CHAPTER II
MISS JANE'S WEDDING
If Daddy's office nurse hadn't called and said that he had an emergencycase there is no telling when the Birthday dinner party would haveended. Even as the telephone rang and Cissy drawled, "Doctah'sresidence," Daddy glanced guiltily at his wrist watch and stood up.
"Tell Miss Gould I'm on my way, Cissy," and that quick Daddy was gone.
Mimi was off too, but out the back door, not the front. She stopped atthe buffet on the way out taking an apple out of the fruit bowl.
"Surely, child, you can't eat anything else."
"No ma'am, it's for King--I'm going out to see him."
"King isn't here, Mimi--he's at the veterinarian's."
"What for? Is he sick?"
"Nothing at all. Dr. Kirby wants a friend to see him. Daddy willexplain."
"Dr. Kirby isn't trying to sell King, is he, Mother?"
In the instant Mother hesitated, Mimi knew.
"That's entirely up to you and Daddy."
"Oh," said Mimi going on out the door toward the stable. She had noword for Von who trotted at her heels, only a pat on the head. Togetherthey stood before the empty stall; Mimi leaning against the rail, Vonpressing against her knees. No proud head nuzzling against hershoulder, no welcoming neigh, no pawing. Daddy wouldn't sell Kingwithout asking her; Mimi knew that, but King was a valuable horse andDaddy might need the money to go to Germany. He couldn't take the horsewith him. She couldn't take him to Sheridan--or could she? Boardinghorses out a whole winter was dreadfully expensive. They'd have to dosomething with King. Wrapped in her calculations and nibbling at theapple intended for her pet, she wandered back toward the house andupstairs to her room.
There was very little breeze. The scent of honeysuckle was heavy. Shewas full and tired and had no inclination whatever to open her dufflebag and begin putting things in place.
"No wonder, I'm sleepy. It's quiet hour by camp time." So saying sheskinned her linen dress off over her head, kicked off her sandals,stretched out on her own bed and in two winks and no blinks was soundasleep.
Two hours later when Mother opened the door, Mimi opened her eyes butshe did not get up. She rolled over on her stomach, doubled her kneesup and propped her head in her hands.
"Could you stand another big surprise today?" Mother asked, handingMimi the afternoon paper. The paper was turned inside out putting theSociety Page on the outside.
"There," Mother added, putting her finger on an item.
Mimi was too sleepy to hurry. She had to shift her position to hold thepaper and as she moved leisurely she said to her mother:
"I suppose it says the charming and 'onliest' daughter of Dr. and Mrs.James Sherwood Hammond has returned from an extended vacation at CampMammoth Cave"--a big yawn--"and that her parents were tardy at thetrain?"
"Hurry, Mimi. This is important."
Mother, who usually had all the calmness and poise a doctor's wife soonacquires, was weaving her hands like Zasu Pitts before Mimi focused herblue eyes on the column.
"Mrs. Josephine Herold announces the engagement and approachingmarriage of her daughter, Alicia Jane, to Mr. Dick Donnell. The weddingwill be an event of early autumn."
"Umph! That's no surprise to me. I've known it all day long--for sure,"said Mimi superiorly. "Why, we even planned Miss Jane's wedding for heron the train this morning coming home."
"And what are her plans?"
"Well, I don't know exactly," Mimi had to admit, "but we're going to bein the wedding--all five of us who were in Miss Jane's hut at camp, andMiss Millie, too. We told her we were."
"And where will the wedding be?"
"Oh, Mother," laughed Mimi, "you sound just like that silly old nurseryrhyme about 'Mr. Frog went a courtin' and he did ride, umphum' saying'where shall the wedding supper be?' and if I answer like the rhyme,'way down yonder in a hollow tree,' that could be true for all I know.I don't care where it is just so I'm in it."
