Show 4 t And Wedding Failed Fatted to Take Place t f 4 BY OLIVE k 4 r Letitia Houghton was wag going to be married consequently many of her dear feminine friends said it was a shame a scandal for tor Letitia L titi to think of such folly at her time of life These same authorities declared she was 55 years yc rS old ola adding there was no fool like an old one Letitia was on the sunny side of 45 but did not look as if she were 40 be being beIng ing lug handsome with a pretty home a tidy income a kind heart and a sound head tead The beneficiaries benefi of her bounty had bad become accustomed to consider her a spinster too confirmed a devotee to I single blessedness to change her state What right had that old thing to be betaken betaken taken in by an impecunious adventurer adventurer adventurer when she had friends of her life Ute lime who she had hadn no ne n ki to be remembered in her i will not that thet th t they were mercenary merce but that they had hada a sort of claim upon her Remarks of this kind were freely in indulged in when ihen the th invitations i were re received received calved T or Ol thirty women talking at once is i rather confusing and as the speakers sneakers became excited the comments became more personal and assumed an turn It was at a church sewing circle and tongues were flying faster than need lees ln A AAn An exceedingly pretty and richly dressed woman a guest of the society now nov took up UD the cudgels in defense of ot I Ithe the absent i I Ladies ladles ladies is this a modern school for foi ft scandal or a church society held in the basement of a sacred edi edl I fice You all have cause to be grate grateful grateful grateful ful to Letitia why hould bould you speak of her h r so bitterly now because she ehe exer exercises cines the right we have all claimed Mrs Alyn Alden was a leader of so society society clety whose dictum made or unmade a newcomer entering ent ring the charmed circle There was vas not a woman pres Dres present ent eat who was not anxious to retake retain her favor Why what have S we said It is eccentric in Miss Letitia to get mar married married ried ned at her iier time of life now it Mrs Mm Jennie I do not know why it should be considered so Letitia is a very pretty woman Mrs Jennie Jermie JenI e as aa Mrs Alden was gen generally generally generally called was a power and with promptitude they proceeded to eat their words with marvelous celerity Mrs Jennie smiled and bade them good morning On the way to Miss she he made a gesture g ture as if she had touched an ill m smelling weed wee What a pov power er of harm such women can do at times I do not pose DOse as a reformer but I really would like to re recall recall recall call the ducking stool for tor their benefit Poor Letitia I hope she has not chosen unwisely 1 I Her musings ceased as the coachman drew rein before the pretty old fash fashioned fashIoned garden gardel of the Mrs Mm Jennie was met in hi the yard vard by the whose fresh and fair com carp complexion complexion had defied the ravages of time With her bright hazel eyes and wavy light brown hair air she might have passed for 35 85 at most Come into the house Jennie its ils lovely out here among the flowers but butI I have some things I wish to show you the dress has lias come came I am too old to be married in white whit satin so I se so selected selected a pink brocade trimmed with lace I have never had so many pretty clothes made at one time in my life for I never needed to I 1 dont think Im envious but when I saw sawall all my m friends handsome outfits It occurred to me mc that would it would be an inducement to marry Do you not like it She fingered the glistening and Mrs Alden looked and ad admired admired admired mired then said But where did you meet the man you expect to marry Letitia I would not give my life into the keeping of an utter stra er erYou You be ba uneasy about me he Is a very pleasant man and Im pos positive positive positive we will get on very well together as for love we are not young oung people and have said nothing not Ing about that but we will do well enough as friends Did you notice that black and gold visiting silk Jennie JEmme Mrs Jennie perceived that the bride tobe preferred to talk about her clothes instead of the man she had promised to marry mam and made no other effort to drag him into the conversa conversation conversation conversation tion Miss Letitia brought every ar article article tide for Mrs Jennies inspection and said as that lady rose to go goDo goDo goDo Do stay to lunch Ive so much to tell you yet I 1 want it understood that I meant what I said when I wrote on the cards I want presents please make my understand that will you I know they will wUl want to give me presents you o cant know how glad I Iam Iam Iam am that I am liked Jennie Mrs Alden would not shake Miss faith In the professions of friendship she believed sincere but when their spiteful comments were re recalled r called cabled it angered her afresh with them themI 1 I am always at home to give Alyn his lunch he does not enjoy it when I am absent Letitia I shall let it be known that you do not wish presents For that purpose Mrs Jennie drove back to the church where she found the tha society dispersing d Sper ng She did not alight but told them th m of at o Miss wish She Sile of the sharp tongue gave gae a shrill little cackle and said That means we must give gie them without fail afraid we wont give anything and Ind takes that means I to make sure Was that the reason you ou had no noI flowers on the cards when your I daughter graduated bouquet was weighted with ith a jeweled butterfly So glad you enlightened me I have wondered why that clause was insert inserted ed but had no idea it meant exactly opposite what it said Thanks to you ou I understand It is never too late to learn wisdom Good morning I must go home Tile extreme bonhomie of this speech made the clique stare at each other they were never sure what Mrs Alden meant that her shafts hit the mark there was no doubt Mrs gazed after the carriage carnage and said to her dear familiar friend Mrs Alden does have hae the knack of taking one by surprise she confuses a person so of course I mean that is I intend to own That you took that way of assuring Sophy Soph a number of bouquets and pres presents presents eats I thought you mean to say nay that dear did you suggested suggest j the friend sweetly Mrs Mra translated the re remark remark remark mark as it was intended and treas tress treasured treasured it for lor or future use useS 0 S S Miss Misa