The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-09-21
Chapter SO
w WEDDING

ELLEN'S house was alive and
IL seething, and the hub of its &C.
tivity was Ellen herself.
Ellen was again a dynamo: giving
orders. experimenting every detail
even to cataloguing the gifts that
poured in. Mack was there. blissful
and bewildered, following on her
, heels like big devoted puppy. His
most important job, he confided to
Carol with a grin. was saving excel
sior and string so that the presents
could be shipped to ASHORE.
81 never saw so much stuff" he
said in an awe-struck voice. Looks
. to me like We'll more than make
expenses"
Ben arrived Friday afternoon. fat
and smiling and bald. He kissed
Carol and Ellen resoundingly. and
Carol noticed that he had already be.
gun his pre-nuptial drinking.
"Well, WE'LL" he laughed. at took
a wedding to bring us all together
again"
He was presented to the family,
whom Carol had found disappoint.
ing. Mrs. Sands was small and limp
and rather lost in the confusion ;
Mr.. Sands was tall and quiet. with
a druggists pallor. Margaret. the
younger sister, was like her mother,
with a youthful freshness that still
masked the resemblance. Ellen,
Carol reflected. must have drawn
upon some remote ancestor for her
vitality and charm.
The rehearsal Friday evening was
bedlam. Ellen alone knew how
things were to be done, and her
training in gymnastic drill proved
invaluable.
The rehearsal lasted three hours,
and Carol had to be the bride be.
cause it would have been bad luck
for Ellen to rehearse. Walking down
the aisle to the throbbing strains OF
"Lohengrin" was disturbing expe'
rience. she discovered. so she looked
at the small boy, or at Ben's bald
head, to distract her thoughts.
Mack's arm, linked in hers, was
strong and steady, and Mack's
young face was illumined. should
not have come. she thought, match.
ing her step to Mack's; this is no
place for a girl who has to keep her
mind on her work. -. Even her dis.
like for pageants could not entirely
dispel the glamor or blind her to
the implications of the occasion.
There was a party after the re.
hearsal, at which the rest of the men
and three girls joined Ben in his
cups. She wanted to step from the
audience into the ring with them
but her first intimation of drunken.
, ness drove her, as always, back into
herself.
The cake was cut, and remember.
ing her promise to Freddie she put
aside her slice to take home with
her. Somebody yelled:
"Hey, you've got to see If there's
anything in it," And amid shouts OF
excitement crumbled the cake and
discovered a small brass ring.
Ben shouted. as an omen. | knew
fate was bringin' us together again
Carol. you've got to marry mel"
. THE thing was over finally. and
l. Carol slipped gladly into bed
One more day. she thought, and
can go back to Atlanta-and-the
Office. -.
The ceremony went off without a
misstep. Even the ring bearer was
awed into obedience by the solem-
nifty of the occasion. Several of the
groomsmen were hilarious, but
steady enough to walk straight and
keep their places in the tableau.
Ellen said 81 do" in a clear voice
and Mack, with his eyes on her face,
said it in voice that was not so
clear. There was reception at the
Sands home afterwards. and finally
there was the calm that follows a
storm.
Mrs. Sands collapsed into a chair
and took off her shoes. 81 hope when
you get married. Margaret" she said
plaintively, that you'll run away
and do it."
Mr.. Sands looked white and weary
Carol noticed with a throb of pity.
For all her complaining. Mrs. Sands
had liked it: marrying of a daugh.
ter was the proper thing. and she
felt sorry for the women who had
not yet achieved it. But Mr.. Sands
looked desolate: Ellen was his ia.
vorite, and he knew that getting
married was not the feat women
seemed to think it. In Mr.. Sands's
opinion, men hadn't Chinaman's
chance to escape.