betty zane-第12部分

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〃I　really　do　not　care　to　hear　about　it；〃　interrupted　Betty。

〃But；　Betty；　tell　us。　Wasn't　it　dreadful；　his　carrying　you？〃　asked　Alice；　with　a　sly　glance　at　Betty。　〃You　know　you　are　soso　prudish；　one　may　say。　Did　he　take　you　in　his　arms？　It　must　have　been　very　embarrassing　for　you；　considering　your　dislike　of　Mr。　Clarke；　and　he　so　much　in　love　with〃

〃You　hateful　girls；〃　cried　Betty；　throwing　a　pillow　at　Alice；　who　just　managed　to　dodge　it。　〃I　wish　you　would　go　home。〃

〃Never　mind；　Betty。　We　will　not　tease　anymore；〃　said　Lydia；　putting　her　arm　around　Betty。　〃Come；　Alice；　we　will　tell　Betty　you　have　named　the　day　for　your　wedding。　See！　She　is　all　eyes　now。〃

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The　young　people　of　the　frontier　settlements　were　usually　married　before　they　were　twenty。　This　was　owing　to　the　fact　hat　there　was　little　distinction　of　rank　and　family　pride。　The　object　of　the　pioneers　in　moving　West　was；　of　course；　to　better　their　condition；　but；　the　realization　of　their　dependence　on　one　another；　the　common　cause　of　their　labors；　and　the　terrible　dangers　to　which　they　were　continually　exposed；　brought　them　together　as　one　large　family。

Therefore；　early　love　affairs　were　encouragednot　frowned　upon　as　they　are　to…dayand　they　usually　resulted　in　early　marriages。

However；　do　not　let　it　be　imagined　that　the　path　of　the　youthful　swain　was　strewn　with　flowers。　Courting　or　〃sparking〃　his　sweetheart　had　a　painful　as　well　as　a　joyous　side。　Many　and　varied　were　the　tricks　played　on　the　fortunate　lover　by　the　gallants　who　had　vied　with　him　for　the　favor　of　the　maid。　Brave；　indeed；　he　who　won　her。　If　he　marched　up　to　her　home　in　the　early　evening　he　was　made　the　object　of　innumerable　jests；　even　the　young　lady's　family　indulging　in　and　enjoying　the　banter。　Later；　when　he　come　out　of　the　door；　it　was　more　than　likely　that；　if　it　were　winter；　he　would　be　met　by　a　volley　of　water　soaked　snowballs；　or　big　buckets　of　icewater；　or　a　mountain　of　snow　shoved　off　the　roof　by　some　trickster；　who　had　waited　patiently　for　such　an　opportunity。　On　summer　nights　his　horse　would　be　stolen；　led　far　into　the　woods　and　tied；　or　the　wheels　of　his　wagon　would　be　taken　off　and　hidden；　leaving　him　to　walk　home。　Usually　the　successful　lover；　and　especially　if　he　lived　at　a　distance；　would　make　his　way　only　once　a　week　and　then　late　at　night　to　the　home　of　his　betrothed。　Silently；　like　a　thief　in　the　dark；　he　would　crawl　through　the　grass　and　shrubs　until　beneath　her　window。　At　a　low　signal；　prearranged　between　them；　she　would　slip　to　the　door　and　let　him　in　without　disturbing　the　parents。　Fearing　to　make　a　light；　and　perhaps　welcoming　that　excuse　to　enjoy　the　darkness　beloved　by　sweethearts；　they　would　sit　quietly；　whispering　low；　until　the　brightening　in　the　east　betokened　the　break　of　day；　and　then　he　was　off；　happy　and　lighthearted；　to　his　labors。

