Aunt Whilena's Wedding.

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 33, 2 November 1929, Page 28

Aunt Whilena's Wedding.

By

Lauretta Maud Willoughby

For "The Junior Dominion.”

The Golliwog sat upon the floor and polled his socks on. They were purple socks with narrow bands of yellow round the top. They were,his favourites. Only upon special occasions did he wear them: to-day was a very special occasion. It was his Aunt Whilena’s wedding. Aunt Whilena was a little past the marriageable age, otherwise she would not have consented to the Dutch Doll’s proposal. The Dutch Doll had a decided lisp, a habit of screwing up his nose when he talked, and a nervous giggle: but, as Aunt • Whilena’s mother had said, when Aunt Whilena covered her face with her hands and wept over the lisp, “You can’t afford to throw away your chances, and the Dutch Doll behind his lisp and behind his giggle is indeed a very charming man.” So Aunt Whilena strove to see the charming man behind the giggle, and, dreaming of his little house in the summer covered with roses, and in the winter, cosy'-with fires, grey smoke curling , from the chimneys like wisps of tulle, decided to marry him.

The Dutch Doll came, to see her, very nervous in a perfectly new hat, with a diamond ring in a velvet jewel-box, promising her yet another of pure gold upon her wedding-day. He then hurried home to prepare his little house for the coming of his bride. The Golliwog’s Aunt had told him very earnestly that she simply must have plenty of cupboards. She said, “You know, one can never have too’many cupboards." The Dutch Doll, feeling a little uncomfortable because he had so few, worked and hammered until dark, while Aunt Whilena sat at home busy with a list of invitations.

“Don’t forget your nephew Fuzzy Wuss,” said her mother. She was mending the holes in her great-great-grand-mother’s .veil. ~ “Oh, .Fuzzy Wuss!" cried his Aunt. “He’ll wear those dreadful purple socks, and he’ll want to sing. Surely I haven't to ask him!" . _ "You will be too nervous to notice his socks,” assured her mother, “and we will all be too excited to hear him sing. By all means, send him an invitation."'

So the Golliwog received a tiny envelope, his Aunt’s neat handwriting upon a slip of paper decorated with silver bells, and - bustled out to buy a wedding present. All the way along the road he was thinking,- "This is surely an occasion for my favourite socks: indeed, an occasion for my favourite song," and he hummed a-verse from "The Frog Who Would a-Wooing Go” as he walked along.

"It seems to me a very suitable song," thought he; “I’m sure if I thought all night I couldn’t think of a more appro-

priate song.” and he hummed the verse. 4 He stopped humming to think of Aunt Whilena’s wedding present, and then he stopped thinking of Aunt Whilena'* present to buy a lovely purple tie all spotted with little black diamonds, which he thought might enrich the colour of his socks. He chose for bis Aunt a tea-set of deep blue, had it wrapped in rustling tissue-paper, packed in a cardboard box. with "This way up" written upon it in coloured chalk, and carried it carefully home. The invitation said the wedding was on the 22nd of December at 7 p.m. That evening, at 6 o’clock, the GolHwo'g was pulling on-his socks. At half-past 6 he was fully dressed. At 7 o'clock he was staring, open-< mouthed, at Aunt Whilena, and Aunt Whilena was staring back at him, shyly and sweetly, from masses of chiffon and net. Now, Whilena’s mother was praising the little blue cups and saying how pretty; they would look hanging from the shining brass hooks in his Aunt’s kitchen, and how sure she was that he would be invited to tea the very first time they were used.' He must be sure not to forge? to take his music- To-night, of course, nobody was singing anything except "A Jolly Good Fellow.” She was sorry if he had set his heart upon a song, but really, she explained. "We are all too fidgety to listen." . She left him standing with his little head bent and his lips trembling, and a feeling that he would like to smash all the wedding presents. When all the guests stood up to sing “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” not.-one little word escaped his throat, ■ it was so full of lumps. His Aunt Whilena, watching him across the table, felt sorry, and, bubbling with the happiness that one bubbles with upon one’s wedding day, forgot she disliked his voice and the colour of his socks, in the desire to make him fee! comfy. A little cooing voice floated to him: “Fuzzy Wuss, dear, there is just ten minutes before we leave for our honeymoon: would, you please sing for us your ! favourite song?” The Golliwog looked at his Aunt Whilena, and, looking, thought her the prettiest Aunt he had ever seen. He laid down his table napkin, his little face flushed with joy. He bowed and walked silently to the piano. !

Everybody clapped and clapped. And Aunt'Whilena’s husband shouted, “More! More! Never-have I heard the ‘Frog Song’ sung with such expression!" He called from the carriage as they drove away: “You must come and sin® to us when we get settled." They could only see the top of the Golliwog’s back and .the back of his little black head: he was bowing to the ground.