For Remembrance

The next day, while Ruth was busily gathering up her few belongings and
packing her trunk, Winfield appeared with a suggestion regarding the
advisability of outdoor exercise. Uncle James stood at the gate and
watched them as they went down hill. He was a pathetic old figure,
predestined to loneliness under all circumstances.

"That's the way I'll look when we've been married a few years," said
Carl.

"Worse than that," returned Ruth, gravely. "I'm sorry for you, even
now."

"You needn't be proud and haughty just because you've had a wedding at
your house--we're going to have one at ours."

"At ours?"

"At the 'Widder's,' I mean, this very evening."

"That's nice," answered Ruth, refusing to ask the question.

"It's Joe and Hepsey," he continued, "and I thought perhaps you might
stoop low enough to assist me in selecting an appropriate wedding gift
in yonder seething mart. I feel greatly indebted to them."

"Why, of course I will; it's quite sudden, isn't it?" "Far be it from
me to say so. However, it's the most reversed wedding I ever heard of.
A marriage at the home of the groom, to say the least, is unusual.
Moreover, the 'Widder' Pendleton is to take the bridal tour and leave
the happy couple at home. She's going to visit a relative who is distant
in both position and relationship--all unknown to the relative, I fancy.
She starts immediately after the ceremony and it seems to me that it
would be a pious notion to throw rice and old shoes after her."