For Womans Love | Page 5

her pet child a
private good-by.
"Are you happy, my love--are you happy?" she inquired. "Why don't
you answer?"
"My heart is full--too full, grandma," evasively answered Corona
Rothsay.
"Ah, yes; that is natural--very natural. 'Even so it was with me when I
was young,'" sighed the old lady, who detected no evasion in the words
of her darling.
The bride went down stairs, where the bridegroom awaited her. There,
in the hall, were collected the members of her family, friends,
neighbors and wedding guests.
Some time was spent in bidding good-by to all these.
"But it is not good-by, really; for the majority of us will follow by a
later train, and be on hand for the inauguration to-morrow," said old
Aaron Rockharrt, who seemed to have recovered his youth on this
proud day.
"And, grandpa, be sure to bring grandma. Don't say that she is too old,
or too feeble, or too anything, to travel, because she is not; and she has
set her heart on seeing the pageantry to-morrow. Promise me before I
leave you," pleaded the bride.
"Very well; I will bring her," said Mr. Rockharrt, who would have
promised anything to his granddaughter on this auspicious occasion.

"You will find your traps all right, Cora. They went off by the early
train this morning," said Mr. Clarence.
"And I trust, Rothsay, that you will find my town house comfortably
prepared for your reception," said Mr. Rockharrt.
The bridegroom handed his bride into the carriage that was to convey
them to the railway station. The carriage crossed the ferry, and in a few
minutes reached the other side, and rolled toward the railway station.
The road was at this hour very solitary, and the bridegroom and his
bride found themselves for the first time that day tete-a-tete. He turned
to her, and drew her head to his heart and whispered:
"Cora, speak to me! Call me your husband!"
"I--cannot. My heart is too full," the girl muttered evasively.
But his grand, simple, truthful spirit perceived no prevarication in her
words. If her heart was full, it was with responsive love of him, he
thought. He bent his face lower over her beautiful head, that lay upon
his bosom, and kissed her.
Soon they reached North End, where all the aged, infirm and infantile
who could not come to the wedding were seated at their cottage doors,
to see the carriage with the bridegroom and bride go by.
Smiling and bowing in response, the pair passed through the village
and went on their way toward the station which they reached at
half-past one o'clock.
They had to wait about ten minutes for the train to come up. They
remained in the carriage; for here, too, a small crowd of country people
had collected to see the bride and the bridegroom, who was also the
governor-elect.
The train from the East ran into the station. The bridal pair left the
carriage and went on the cars, and the governor-elect and his bride set

out for the State capital. It was a long afternoon ride, and the sun was
low when the train drew in sight of the State capital, and slowed into
the station.
An immense crowd had gathered to welcome the governor-elect, and as
he stepped out upon the platform, and stood with his bride on his arm,
the cheers were deafening. When these had in some measure subsided,
the hero of the hour returned thanks in a simple little speech. Then the
committee of reception came up and shook hands with the
governor-to-be, who next presented them in turn to his wife.
At last the pair were allowed to enter the carriage that was in waiting to
convey them to the town house of Aaron Rockharrt. Other carriages
containing members of the committee attended them. They passed
through the main street of the city.
The procession of carriages passed until it reached the Rockharrt
residence, opposite the government mansion, where the committee took
leave of the governor-elect and his bride, who entered their temporary
home alone, to be received and attended by obsequious servants.
There we also will leave them.
Visitors to the inauguration were arriving by every train.
Among the arrivals from the East came Aaron Rockharrt, with his wife,
his two sons, Fabian and Clarence, and his grandson, Sylvan, the
younger brother of Cora.
The main door of the mansion was open, and several gentlemen,
wearing official badges, stood without or just within it.
"By Jove! we are just in time, and it has been a close shave! That is the
committee come to take him to the State house!" exclaimed old Aaron
Rockharrt as he stepped out of the carriage, and helped his feeble little
wife to alight. He led her up the steps, followed