"A church wedding would be frightfully expensive for Mrs. Herold, Ifear; and since Mr. Herold passed away and Mrs. Herold had the housemade into two apartments, their present living quarters are rathercrowded. I wonder----"
Mimi did not know what Mother wondered until they were dressed for theafternoon and had driven over to Miss Jane's. Mimi had wanted to go bythe tennis court for two reasons; to show off her improved game and tosee Honky and return his tennis racquet he had let her take to camp.The way things turned out she was glad she went with Mother Dearbecause now she was in on the ground floor of all the lovely plans.
Mrs. Herold, Miss Jane, Mimi (who sat near the open door to wave helloin case any of her friends passed), and Mrs. Hammond were no soonerseated than Mrs. Hammond, with that charming directness of hers, cameto the point.
"Jane, my dear, Dr. Hammond and I are so grateful to you for thesplendid care you took of Mimi at camp that I want you to let me dosomething for you. You see, your mother and Dr. Hammond's Aunt Gay werein Sheridan together and that almost makes us kin." Mother was laughingand being her most winsome. Mimi had turned from the open door and waswatching her Mother and listening intently. "What I am trying to say,my dear, is, won't you and Dick marry at our house? It is so perfectlysuited to a simple home wedding, the stairs, the living room, receptionhall and dining room arranged as they are."
"Why, Mrs. Hammond, I don't know what to say. I never heard of anythingso wonderful! I love your house! I've been in and out there all my lifeand feel it's partly my home, too. What do you think, Mother?" sheasked turning to Mrs. Herold.
"Jane," little Mrs. Herold had tears of happiness in her eyes, "it'syour wedding and have it as you please. It could be a beautiful weddingthere--the white columns and the floor plan. It always has reminded meof the big house down on the plantation where your father and I werewed." Her voice had trailed away to a soft whisper.
Jane rose from her chair and sat on the needle point stool at herMother's feet and leaned her head against her Mother's knees.
"I'll have to speak to Dick, Mrs. Hammond."
"Only one thing I must add, Jane. We are closing our house the middleof September. The doctor has definitely decided to go to Leipzig. Ihave to get Mimi ready for Sheridan. If you could move the date up twoor three weeks, say to the first week of September, we could managebeautifully."
Everyone listening knew Mother Dear could do just that, managebeautifully.
That is how it happened that when twilight, September the seventh,came, all the streets for three blocks around the Hammond house wereblocked with cars. The driveway was kept open and cars were rolling upto the porte-cochere to deposit wedding guests, circling the backflower bed and moving out again. Well dressed ladies in dainty summerfrocks, gay young things, well groomed gentlemen were strolling up thefront walk and lingering in the cool shadows on the veranda until themusic invited them in.
Inside the house there was more commotion and excitement than on theoutside--florist helpers, caterers, two dressmaker's helpers, who wereserving as maids, were putting last touches here and there. No one wasmore important than Cissy. Even in the years to come when her own Mimiwould be a regal bride trailing down the steps of this same old housewhere Mammy had already seen two generations of joy and sorrow, shewould not be busier. There was, first of all, the caterer fromLouisville who was "acting Frenchy and puttin' on airs" and "bein' anabomination" to Mammy's soul. Yellow Fanny, who had helped Mammy onspecial occasions before, was as nervous as a cat. The yard boy wasdressed up in a fresh white coat opening car doors and the front screendoor and at every possible chance slipping back to the kitchen windowto tell those in the rear of the house what was going on out front.Fanny couldn't stay far from the window, and Mammy herself, as eager asany one not to miss anything, would listen intently and then declareshe couldn't do anything with "so many distractions." But she had donea great deal. The furniture was pushed back in the dining room to makeroom for the guests. There was a pile of white nap
kins on the buffet,but every available inch in the kitchen was stacked with plates andthere were rows and rows of tall thin glasses waiting to be filled.Tiny rolled sandwiches, what looked to Mimi like a tubful of chickensalad, beaten biscuits--and most wonderful of all, the wedding cake,tiers and tiers of cake with a miniature bride and groom on top. Thecaterer knew it was a work of art but it was Mammy in her new blackuniform and crisp white organdy apron and cap who, after the ceremony,would carry it in with candles flickering, place it in the center ofthe table and hand Miss Jane the silver cake server.
