The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1912-05-23
J coPnRrosIr 1911 ~ Ak.FIT co

= coPTRf0'1T 1911 ~ AN.FLH ca
! the speed seemed to be taking on a
squirt. The bell was clamoring like
Q wedding chime in steepie.
Mrs. Wellington was On chair fast
ening a ribbon round one OF the
lamps, and Mrs. Whitcomb was on an
other chair braiding the bell rope with
withered orange branches, when Ash
ton, with kazoo all ready, called out:
what tune shall we play?"
II prefer the Mendelssohn Wedding
March," said Mrs. Whitcomb, but Mrs
Wellington glared across at her.
i've always used the Lohengrin. u
we'll play 'em both," said DR.. Tenn.
pie, to make peace.
Mrs. Fosdick murmured to her
spouse: "The old Justice of the Peace
didn't give US any music at ALL" and
received in reward one of his most
luscious-eyed looks, and a whisper:
But he gave us each other"
! Nov and then" she pouted.
But where are the bride and
groom?"
Here they come-all ready" cried
Ashton, and he beat time while some
of the guests kazooed at Mendels-
sohn's and some Wagner's bridal mel
odies, and others Just made noise.
Ira Lathrop and Anne Cattle, look
ing very sheepish, crowded through
! the narrow corridor and stood shame
facedly blushing like two school chill.
dren about to sing duet.
The train jolted to dead stop. The
conductor called into the car: "Og-
den! All out for Ogden!" and every
body stood watching and waiting.
Ira, seeing Mallory, edged close and
whispered: Stand by to catch the
minister on the rebound"
] But Mallory turned away. What
use had he now for ministers? His
plans were shattered ruins.
The porter came flying in with two
large bowls of rice, and shouting,
"Here comes the 'possum-
son." Seeing Marjorie, he said:
"shall l perambulate Mista snoozle-
ums?"
She handed the porter her only
friend and he hurried out, as a lean
and professionally sad ascetic hur-
ried in. He did not recognize his
! boyish enemy in the gray-haired, red
faced giant that greeted him, but he
knew that voice and its gloating
i Irony:
"Hello, Charlie"
He had always found that when Ira
grinned and was cordial, some trouble
was in store for him. He wondered
what rock Ira held behind his back
now, but he forced an uneasy cor
diality: "And is this you, Ira? We'll.
well! It is yeahs since last we met.
/ And you're just getting married. Is
this the first time, Ira?"
First offense, Charlie"
The levity shocked Selby, blu: a
greater shock was In store, for when
he inquired: And who is the-er-
happy-bride?" the triumphant Lath-
rop snickered: II believe you used to
know her. Anne Cattle"
This was the rock behind Ira's back.
and Selby took 1t with a vince: mot
my old"
1.-The same. Anne, you remember,
Charlie"
"Oh, yes" said Anne, "How do you
do, Charlie?" And she put out shy
hand, which he took with one still
shyer. He was so unsettled that he
! stammered: We'll. well, 1 had always
hoped to marry you, Anne, but not
just this way"
Lathrop cut him short with sharp:
Better get busy-before the train
starts. And I'll pay you in advance
before you set OF the fireworks"
The fippancy panied Rev. Charles,
but he was resuscitated by one
glance at the bill that Ira thrust into
his palm. II a mans gratitude for
his wife is measured by the size OF
the fee he hands the enabling par
son, Ira was madly in love with Anne.
Rev. Charles had a reminiscent sus-
picion that it was probably counter.
felt. but for once he did Ira an In
justice.
The minister was in such a fiutter
from losing his boyhood love, and
gaining so much money all at once
and from performing the marriage on
a train, that he made numerous err
rors In the ceremony, but nobody no
dced them, and the spirit, II not the
letter of the occasion, was there and
the contract was doubtless legal
enough.
The ritual began with the pleasant
murmur Of the preachers voice, and
the passengers crowded round In q
solemn calm, which was suddenly vio-
lated by loud yefp of laughter from
Wedgewood. who omitted guffaw after
guffaw and bent double and opened
out again, like an agitated umbrella.
The wedding-guests turned on him
visages Of horror. and Kissed silence
at him. Ashton seized him, shook
him, and muttered:
What the-what's the matter with
your"
The Englishman shook like a boy
having a spasm of giggles at fu-
neral. and blurted out the explana-
ton: