Year: 1875

to refuse her daughters request, to
keep the knowledge of the five hun
dred dollars a secret from her betroth.
ed. In few weeks they were to be
married, and you may be sure the
weeks were busy ones to Mrs. Lennox
and her daughter. With her brothers
assistance, Laura soon secured the lease
Of the little brown cottage, and then
followed such series of shopping
tours as would have more than satisfied
any feminine heart.


At last the suspicious day arrived
and all was in readiness, even the bride
herself, which is circumstance really
worthy of note, for it is a well known
fact that the majority of women get
married without being quite ready, no
matter how many months Of prepara-
tion they may have had.


In the pleasant parlor of the home
where she had passed from childhood
into womanhood, in the presence Of
relatives and few dear friends, Laura
Lennox became Mrs. Frank Berry.


A very pretty bride she was, too,
looking, as Frank told her, ''like de-
mure little mouse" in travelling CO.'S
tune of quiet grey, with mischievous
twinkle in her eyes which he could in
no way account for. After they had
received the congratulations of their
friends and partaken OF the wedding
breakfast they took their departure,
followed by the ''lucky shoe" and in
Vulnerable good wishes. Theirs was
not to be an extended wedding tour;
they were only going few miles out
of the city to spend few days with an
old schoolmate of Laura's. These few
days passed rapidly away, as they al
ways do under similar circumstances,
and the happy pair were on the way
home, when again Frank was puzzled
to understand the mischief and evident
desire to laugh and cry, both at the
same time, in the face of the bride.


Arrived at their journeys end, they
soon espied Laura's mother and broth
er awaiting them with a carriage.
There were so many questions asked
and answered, so much to tell and be
told that no one remarked upon the
route they were taking until the car
riage drove into Elm street.


THAT stupid driver has made a mis-.
take, said Frank making movement
to signal the aforesaid individual when
sASJ SohAC W u Sedhu nIill III lIOuL Vi
the little brown cottage


"What does the fellow mean?" con.
tinued Frank emphatically; 81 surely
directed him plainly where to take us. y


81 also gave him instructions, suave-
ly replied Laura, II wish to stop here
for awhile"


Frank followed his young wife into
the yard in much surprise, which
changed into utter bewilderment as
she took key from her pocket, and
after opening the door invited him to
walk in and make himself at home"


''At home!" he echoed. II do not
understand. Pray explain your mean
ing?"


Laura would not explain nntil they
had together inspected every nook and
corner in the house.


When he had sufficiently admired
the pretty ingram carpet, the furniture
and snowy muslin curtains of the par
lor, and expressed a proper degree of
SUI ulprise upon discovering his own easy
chair and well-filled bookcase (Which
he had last seen in his own room at
his boarding house, in the apartment
which was to serve as both sitting and
dlnning-room, after he had peeped ir-
to all the closets and the neatly ar
ranged pantry, when in fact he had ad.
mired and approved of everything to
her hearts content, then and not till
then did Laura tell him the story of
the lost engagement ring"