There was a green bank of luxurious ferns before the living roomfireplace forming an altar. Even now, the florist's helper was lightingthe tall cathedral candles on either side. The white satin stool forthe bride and groom to kneel on was placed just so. There was aprofusion of cut flowers everywhere. The delicately turned bannisterwas wound with southern smilax and a big white satin bow crowned thenewel post. Downstairs all was in readiness.
Upstairs there was an orderly confusion. Mother Dear seemedeverywhere--keeping order where chaos might so easily reign. She wasthe puppeteer behind the scene pulling the central strings making thewedding party act. There had been so many things.
Miss Jane had been ducky about having a rainbow wedding. Nothing elsewould satisfy her five little campers, who were now her junior (andonly) bridesmaids. She had chosen palest yellow for her gown palestyellow highlighting the deep waves in her golden amber hair andstriking little sparks of fire in her deep grey eyes. She had let herhair grow longer since camp and it curled softly to her face. Hergorgeous sheaf of sunburst roses added the perfect finishing touch tothe picture of a beautiful bride.
Miss Millie had been more fun at rehearsals than all the rest together.She always amused Mimi and since camp Mimi knew she would never be ableto be around Miss Millie long without being happy and gay. Miss Milliewas not pretty, but in her sweeping green dress she made a very dashingmaid of honor. To Mother Dear's great relief she had arrived with MissJane fully gowned and been smuggled up the back way--one less to dressupstairs.
The trouble lay with the five, and had from the beginning. Even beforethe color-of-dresses-difficulty arose, there was this matter of notbeing able to divide five into pairs, and bridesmaids must saunter downthe stairs two and two. Mimi was positive any deviation would ruin thewhole wedding! Perhaps because she was in the habit now of takingcharge of the five, or maybe it was to keep unpleasantness out ofanything connected with her wedding; at any rate, Miss Jane settled thefirst dispute most tactfully.
"But Sue," she had said and Sue, flattered, had heeded, "Sue dear Iwanted you to _play_ at my wedding--I must have a violin and I hadpictured you in a blue bouffant organdy dress with your violin underyour chin, playing and facing me as I came into the living room. Myknees may be a bit wobbly by the time I get my long dress down thestairs--if I get that far without tripping--and I'll need to see youplaying, 'Here comes the bride, here comes the bride!'"
Who could resist Miss Jane? Not Sue----
Then Jean, who had been superior at camp becauseshe-had-been-to-camp-before, was meek and agreeable because this washer first time to be in a wedding--the first time for them all--atleast the first grown up time. Margie had been a flower girl once butshe was such a baby then that didn't count. She and Jean had thrilledover pink for their frocks and they were to come down first. Thatcoming down _first_ had been another matter. Dottie had to be convinced(she with the logical mind and the determined-to-do-or-die disposition)that she and Mimi should be second because they were taller--start withthe short girls and work up to the tallest. If only Miss Jane weretaller than Miss Millie it would be perfect, but she wasn't. At thispoint Mother Dear had mentioned orchid dresses and peace prevailedagain.
Now the dark days of running to the dressmakers for fittings, andtrying to stand still and not to yell when a pin stuck, were over. Eventhe satin pumps, which, to be alike, had had to be bought white anddyed, had turned out successfully. Only getting the dresses on and thepumps on remained.
At the moment Mimi's arms were stretched high over her head, her hairwas caught on something or other, and she was wriggling and Mother wastugging trying to get the orchid dress over her head and down withoutmessing up her hair.
"There, we must hurry," said Mother giving the final jerk as Mimi'shead popped in view again.
