The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1842-09-30

hility, and subsequent interview will
Miss Alice, three days thereafter, at which
she did not scorn TO promise to bestow
her fair hand, with all the broad estates OF
which she is heiress in her mother
right on the humble farmers son whom
her father thought worthy of no better re-
turn, for the lives Of his two children,
than insult, outrage, and blow"
1t is needless to describe the rage of Sir
Wimo, and George on the 2erusal Of this
terrible letter. To verify il so far as re-
garded Alice-to spring on the best and
hee,est blood that his stable afforded, or
dering a servant to follow with travelling
carriage-was but the work OF few mi
nutes. TO reach the place to which he
was so ,auntingly invited, in time to pre-
vent the ceremony, he knew to be next TO
impossible. He saw that Fletcher had So
perfectly combined his plans, that he was
expected 10 arrive only to witness the COM
pIelion of his own humiliation, and the tri-
umpIl Of his now hated enemy, who
would then be placed beyond the reach of
vengeance by the protection o.; Alice as
his wife.
Still trusting 10 the chances of delay or
hindrance, and to the speed and bottom of
the horses they bestrode, they Numbered
over the road, followed by single groom,
and hoped yet 10 succeed in averiing the
threatened ruin and despair.
But to return. Alice stood, as | before
said, her face blanched 10 the hue Of death,
her eyes fixed in CLASSY stare, and her
whole frame as motionless as though
struck simultaneously with the frozen
spell Of eatalcPsy. Edward continued 10
lead his bride steadily onward, though
there was some movement Of surprise at
the sudden sirangcness Of this all-white
standing in the very middle of
The entrance, between them and the light
of the open sky without. The thought
crossed the mind Of most present, that it
was some maniac that had escaped from
their keepers, and had been attracted by
the event of the wedding and the open
door of the church. She stirred not
though they approached within TWO or
three PAGES of her, when Edward, bow
ing low and with smile, such as demons
may smile, saIuled her will.-"Wc thank
You, Miss Alice, for your kindness IN
coming thus, and all unattended. to wit
ness our wedding, and only regret that
YOU seem to have been a few minutes too
late. We would beg, too, the kindness
of being suffered 10 pass
The sound of his voice seemed TO break
the spell of the dealhly trance which had
locked her senses and arrested the currents
of her life blood. Gasping quick and
painfully, as though for the breath which
was leaving her, the red tide rushing back
from the heart, about which ii seemed 10
have retreatcd, almost cmpurpled her
whole lace--she ,rembled as though about
to sink to the earth and able to articulale
in hoarse and husky whisper onl " one
word, ~ ilCdrl "--she fell forward, and
was saved from falling quite to tlc ground,
on the stony tagging where they stood.
only by being caught in The arms of her
lover, now the husband of another bride.
Without trusting himself with another
glance at his lifelcss burIhen, the latter
hastily placed her in those of her maid,
bidding her tend her for few moments,
when her father would arrive; and at the
head of the bridal train, following his gai
dance, he passed as before out of the
church.
lie reached the gate Of the church-yaTd,
at which was still drawn up the chaisc
into which he was about to hand his bride,
just in time to meet the expected arrival
Of the other guests he invited to this Ill
omened marriage. Nothing would have
induced him to 20 before their arrival.
The BaIonet, Witnessing the issuing Of the
bridal train from the porch Of the church,
with another bride hanging on FIetcher's
arm than the one he bad expected TO find,
and seeing no appearance of Alice, was so
bewlldered as scarcely to have any dis
tinctus Of his faculties. lie sat, without
d'smounling, at the gate, staring half va
cantly at what he saw, till Edward adj
dressed him with bitter mockery Of POI
likeness.
.! am too happy, Sir Wilmot, at the IA
v0r Of your presence, loo much hOnorcd
that you should have ridden so far and so
fast 10 witness the wedding Of farmers
son, poor yeoman. sir, Of England. You