1looded sister. The letters that were pls
lound In her safety deposit box IN San an
Francisco bore reference TO the dla-
nond mines at Tiouealey. For reasons 10.
cannot now make known TO YOU. nj
heir location for years was known Ia
,nly 70 me. Ny father IN some way hin
discovered their acknowledgements and .
beyond the castle to which Miss Ian Ma
'ey. now Mrs. Morris was taken when hs
me hrst arrived IN Africa. and from iue
which she has - recently departed. apr
on must know that though he Is tai
american born and bred that for tnir- tie
Y years my father has lived IN this cou
eo''on' as absolute king over several acc
noasanos OF the most desperate race taiu
blacks that lnhahit this continent 49,,
: '"''"ee fhem wears ago through con-