"If I can balance on these heels and don't fall--why, oh why, didn'tMr. Zeigler finish them in time for me to practice wearing highheels--oh, Mother if----"
And then she saw herself in the full length mirror of the closet door.
"Oh," was all she could gasp at her radiant image.
"Sue, ready for you," called Mrs. Herold gently--"Reverend McKenzie ishere and we're about ready. You girls look so fresh and sweet." Mrs.Herold looked sweet herself.
"Thank you," from all five. They had brought the ensemble idea homefrom camp--when one spoke all spoke.
"Now, run along, Sue--careful----"
Sue met the pianist and soloist in the upstairs hall and the threequietly moved downstairs.
A--A--A--squeak, squeak, E--E--E--A--D--G--plink, plink.
The four girls giggled as they heard Sue tuning her violin. Dottie puther fingers in her ears and grimaced.
At the first strain of Cadman's "At Dawning" every trace of grindisappeared. A strange quiet pervaded the whole house. Voices hushed toa whisper, then died altogether. Fans ceased fluttering--"When the dawnflames in the sky, I love you--" The whole assembly had caught itsbreath in a lover's knot.
The bridal party assembled in the hall--all but Miss Jane. Her door wasstill closed. The minister, Dick and his best man had remaineddownstairs They were to enter from the dining room and Dick would meetMiss Jane at the foot of the stairs and give her his arm.
Mimi gripped Dot's arm.
"Oh, my gosh, I forgot something," she gasped in a stage whisper.Leaving Dot to remark, "You would" to thin air, Mimi caught her fulllong skirt up around her and ran on tiptoes into her room.
Bang went the cedar chest top against the window sill. Out came twoboxes to be dumped in vain in the middle of the floor. Desperately Mimigrabbed up her camp count book and holding it by the backs shook thepages till they rustled against each other.
"I must find it--I must!" she repeated. She was beginning to despairwhen a downy blue feather fell out. Clutching it firmly between herthumb and forefinger, Mimi headed for Miss Jane's door.
"Miss Jane, Miss Jane," she whispered tensely, turning the door knob asshe spoke--"I have something for you--you have to have it, please."
"Come in," Miss Jane invited as Mimi slipped through the door--"What inthe world?"
Mimi held out the feather.
"Here, Miss Jane. Stick this on you somewhere for luck. It's a bluebird feather I brought from camp."
"Luck?"
Miss Jane smiled as if Dick were the only luck she ever needed to behappy, but while Mimi explained she stuck the tiny feather under theribbon of her corsage.
"Yes. Every bride must wear:
'Something old, something new, Something borrowed, something blue.'
And you see Miss Jane, that's all of them. Oh, there goes the music----"
Before she finished talking, Jean and Margie had started. As soon asthey turned the landing, Dottie and Mimi fell in to the measured step.Holding their bouquets tightly against them and counting, listeningcarefully for the accent of the music and--trying to go slowly--thebridesmaids descended to the living room. Their tiny high heels madeprints on the soft satin laid over the carpet. Everything inside Mimiwas singing with Sue's violin and the piano. Again her magic trail ofbeauty stretched out before her. When the final triumphant cordssounded and Miss Jane paused for one moment at the head of the stairsMimi almost ceased to breathe. It was all too perfectly thrilling. HerMiss Jane could have stepped out of fairyland.
The ceremony, the reception and going away were events of a dream toMimi. She moved here and there and yet had no par
t in it. She kissedthe groom. She shrieked with glee when she bit down on the ring in herpiece of wedding cake. She hugged Miss Millie with the rest as Millie'slong arms caught Miss Jane's bouquet which she tossed over the stairswhen she ran up to put on her going away ensemble. She threw rice andrice and rice. Then all too soon it was over and the last car wasdisappearing down the driveway.
Mother and Daddy stood on the steps waving. Mimi was between them astep below. She could not see the long look they gave each other overher head which meant that some day, not so very many years away, theirown daughter would be going down the same driveway, a bride.