Little Falls herald., 1913-10-31

Her face was like a thunder cloud
Il shall be the first to tell it, she
muttered angrily. ''Nobody's going 10
surprise me by telling me that Ananias
Shines going to marry Hetty Rowelk"
The news spread like wildfire in the
village. and by nightfall there were
only two persons in Ounce Harbor.
who had not heard Of the coming we'd
ding and the serenade that was to fol-
low in. accordance with Ounce Har=
bors< time honoffed custom Of weicom-
ing bride with the discordant blare'
Of horse tiddles. tin horns and broken
wind instruments. These twoypersons
were the Widow Rowell. who was sew
ing busily away on yards Of white
stun. and Ananias Slime. who was In
his own room practicing ON the cello.
Il wish. to the land he'd quit playing
Believe Me il All Those Endearing
Young Charms sighed Mrs. Roweil
as she threaded her needle. Makes
me feel real sentimental. and l didn't
ought to get that way" ..--....y+
However. contrary to her desires, the
old sailor. who now occupied por-
ter's position in the bank, continued to
saw away at his cello. holding: fast to
the same old tune. ::.....<..
AT breakfast the next morning Ana
MAS fixed his bullying blue eyes on his
landlady and asked in his reedy voice:
II hope you didn't take any offense
ut my playing that there tune over and
over last night"
II don't see anything to get offended
at," purred Mrs. Rowell, suddenly
looking very turtle~like Most likely
the lady was worked up over the way
you played it-playing OF the key
makes most anybody fdgety."
!. 'Hem:" said Ananias 6ercely at
tacking his egg. Then as q diversion
he added. This here eggs some scorch-
ed. Mrs. Rowell."
''"Tis? Let me take it awayr'
Whereupon the, widow caught up his
plate and in q twinkling had shot the
egg into the fire: Its too bad that's
the last egg I've got in the house."
she added. smiling sweetly at his dis.
mayed countenance.
!: 5''DSat the womanr. he m,1ttered= as,
he drained his coffee cup and folded
up his red hort1ered: napkin ~ !.
/ Ananias returned to his duties At
the bank. and, Hetty Rowell resumed
her stitchery on pillows Of f1lmy white:
! After supper that night Ananias re-
tired to his room. where he twanged
monotonously on his cello. Mrs. Row
ell. feeling somewhat lonely. lighted
all the lamps In the house as was her
custom when depressed in mind. for
naturally she was. sOciable soul. and
once more she stitched at the white
lacy material ''such IA brides wear"
i - o.
/. Leander Petty's furniture wagon and
stout sorrel horse bore the members
of the calltthumpian band around the
square OF business houses and up
Locust street to the Widow Rowelrs
long white house. During its progress
around the square the band had blared
discortlantiy. as was its wont, gloryfng
in it's own. horrible medley Of sohnd. =
Somebody's been getting married. .
said one and another as the wagon
passed. and, curiosity being rife. long
procession attached itself to the wagon
When the wagon paused outside the
gate of Mrs. Rowell's brilliantly light
ed abode there. was murmur Of sur
prise mingled with stifled laughter.
Many girls aud women had Joined the
procession, walking quietly in the shad-
ows and finally pausing on the opposite
side Of the street. a~@ >s.,...-e.~
Fora: few moments there was tense
silence us the members Of the serenad-
ing band conferred together.
Ruby Allen. standing With Rachel
Terry. giggled nervonsly.
Here comes Mrs. Bevis.' she whis-
pered.
'.She's been up to her mothers. l
declare. believe she came around
| this way on purpose so she could see
what was going on. Don't let her see
you" They shrank back against the
high stone wall. -, \, t..,- J.
II wonder if Mrs. Rowell will invite
'em in for refreshments. said Ruby.
IT'S the right thing to do. Say. Ruby.
her name must be Mrs. Slime by this
time She's had more than her share
:0f husbands. How many p
This is the fourth. l believe. Listen
to the music. What are they playing? =
By some fantasy of circumstance
,Ananias Slime. saving away at his
/ cello. suddenly made an attempt to
play the wedding march from 's.Lohen-
grim
~ believe it's happening this very
uninute!.' hissed !: woman in the crowd.
| ia silence fell upon the people out.
side; Almost they fancied they could
hear the drone of the preachers voice.
| The sound. ceased. the music ceased.
all at once:
Nov. aitogether!r shouted Lem
Roberts. leaders of the callithnmpians,
and then bedlam broke loose in Locust
street The horse fiddles rasped and
bDomed. and the broken winded In
t.strnments wheezed aud walled and
shrieked. and tin horns footed. and