wedding night had ar arrived arrived arrived rived She was w s looking extremely handsome and accepted the effusive compliments of her friends in apparent apparently ly good faith they declared she did not look a day over 40 As yet the groom had not made his appearance Miss Letitia had haq excused herself a moment or two but as the minutes lengthened into an hour with without without without out her returning significant glances were exchanged and the buzz of many voices were heard It is astonishing how much pleasure some people derive from the distress or mortification of their friends Mrs and her coterie were insinuating insinuating insinuating that something was wrong vole voicing voicing ing pity which their eyes and counte countenances countenances countenances nances belied Mrs Alden was becoming worried wended over prolonged absence of Miss Letitia from the room and wished she would return and silence the malicious tongues prevailing on her swain not notto notto notto to become fainthearted giggled Mrs Thoroughly exasperated Mrs Jennie was about to give ive a crushing retort when Miss Letitia reappeared She was slightly lightly pale her demeanor a mixture of regret and dignity while a blending of defiance was depicted in her erect attitude Ive had a telegram from Mr Lang Langworthy Langworthy Langworthy worthy business of a family nature which I shall not be at liberty to di divulge divulge indiscriminately compels him to start for Europe as he sent the mes sues message message I sage off consequently there will be no marriage tonight That need not Inter Interfere interfere interfere fere with our enjoyment of the supper the presents will be returned to their donors tomorrow Mr Alden will you see me to the table The minister will take you Jennie Her astounding revelation called caned forth fortha a chorus of and abs and a dozen excited women began to ply her wit wim questions protesting against her re returning returning returning turning the presents but she sha waved them aside The marriage is indefinitely post postponed postponed postponed through no fault of either bride or bridegroom so you y u need not im imagine imagine Imagine agine hes absconded or jilted me Un Under Under Under der the circumstances I will not need the presents Who ever heard of bridal gifts when there is not much likelihood of the marriage being performed I promise you with a fine grim smile that somehow made certain ladies feel uncomfortable if the marriage does take place that I will expect nothing from you Now come to supper that will not be a disappointment if the wed wedding w d ding is She gave her guests no time to dis discuss discuss disCuss cuss her affairs in groups but marched them into the dining room some wear wearing wearing wearing ing from the undiminished pangs of curiosity an expression as if they were being led to instant execution Miss Letitia was the life Ufe of the party and the theory that she had been jilted did not gain ground her explanation was accepted as true as far as it went Mor than one face became blank when Miss Letitia said Jennie be sure to come around to tomorrow tomorrow morrow and help me pack those these pres presents presents presents some are so valuable I will not be satisfied until they are returned fortunately they are labeled I will come with pleasure Letitia replied Mrs Alden while Mrs by whispered dolefully If 11 she would ask me Early Earb nert morning Mrs Jennie ac accordingly accordingly accordingly cordingly put in her appearance find findIng finding findIng Ing her friend in excellently good spirits While tying t ing up a gaudy plated cake stand a gift from front Mrs Mrs Alden Aides said saidI Letitia I why wh return the presents Were you OU in earnest earnt when you said there thero was not Ilot much likelihood of or there being a marriage Miss Letitia was bending over the bed replacing a handsome silver ilver ladle in its velvet box The rh constrained position may have hae been the cause of her heightened color olor Her face as she turned toward Mrs Alden wore conflicting expressions triumph shame and over oer all a half sad half defiant look Her first words were apparently irrelevant Ive Ivo learned much Jennie She ehe e said as she folded a dozen fine thread cambric handkerchiefs and placed pl ced them with lingering regret in jn the costly box they came in how bow exquisite these are and like the donor domor Oh yes I was wae wi saying how much I had hi learned since I had sent out those tickets Ive al always always 1 ways wa s had a L too confiding disposition and while Im not now a cynic cynie Ive had e plenty of them ein Going about to different diff rent stories rid riding rIding ing jug windy days das veiled on ca the cars have hae given me an insight into peoples character that has been both painful and profitable I tell you whom I mean for I see you OU know I have no DO r regret for them Im rom not a sentimental fool the tile only regret is that rye Ive been taken in by b them so long but rye Ive never outgrown a girlish pleasure in being liked You had your husband and ad children and God knows I never begrudged wives and mothers their happiness for formy formy formy my life Ufe had bad h d been a healthy happy one awl and an so completely am un I a spinster that I believe I i was born one cue Ive never neverseen neverseen neverseen seen the man men I have h ve ever imagined I could fancy but there was one thing I did want Mrs Alden AJ had bad listened sympathetic sympathetically sYI ally as aa Miss Letitia paused for breath sire she ventured to speak What was that Letitia You may ma laugh Jennie if you wish but that was no snore more nor lees less tibana n na a What Do u moan mean mean that I mean end and I know it wilt go no iso further that I have haves havea a seau without a marriage and nd hat at was why I sent out oust cards cante car Dont you un understand Jennie l not hot take pla there was was no bridegroom m at all alt now nos its out but For once o ce Mrs Mr Alden Aldee was is surprised beyond the power of expression but when dhe e did recover her merry laugh laughter laughter ter was delightful to hear and was I joined by b I What a good joke gasped Mrs Jennie Jene w it make Richmond I dames open cpi their eyes e l it Shall jall go no i further though I would ke My to know if you yoi OU have no objection Wat t would Mrs Onby say ft f Embellish Embattles it until we know kaow it ft but theres one she won wont en n joy any more expectations of sharing my fortune I shall MU leave my money S as a fund for fec old oid maids |