The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1913-08-22

face, he knew. "Oh, l say, old man,
1t wasn't 80 bad as all that"
Aleck stiffened up who said any
th1ng about its being bad? You'd bet
ter get some toys to wear at the we'd
ulng. I'm going to need these clothes
myself"
1t turned out, actually enough, that
the wedding was to come off on a GER
tain Wednesday in September.
Would you like New York and a
bishop and big church better than
the old red house and the Charles
port minister" Aleck anxiously asked
Of Melanie.
oh, no." she protested; and Aleck
knew she was sincere. So they pre-
pared to terminate their holidays by
celebrating the wedding in the pine
grove. Melanie spent the intervening
days happily with Agatha, or walk
ing with Aleck, or with the delightful
group that foregathered In Parson
Thayers library. Jimmy made ex-
travagant and highly colored verses
to the bride-to-be, to Sallie Kingsbury,
and even to himself His feet were
often lame. but he solemnly assured
the company that 1t was entirely due
to circumstances over which he had
no control A wedding was wedding,
said he, and should have its bard;
also its dancers and its minstrels.
Well have all our friends in lion,
anyway" said Aleck. They counted
up the list Besides the occupants of
the house and those from the Hillside,
there would be Doctor Thayer, Susan
Stoddard and Angie, Big and Little
Simon, and the lawyer.
"And they're all going to dance
with the BRIDE" announced Jim,
After me. I'm first choice"
"a dance led, so to speak, by the
elusive Monsieur Chatelard?"
The name alone made Jimmy
wroth. TITS dance for which he will
pay the fiddler yeti" he prophesied.
"Oh, he's gone this time. Scared
out of the country for keeps!" was
Alexis expressed opinion. But that
1t might or might not be so, was what
they all secretly thought.
The day before the wedding was a
jewel of a day, such as New England
at her best can fling into the lap OF
early autumn. A wind from the sea,
focks of white clouds scudding across
the sapphire sky, and sun all kind,
ness-such was the day. 1t was never
a weather breeder" either; but
steady. promising good for the NOR
row.
Many times during the week James
and Chamberlain and Agatha had
their heads together. planning sur
prises for the bridal pair. The result
was that on Tuesday Jim and Cham
berlain borrowed the white motor-car,
loaded 1t down with large variety of
Junk, such as food from Sallie's kitch-
en-. flowers and so on. and started for
charlesport. They ran down to the
wharf. transferred their loot to the
rowboat, and pulled out to the Sea
Gull, swinging at her mooring in deep
water.
! A half-hour of work, and the yacht
was dressed for festival. There were
| strings of flags to stretch from bow to
masthead and to stern; remnants for
topmasts: the Stars and Stripes in
beautiful silk for standard, and a
gorgeous banner with an embroidered
and M intertwined, for special oc'
casions. Flowers were placed in the
cabins, and food in the lockers. The
seamen had been aboard, made the
Yacht clean and shipshape as wal
vessel ON parade, and had got per
mission to leave for their last night
ashore Everything was in readiness
even to the laying OF the fire In the
engine hold.
The bride and groom were to come
aboard the next day about noon and
cruise down the coast leisurely, az
weather permitted. Hand, in charge
Of the white motor-car, with Madame
Reynier, Chamberlain, Agatha and
| Jimmy. were to start for New York
touring as long as their inclination
lasted. The sophisticated Lizzie was
10 travel to what was, for her, the
center of the universe, by the fastes
Pullman.
Jimmy and Chamberlain, On thu
way home from their visit to the Sea
| Gull. came very near being conf
dental.
81 want to say. Mr.. Hambleton, tina
shall never forgive myself for bung
| ling that Chatelard business"
las understand the matter, 1
wasn't your bungling, but the sher
iff's."
ats all the same" conceded Mr.
Chamberlain mournfully. "And in m.
opinion, the Frenchman's not dom
with his tricks yet. He's dangerou
character, Mr.. Hambleton."
1 Jim laughed, remembering certain
incidents on the Jeanne DArc.
do you know" Chamberlain cor
tinued. 'T'm convinced the bloomin
. l nkN ,xA NM 4