Year: 1879

A wedding is usually supposed to be a
merry affair. But the Wedding that l am
about to write of was an exception to the gen.
eral rule-which, by the way, like most other
rules, has so many exceptions, that it is rather
puzzling to know how it ever came to be ac-
cepted as rule. Facts to the contrary, how
ever, we 6nd that in all countries, and among
diverse nations, from the foundation of the
earth up to the present time, and in the est'.
nation alike of wise and simple, learned and
untaught, old and young. rich and poor, this
idea of mirth and jollity, in connection with
the solemnization of matrimony, is soidly es.
tablished. A bridegroom is supposed to be
the most fortunate and enviable, bride the
most favored and happy, of human beings
They are invariably alluded to as "the happy
pair" and we constantly read of such jargon
as ''golden wedding bells" }" Mature smiling
on the festive OCCASION" "hearts overfowing
with tender JOY" and so forth, when Mr.
So and-So leads Miss So and-So to the altar
of Hymen, as if two people committing the
very rashest act that can be conceived in the
mortal mind-leaping blindf"ld, as it were,
over precipice, or into the bed of toamlng
cataract to he envied, admired, poetized
and apostrophized, and their example follow
ed with all possible speed by


But hold! All this, you will say, is mere
envy. know that the people in general
think that I am an old bachelor because
Miss-well, 1 may be excused for not men
tioning names at any rate, they think have
been refused-some maliciously assert, more
than once. I positively deny this to be the
case. I have lived-and mean to die-a
bachelor, simply of my own free will and
= choice for | have never met woman yet
who have reason to think could, in any way,
add to the happiness Of my existence. Not
that wish to detract from the merits Of the
weaker sex. On the contrary, admit that l
have known many excellent females ;excellent,
7 will 20 far as to add, in all the relations of
life-whose husbands, in having made the
leap over the precipice aforesaid, happened to
alght on smooth, pleasant meadow, instead
of in patch of nettles or rocky abyss
But alas such cases seem to me to be rare !;
and would sooner die peaceably in my bed,
than run the risk of sharing the fate of the
unlucky majority. l never invested in lot
:tery-ticket but drew blank; I never was
beguiled into speculation but I was sure to
be loser, if not dupe and imagine that
the same fate would pursue me in the case of
my ever being persuaded to take chance in
that most hazardous of all lotteries, matri-
mony.


But to return to my wedding-or, rather,
Heaven be praised not mine, but the we'd
ding of Ralph Barstow and Fanny Tracy,
which I have introduced as the subject Of
this chapter. Fanny, poor girl, was my niece,
or l should say my halfniece, being the only
daughter Of my dissipated step brother Philip
Tracy, by his marriage with the widow Bar
stow. Widow Barstows first husband had
bequeathed to her, as his sole legacy, his son
Ralph, by his first marriage. Thus, you see,
Ralph and Fanny had, in a measure, stood
in the relation of brother and sister to each
other, though, of course, there was really no
relationship in the case, at all. Ralph had a
better disposition than his step-mother, and
that is not saying much ip his favor, for if
ever there was an unpleasant woman it was
Mrs. Tracy, formerly Mrs. Barstow. 1t seems
a confusing mixture of names; but if you
will think it over for minute or two you
can easily get it clear. In personal appear
ance, Ralph was rather attractive than other.
wise, being tall and we'll formed, with sun
burnt skin and regular features, and short,
curling dark hair Fanny was lame, from
an accident she had met with in her infancy ;
and the misfortune had communicated itself,
in manner, to her whole aspect Her growth
was stunted, her countenance pale and sickly,
and her demeanor shy, shrinking and un-
formed. From her heart she loved, nay,
worshipped Ralph; but hs-well, he would
not have married her, but for the machina'
tions of her mother. Of that 1 feel quite sure.


remember so we'll the picture presented
by the pair, as they stood side by side in the
old parlor at Hollywell, while the minister
read the words which made them man and
wife. Ralph, with his brown face stern and
a far.off look in his eyes, though his voice
was steady and resolute enough, as he fol-
lowed the prescribed form it was his duty to
repeat; Fanny, with tremulous color in her
face, like ray of sunrise on clear, cold
lake, her dropping lids yelling her gaze, and
her figure losing its ungraceful proportions
beneath the cloudy folds of white drapery
which had been arranged in the most judicious
and becoming style, on that occasion, if no
other, looked almost beautiful; but it was
happiness, that created the light Of beauty
on her features, and knew it would be but
Aeeting. At her left hand stood her father.
Handsome, careless, bold looking as was his
wont, he was singularly attractive man, as
far as outward aspect went, Notwithstanding
his bad habits and reckless life. Next to
him, the mother, with her hawk.nose and
crafty eyes. It was always matter OF sur
prise to me that she should be considered
handsome, but she was. Poor little Fanny
did not resemble either parent in the least.
One or two friends, besides the minister and
myself, were the only other persons present.


The ceremony was over, and the blessing
pronounced on the newly-wedded pair. Old
DR.. Shain then shook hands with each, offer.
ing his good wishes, and adding some feeble
attempt at an ill-timed joke He had known