A　wedding　was　looked　forward　to　with　much　pleasure　by　old　and　young。　Practically；　it　meant　the　only　gathering　of　the　settlers　which　was　not　accompanied　by　the　work　of　reaping　the　harvest；　building　a　cabin；　planning　an　expedition　to　relieve　some　distant　settlement；　or　a　defense　for　themselves。　For　all；　it　meant　a　rollicking　good　time；　to　the　old　people　a　feast；　and　the　looking　on　at　the　merriment　of　their　childrento　the　young　folk；　a　pleasing　break　in　the　monotony　of　their　busy　lives；　a　day　given　up　to　fun　and　gossip；　a　day　of　romance；　a　wedding；　and　best　of　all；　a　dance。　Therefore　Alice　Reynold's　wedding　proved　a　great　event　to　the　inhabitants　of　Fort　Henry。

The　day　dawned　bright　and　clear。　The　sun；　rising　like　a　ball　of　red　gold；　cast　its　yellow　beams　over　the　bare；　brown　hills；　shining　on　the　cabin　roofs　white　with　frost；　and　making　the　delicate　weblike　coat　of　ice　on　the　river　sparkle　as　if　it　had　been　sprinkled　with　powdered　diamonds。　William　Martin；　the　groom；　and　his　attendants；　met　at　an　appointed　time　to　celebrate　an　old　time…honored　custom　which　always　took　place　before　the　party　started　for　the　house　of　the　bride。　This　performance　was　called　〃the　race　for　the　bottle。〃

A　number　of　young　men；　selected　by　the　groom；　were　asked　to　take　part　in　this　race；　which　was　to　be　run　over　as　rough　and　dangerous　a　track　as　could　be　found。　The　worse　the　road；　the　more　ditches；　bogs；　trees；　stumps；　brush；　in　fact；　the　more　obstacles　of　every　kind；　the　better；　as　all　these　afforded　opportunity　for　daring　and　expert　horsemanship。　The　English　fox　race；　now　famous　on　three　continents；　while　it　involves　risk　and　is　sometimes　dangerous；　cannot；　in　the　sense　of　hazard　to　life　and　limb；　be　compared　to　this　race　for　the　bottle。

On　this　day　the　run　was　not　less　exciting　than　usual。　The　horses　were　placed　as　nearly　abreast　as　possible　and　the　starter　gave　an　Indian　yell。　Then　followed　the　cracking　of　whips；　the　furious　pounding　of　heavy　hoofs；　the　commands　of　the　contestants；　and　the　yells　of　the　onlookers。　Away　they　went　at　a　mad　pace　down　the　road。　The　course　extended　a　mile　straight　away　down　the　creek　bottom。　The　first　hundred　yards　the　horses　were　bunched。　At　the　ditch　beyond　the　creek　bridge　a　beautiful；　clean　limbed　animal　darted　from　among　the　furiously　galloping　horses　and　sailed　over　the　deep　furrow　like　a　bird。　All　recognized　the　rider　as　Alfred　Clarke　on　his　black　thoroughbred。　Close　behind　was　George　Martin　mounted　on　a　large　roan　of　powerful　frame　and　long　stride。　Through　the　willows　they　dashed；　over　logs　and　brush　heaps；　up　the　little　ridges　of　rising　ground；　and　down　the　shallow　gullies；　unheeding　the　stinging　branches　and　the　splashing　water。　Half　the　distance　covered　and　Alfred　turned；　to　find　the　roan　close　behind。　On　a　level　road　he　would　have　laughed　at　the　attempt　of　that　horse　to　keep　up　with　his　racer；　but　he　was　beginning　to　fear　that　the　strong　limbed　stallion　deserved　his　reputation。　Directly　before　them　rose　a　pile　of　logs　and　matted　brush；　placed　there　by　the　daredevil　settlers　who　had　mapped　out　the　route。　It　was　too　high　for　any　horse　to　be　put　at。　With　pale　cheek　and　clinched　teeth　Alfred　touched　the　spurs　to　Roger　and　then　threw　himself　forward。　The　gallant　beast　responded　nobly。　Up；　up；　up　he　rose；　clearing　all　but　the　topmost　branches。　Alfred　turned　again　and　saw　the　giant　roan　make　the　leap　without　touching　a　twig。　The　next　instant　Roger　went　splash　into　a　swamp。　He　sank　to　his　knees　in　the　soft　black　soil。　He　could　move　but　one　foot　at　a　time；　and　Alfred　saw　at　a　glance　he　had　won　the　race。　The　great　weight　of　the　roan　handicapped　him　here。　When　Alfred　reached　the　other　side　of　the　bog；　where　the　bottle　was　swinging　from　a　branch　of　a　tree；　his　rival's　horse　was　floundering　hopelessly　in　the　middle　of　the　treacherous　mire。　The　remaining　three　horsemen；　who　had　come　up　by　this　time；　seeing　that　it　would　be　useless　to　attempt　further　efforts；　had　drawn　up　on　the　bank。　With　friendly　shouts　to　Clarke；　they　acknowledged　themselves　beaten。　There　were　no　judges　required　for　this　race；　because　the　man　who　reached　the　bottle　first　won　it。

