THE MAY DAY WEDDINGS--MISS ORRECTA LIPPINCOTT'S SURPRISE--HOW
OLD LOVERS BEHAVE.
Spring opened slowly. It is true, at the first fierce glance of the
sun, the sensitive snow dissolved in tears; but he was forced to call
to his aid the strong winds to blow long upon the ice-bound river, ere
it yielded and permitted the beautiful steamers again to ride upon its
throbbing bosom.
There were those who eagerly counted the weeks that brought about
these changes, for each hour drew them nearer to their bridal
morning, and one fair May day, when the earth was decked in her
garments of green, Louise Sherman, arrayed in her bridal robes, was
led by Dr. Goodrich to the marriage altar.
Edward Sherman also was there, to celebrate the same rite, for, in a
few short weeks he had wooed and won Miss Clara Hastings. It was with
no small degree of pride, that he looked upon that tall, elegant woman
and called her wife.
Clara was equally proud of her husband. Talented, handsome, and, as
she supposed, on the road to wealth, she asked no more. Thus they set
out in life together.
The ceremony over, the wedding parties, including Mrs. Sherman,
started on a tour to the old homestead, where it was their intention
to pass a few weeks, and finally to change it for a permanent home in
Minnesota.
They had given Recta timely notice of their coming, and, had she had
no interruption, the housekeeper's preparations would indeed have
been elaborate. She had received and answered Daddy's letter
favorably, and was in daily expectation of a second communication from
the same source. The plan which she had arranged in her own mind was
to remain until after the arrival of the family, and then to spend a
few weeks with a married sister, whose assistance she would require in
the preperation of her bridal outfit. As a general thing Recta's head
was pretty clear, but in this case, she did not count upon the
proverbial impetuosity of a widower, and, consequently, signally
failed.
One bright morning, when all the bed and table linen, and every
bleachable thing to be found in the house, were spread upon the grass;
when feather beds and blankets, and carpets, were hung out to air;
when soap-suds and white-wash stood side by side; when the china
closet had disgorged its treasures, and the silver was spread out for
extra polishing; when all the ingredients for a mammoth fruit cake
were marshalled on the kitchen table; when chairs and other furniture
were gathered in clusters, as if discussing the general uproar; when
poor old Lilly Foot had been driven forth with a sharp reproof and a
cold breakfast, and forlorn kitty, hid away in a dark corner, where
only her green eyes were visible, mewed disconsolate, a loud knock was
heard at the door.
"I do wonder who is going to hinder me now?" fretted Recta, as lifting
her dripping hands from her scrubbing suds, and drying them upon her
apron she obeyed the summons.
At the first glance at the intruder she recognized Daddy, and turning
pale and then red by turns, she sank speedily into a chair.
How changed were both since they last met. She was then a blooming,
brown haired, rather coquettishly dressed country girl, and he black
haired, dapper and gay. Now he beheld her in faded calico, sallow,
wrinkled and grey; and she looked upon a white haired, shrivelled up,
little old man.
Both were for the moment, silent and disappointed, but Daddy was the
first to recover his presence of mind. "'Tween you and me, don't you
know me, Recta?"
"Well, I reckon I do, Philip," said Recta instinctively covered her
face with her apron.
A smile of delight broke over Daddy's features, and his first
disappointment was forgotten. "That's jest as you used to sarve me,
Recta; now I'm agoin fur tu sarve you one of my old tricks," and, by
an adroit movement to which he encountered a very slight resistance,
Recta's features were again visible.
There was a deep red spot on either cheek, and she looked rather
foolish, but it was not long before the old lovers were living over
again their youthful hours.
Oblivious of the flight of time, the mid-day sun shone in upon them,
still absorbed in each other. It would be impossible to say how long
this state of things might have continued had not Daddy inadvertantly
called Recta's attention to her household duties.
"'Tween you and me, I want fur tu git married afore night," he was
saying, when Recta suddenly sprang to her feet in dire dismay.
"Why Philip," she exclaimed, "how can I get married and all this work
on hand?"
"I'm kinder thinkin we ken hev the job did, and then I ken help you
fur to do the work."
Recta, demurred, but overwhelmed with persuasions, she finally
consented to confer with her sister, living near by, and the result
was, they were married before night, which fully accorded with Daddy's
desires.
The next morning the atmosphere of the house had materially changed:
but the aspect not. Lilly Foot luxuriated on a warm breakfast, and
strutted about the house complacently wagging his tail, and green-eyed
pussy purred contentedly behind the kitchen stove.
But still confronting Recta was the untouched white-wash, unwashed
china, unpolished silver, unmade cake, and the undone condition of
things generally.
"'Tween you and me, I wouldn't go fur tu du no work to-day," advised
Daddy, as Recta made a movement towards setting the house in order.
"I reckon, Philip, Miss Sherman will be here in a few days, and I
wouldn't get ketched in this plight for nothing.
"You ain't a mite like mammy was," said Daddy, holding affectionately
on to Recta's dress. "Laws, she would jerk herself away from me, and
afore I knowd it be a flying around the house like a whirl-wind,
orderin me round 'till I didn' know what fur tu du fust."
