The news that Harold and Jerrie were soon to be married, and go with
Arthur to Germany, created some surprise, and some talk, too, in town,
where many of the people had believed that there had been an
understanding, if not an engagement, between Harold and Maude. But Tom
put that right with a few decided words. There had never been an
engagement, he said. Maude had liked Harold very much, and he had liked
her, but had always preferred Jerrie; in short, matters had been as good
as settled between them, long ago.
This last was a little fiction of Tom's brain, but the people accepted
it as true, and began to look eagerly forward to the approaching
marriage, wondering, as people will, who would be invited, and who would
not. It took place the 10th of October, in Mrs. Crawford's little
parlor, with only a few intimate friends present--Grace Atherton, the
St. Claires, Ann Eliza Peterkin, and the Tracys, with the exception of
Dolly, who could not do so great violence to her feeling, as to attend a
wedding. Billy was not there, but he sent a magnificent emerald ring to
Jerrie, with the following note:
DEAR JERRIE,--I can't see you married, although I am glad for you,
and glad for Hal. God bless you both. I shall never forget you as
long as I live; and when you come back, maybe I can bear to see you
as Hal's wife, but now it would kill me.
Pages:
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717