Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-12-14
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WOES OF BRIDE-ELEeT
BY BENNETT JOHNSON.

LIE new I'LL suit, WQen QlQ Ing ldSt
ship get in from Paris? Where did
you get the clothes? I never saw any
thing so gorgeous in all my life: Your
hat is a dream, and that veil is an
other. You are a marvel! What for,
especlally?"
The other young woman smiled com.
placently. do I strike you that way"
she inquired in gratified tones. Then
I must be all right, for that Is pre-
cisely the effect I intended to pro.
duce. II it had been shade less
should have considered my toilet q
failure! / wanted to make 1t impoe-
sible for any one to think Of me sc
anything but the most fashionable
thing or earth!"
"Well, you've done IT," declared the
CIR. in the new fall suit. "Why?"
"You know" explained the sor-
geously appareled one, that Harry'g
family had never met me before Te
were engaged. They lived miles away
across town. After we were engaged
Harry said they were all coming &c
call on me. Naturally / was anxious
to make q good impression"
well, that was easy" said her
friend. cit never is what one would
call hard work to look at you!"
"Wait!" said the fashionable one
In hollow tones. For two weeks !
went around from breakfast time ELL
the lights were out at night, 30 dressed
up that nobody dreamed Of asking me
to dust the living room, as usual, or do
anything but ornament the place.
Then a bushel OF tomatoes came ;he
day mother had to go to luncheon GO
cnl I told her. heroically. I VIII
make the chilli sauce and the catch,
rp!'
I'VE never leave such things to the
cook. In fact, to get rid Of the cook
told her 10 take the afternoon off, so
that would have clear field In the
Kitchen. l suppose there are won
derful individuals who can work up
bushel of tomatoes while attired in
neat blue serge with white collar and
cuffs, like the angelic persons we see
III the pictures, ard emerge unruffied.
"nut when I tackle anything like
tn,l:as-es get into it Up 10 my elbows.
Thsr&, >.sra ;c;:r::tne3 on the walls,
era .:,aatoca shattered IN my hair
s"G e. ny ft.cc I'D my apron was
e sitat.
'"'T.2e:yii,iEg 81 the stove started
boiling 81 oGce ard was hot and fius'
trated when the bell rang.
"Let it ring!' said I to myself. 1t
rang again. You know there IS some
thing intensely human and personal
about a dcorbell that you aren't an
swering. 1t seems SO accusing and re,
proachful Just IS said for the fourth
time Let it ring dropped Dreserv.
ing spoon splash into the catchup and
rushed madly to the door.
"I had remembered that the dress.
maker was to send home my dress
that afternoon for the dance that
Eight. wrenched open the front
door to catch the figure descending
the steps.
"Oh, yes, it was Harry's mother,
dear. It couldn't have been any one
else on earth, you know. There she
stood gazing at her daughter-in-law-
elect, VINO resembled at that moment
a cross between an inebriated cook
ard a squashed tomato. Harry's moth
ar Is one Of those neat, perfect wom-
en-, to whom hair out Of place is a
perfectly unexplalnable phenomenon.
know she burst into tears at her
sens fate the instant she withdrew
from my presence. And the tomato
cStchup all burned up while was sit
ting in the best parlor chair smear
;.,s it with tomatoes and acting as
though I was quite happy.
":The men came to clean out the
furnace the other day, and mother and
I tcck the same time to clean the
storeroom. You know what a store
room does to you-it puts cobwebs in
your hair and grimes you with dust,
End you get SCOT on your nose and
wear the gown that is worse than
your worst one When the bell rang
this time-it being the maids day out
mother said. oh, bother! That
must be Mrs. Phipps for the sewing
society stuff! Do run up and hand
Ter tie bundle left in the front
hail.
81 ran, incidentally tumbling over
he furnace mans litter and putting
my hands into basket of SCOT and
ashes. which busted off on my apron
IS went. Yes, it was Harry's mar
r!cd sister, who takes two hours every
cay to dress and hyphenates her
name.
Il will say nothing Of the day Harry
introduced me to cousin of his whom
re met by chance. when it had been
raining and had no umbrella, You
know what my hair looks like when
Il gets damp-exactly like straggly
shoe iaces!
"Nor will mention the time I met
e; ~,