Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1853-06-16

SlI
"Will you, kind lady, permit one
glance at your face, or eveslet me see
those lips that speak so sweetly?"
mot now, sir; in time you may, on
the condition that you tell your real
name, which, if l err not, is Edward
Beldenl All, you start-it is so, it is
sop
Lady, who are you? How do you
know me? Speak, 1 am lost in sur
prise"
81 knew her whom you have lost
knew your Josephine, and her last words
were, if ever you see my Edward, tell
him loved him better than life; that
from the hour he left me was dead to
all the world"
"Had sheread the rumor ofmy death?
l feared after / had read the mislaid let
ters, and heard of her removal from
Quincy, that it had broken her heart
and caused her death"
"She had heard the report, but some
thing whispered to her heart that you
still lived, and-I ought not to speak it,
yet l solemnly vowed to her that l would
endeavor to find you if you lived, to hear
your blessings, and"
The lady paused, seeming still more
agitated.
"Go on, angel of kindness, go on
your words are more than life to me!'
''She bade me, who had lost a noble
husband, try to win and wed you, to be
to you all that she would have been had
she lived to see you"
"Lady, l am already won-yet, in
loving you as l feel l must, l must love
her dear memory. This you will per-
mit-you who were her friend, who
closed her eyes"
"Yes; and you, if indeed we wed,
must call me Josephine. l will love as
well; will strive to make you happy"
"You can. But now, certainly, you
will permit me to see your face?"
''No; a whim (for all women have
whims, has seized me. If you willnot
consent to it, l shall feel that you have
no confidence in me; and if you do not
confde in me before marriage, we may
be unhappy afterwards"
Before you speak your wish, con-
sent to it. know not why, but l feel
that | love you-that with my honor, my
very life would trust you. Ask what
you will" ..'.-. .t.
at is that until the marriage vows
are spoken between us you do not see
my face; that even at the altar / stand
veiledi''
"What romantic creature You are.
am dying to gaze upon your face!"
"You promised to accede to my wish" ("
"True, and l dol But when shall the
happy hour arrive that will permit me
to raise that envious veil, which, like the
cloud that obscures the face of Venus in
the sky, casts a shadow on my heart?"
Whenever you please"
"Then let it be to-night-now, as soon
as we can find minister to perform the
sacred rites"
'fYou are indeed in hurry. Had l
not been well prepared by all that dear
Josephine had told me of your beauty,
your noble, but rather jealous heart, and
your manly virtues, | should object to
such haste. But as it is assuring you
hat l dearly love you, Edward, l con-
sent to whatever you propose"
"You bade me call you Josephine; l |
will, for it is dear name to me. Sweet
it is not late. You have two |
friends, lady and gentleman, with !
Fou, in whom you can confide. | will
all carriage; we will take them along
Is witnesses, and drive at once to the
Missouri Hotel, where / lodge. A min
ster shall be sent for-we will be mar
led, and then that mask, that pretty,
put to me most odious mask, shall be |
hrown into the fire, and your bright
Eyes and lovely face-for / know you
are beautiful-shall shine out like a
May sun, as it rises from the flowery
EAST"
perhaps you may not find me so
The lady sighed as she
'poke. l-s
$50 long as hear your sweet voice,
hall love you, nevertheless. Go find
Tour friends; be ready-I will order
:arriage." 5- O.. Tlz
1t was an hour later. In the elegant
,arlor of the hotel before spoken of,
TODD Edward Belden, still in his cava-
ier dress, but unmasked, and by his
tide the fair stranger whom he had met
1t the ball, but she was yet masked.-l
His fine figure and manly faee-now
,ronzed by exposure-elicited the admi-
-ation of all who were present, for he
lad invited the guests Of the house to
witness this singular wedding. A scar
which scanned his high brow did not i'm
pair his beauty.
The minister arrived, The usual pre-
iminary questions were asked, the cere-
nony proceeded, and Edward Belden
and his new found love pronounced man
and wife. Then all eyes were turned
towards the bride. As her husband laid |
his hand upon her mask it trembled with
excitement--ber form quiyered too with
agitation. sf1 s
He lifted the mask. Two fearful eyes,
fearful with JOY, gazed up in his own--a
soft voice murmured, Edward, my own
Edwardp