Point Lace and Diamonds | Page 7

her 'round, and there it ends.?Spooning! Well, I tried it once--?Acted like an awful calf--?Said I really loved her. Gad!?You should just have heard her laugh.?Why, she ran me for a month,?Teased me till she made me wince;?'Mustn't flirt with her,' she said,?So I haven't tried it since.?'Twould be pleasant to be loved?Like you read about in books--?Mingling souls, and tender eyes--?Love, and that, in all their looks;?Thoughts of you, and no one else;?Voice that has a tender ring,?Sacrifices made, and--well--?You know--all that sort of thing.?That's all worn-out talk, they say,?Don't see any of it now--?Spooning on your _fianc��e_?Isn't good style, anyhow.?Just suppose that one of us,--?Nell and me, you know--some day?Got like that on some one else--?Might be rather awkward--eh!?All in earnest, like the books--?Wouldn't it be awful rough!?Jove! if I--but pshaw, what bosh!?Nell and I are safe enough.--?Some time in the Spring, I think;?Be on hand to wish us joy??Be a groomsman, if you like--?Lots of wine--good-bye, old boy."
II.?UP THE AISLE.?A.D. 1881.
Take my cloak--and now fix my veil, Jenny;--?How silly to cover one's face!?I might as well be an old woman,?But then there's one comfort--it's lace.?Well, what has become of those ushers?--?Oh, Pa, have you got my bouquet??I'll freeze standing here in the lobby,?Why doesn't the organist play??They've started at last--what a bustle!?Stop, Pa!--they're not far enough--wait!?One minute more--now! Do keep step, Pa!?There, drop my trail, Jane!--is it straight??I hope I look timid, and shrinking!?The church must be perfectly full--?Good gracious, please don't walk so fast, Pa!?He don't seem to think that trains pull.?The chancel at last--mind the step, Pa!--?I don't feel embarrassed at all--?But, my! What's the minister saying??Oh, I know, that part 'bout Saint Paul.?I hope my position is graceful--?How awkwardly Nelly Dane stood!?"Not lawfully be joined together,?Now speak"--as if any one would.?Oh, dear, now it's my turn to answer--?I do wish that Pa would stand still.?"Serve him, love, honor, and keep him"--?How sweetly he says it--I will.?Where's Pa?--there, I knew he'd forget it?When the time came to give me away--?"I, Helena, take thee--love--cherish--?And"--well, I can't help it,--"obey."?Here, Maud, take my bouquet--don't drop it--?I hope Charley's not lost the ring!?Just like him!--no--goodness, how heavy!?It's really an elegant thing.?It's a shame to kneel down in white satin--?And the flounce real old lace--but I must--?I hope that they've got a clean cushion,?They're usually covered with dust.?All over--ah, thanks!--now, don't fuss, Pa!--?Just throw back my veil, Charley--there!?Oh, bother! Why couldn't he kiss me?Without mussing up all my hair!?Your arm, Charley, there goes the organ--?Who'd think there would be such a crowd!?Oh, I mustn't look round, I'd forgotten,?See, Charley, who was it that bowed??Why--it's Nellie Allaire, with her husband--?She's awfully jealous, I know,?Most all of my things were imported,?And she had a home-made trousseau.?And there's Annie Wheeler--Kate Hermon--?I didn't expect her at all--?If she's not in that same old blue satin?She wore at the Charity Ball!?Is that Fanny Wade?--Edith Pommeton--?And Emma, and Jo--all the girls!?I knew they'd not miss my wedding--?I hope they'll all notice my pearls.?Is the carriage there?--give me my cloak, Jane,?Don't get it all over my veil--?No! you take the other seat, Charley--?I need all of this for my trail.
III.?DIVORCE.?A.D., 1886.?The Club Window.
"Yes, I saw her pass with 'that scoundrel'--?For heaven's sake, old man, keep cool!?No end of the fellows are watching--?Go easy, don't act like a fool!?'Parading your shame'!--I don't see it.?It's hers now, alone; for at last?You drove her to give you good reason,?Divorced her, and so it's all passed.?For you, I mean; she has to bear it--?Poor child--the reproach and the shame;?I'm your friend--but come, hang it, old fellow,?I swear you were somewhat to blame.?'What the deuce do I mean?' Well, I'll tell you,?Though it's none of my business. Here!?Just light a cigar, and keep quiet--?You started wrong, Charley Leclear.?You weren't in love when you married--?'Nor she!'--well, I know, but she tried?To keep it dark. You wouldn't let her,?But laughed at her for it. Her pride?Wouldn't stand that, you know. Did you ever?See a spirited girl in your life,?Who would patiently pose to be pitied?As a 'patient Griselda'-like wife?When her husband neglects her so plainly?As you did?--although, on the whole,?When the wife is the culprit, I've noticed?It's rather the favorite r?le.?So she flirted a little--in public--?She'd chances enough and to spare,?Ah, then if you'd only turned jealous--?But you didn't notice nor care.?Then her sickness came--even we fellows?All thought you behaved like a scrub,?Leaving her for the nurse to take care of,?While you spent your time at the club.?She never forgave you. How could she??If I'd been in her place myself,?By Jove, I'd have left you. She didn't,?But told all her woes to Jack Guelph.?When a girl's lost all love for her husband,?And is cursed with a masculine friend?To confide in, and he is a blackguard,?She isn't far off from the end.?Oh, I'm through--of course