"O, well, you must let me go now, Philip," said Recta, good-naturedly,
"or I won't git nothing done to-day. Now don't tech me again until I
git them dishes washed and sot up."
"Laws, Recta, don't ask me fur tu wait that long; I'd like fur tu help
you, so you'd get through quicker. Now set me tu work, du,"
"Well, Philip, them things on the line ought to be brought in. I
forgot 'em last night."
"'Tween you an' me, what made ye forgit 'em?" said Daddy,
mischievously.
"I reckon when anybody is tagged to me every minute, I can't remember
nothing, Philip."
At this mild rebuke Daddy laughed immoderately, but he was none the
less at her heels. Turn whichever way she would, he was always there,
and consequently her work progressed slowly; so slowly, indeed, that
the bridal party arrived, and found her illy prepared to meet them.
But when the circumstances became known, she was at once absolved from
all blame, and loaded with congratulations and presents made
wondrously happy.
As their services were indispensable, it was decided that the useful
old couple should remain through the breaking up and moving season.
While the younger portion of the household gave themselves up to a
succession of pleasure parties given in their honor, Daddy and Recta
spent their evenings in social chat by the kitchen fire. At such times
Daddy was the chief speaker, and Recta never wearied of listening to
his wonderful stories.
Especially was she interested in Little Wolf's career. Her wonderful
escape from Bloody Jim, her triumphal ride over Hank Glutter, her
astonishing beauty, talents, and virtues were subjects upon which he
descanted with great fluency.
"'Tween you an' me, Recta," said he, being in an uncommonly
confidential frame on one of these occasions, "I used fur tu think
that are Edward Sherman was a hanging around the Honey, and I sot
myself tu put a stop to it, and that are day I was knocked down, and
had my shoulder put out of jint, I jest gin him a hint that a nice
young man was a goin fur tu git her."
"Why, Philip, I thought Edward was about the nicest young man in the
world," Recta ventured to assert.
Daddy elevated his eyebrows, and hitching up very close to his
companion, whispered, "'Tween you an' me, didn't you know he drunk
nothin?"
"You don't say so, Philip!" exclaimed Recta, in tones in which were
blended surprise and grief.
"I've seed him," declared Daddy, decidedly.
"Dear me, how I wish he had always staid to home. Dear me, I can't
bear to have it so; he was such a sweet little feller, when I nussed
and tended on him. He don't drink hard, does he, Philip?"
"I guess about middlin. I never seed him dead drunk, but I've ketched
him a few times about as full as he could hold. He cum hum pretty
tight from the party last night."
"You don't say! I guess that's what's made his mother so low-spirited
all day."
"I kinder think that are wife of hisen don't feel nun tu nice over it
nuther, fur she 'pears ruther down in the mouth. I happened fur tu
hear her a tellin him this morning, that fur tu drink moderate was
genteel, but tu over drink was vulgar. It's my opinion he ain't got a
fur-seein woman, or she wouldn't hev preached no sech doctrine as that
are. You wouldn't have ketched the Honey a doin of it; she thinks it's
all vulgar and wicked tu."
"I think it's a sin to pass it around at them parties, Philip."
"Sartin, Recta; young fellers will get a liking for it, and get ruined
in that are way."
"I don't see what makes folks do it when they know it's such dangerous
practice."
"'Tween you and me, it's the devil," said Daddy bluntly. "He has
allers tempted good folks as well as bad with his pison. He manages
somehow fur tu make 'em believe there ain't no harm in it. I should
think nobody could help a knowin of it. I heered some women talkin on
the steamer, and one of 'em said she knowed a lady what was in the
habit of treating gentlemen friends to all sorts of fancy drinks, and
she was a real nice lady, tu, and got lots of 'em to attend her church
jest by them means. They said it was so popular to drink wine
now-a-days, that the best of folks didn't think there was no harm in
it."
"That was the common way of thinking when I was young. I remember very
clear when the minister used to come here with the judge, and the
judge was very apt to go off and have a spree after it. Miss Sherman
mourned herself most to death, but when the minister came out strong
on the side of temperance and preached and practised, and the judge
had signed the pledge, we had different times, I tell you. Them
decanters have stood empty on the side board ever since."
"I wish, they were smashed," said Daddy, emphatically.
"So do I," echoed Recta. "I'd like to sarve 'em as the heathen do
their idols when they git converted to Christianity."
"Be you a Christian, Recta."
Recta looked down confusedly, twirled her thumbs, and finally answered
in a constrained tone, "I belong to the church."
"Du ye? well, may be I'll jine it tu. I promised Fanny fur tu tend tu
that are matter when I got my lectur done, but I hed fur to tend tu
gittin married fust."
"Your what done, Philip?"
"My lectur, I writ one on temperance when I was sick. I calculate fur
tu go round deliverin of it next winter when we git settled. 'Tween
you and me, I may clare a little money on it. Lecturers are apt tu,
I've heern say."
"You had better lectur on cabbages if you want tu make money on it,"
was the wise response.