The　five　men　returned　to　the　starting　point；　where　the　victor　was　greeted　by　loud　whoops。　The　groom　got　the　first　drink　from　the　bottle；　then　came　the　attendants；　and　others　in　order；　after　which　the　bottle　was　put　away　to　be　kept　as　a　memento　of　the　occasion。

The　party　now　repaired　to　the　village　and　marched　to　the　home　of　the　bride。　The　hour　for　the　observance　of　the　marriage　rites　was　just　before　the　midday　meal。　When　the　groom　reached　the　bride's　home　he　found　her　in　readiness。　Sweet　and　pretty　Alice　looked　in　her　gray　linsey　gown；　perfectly　plain　and　simple　though　it　was；　without　an　ornament　or　a　ribbon。　Proud　indeed　looked　her　lover　as　he　took　her　hand　and　led　her　up　to　the　waiting　minister。　When　the　whisperings　had　ceased　the　minister　asked　who　gave　this　woman　to　be　married。　Alice's　father　answered。

〃Will　you　take　this　woman　to　be　your　wedded　wife；　to　love；　cherish　and　protect　her　all　the　days　of　her　life？〃　asked　the　minister。

〃I　will；〃　answered　a　deep　bass　voice。

〃Will　you　take　this　man　to　be　your　wedded　husband；　to　love；　honor　and　obey　him　all　the　days　of　your　life？〃

〃I　will；〃　said　Alice；　in　a　low　tone。

〃I　pronounce　you　man　and　wife。　Those　whom　God　has　joined　together　let　no　man　put　asunder。〃

There　was　a　brief　prayer　and　the　ceremony　ended。　Then　followed　the　congratulations　of　relatives　and　friends。　The　felicitations　were　apt　to　be　trying　to　the　nerves　of　even　the　best　tempered　groom。　The　hand　shakes；　the　heavy　slaps　on　the　back；　and　the　pommeling　he　received　at　the　hands　of　his　intimate　friends　were　as　nothing　compared　to　the　anguish　of　mind　he　endured　while　they　were　kissing　his　wife。　The　young　bucks　would　not　have　considered　it　a　real　wedding　had　they　been　prevented　from　kissing　the　bride；　and　for　that　matter；　every　girl　within　reach。　So　fast　as　the　burly　young　settlers　could　push　themselves　through　the　densely　packed　rooms　they　kissed　the　bride；　and　then　the　first　girl　they　came　to。

Betty　and　Lydia　had　been　Alice's　maids　of　honor。　This　being　Betty's　first　experience　at　a　frontier　wedding；　it　developed　that　she　was　much　in　need　of　Lydia's　advice；　which　she　had　previously　disdained。　She　had　rested　secure　in　her　dignity。　Poor　Betty！　The　first　man　to　kiss　Alice　was　George　Martin；　a　big；　strong　fello