Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-05-26

him In tones of the faintest treble, and shaved
| off the moustache that ornamented her upper
| lp lhe old gentleman grew pensive He
asked himself, egotist that he was, whether the
| attentions and cares of so beautiful and charm
| ing widow might not be useful resource to
him III the ever increasing infrmities of his old
age. He went SO far as to study phrases of
| gallantry, which he threw out one after anoth-
err with much grimace and as Madame Labe-
doyere was as much pressed as he was, after
some moments OF hesitation and displays of be-
coming modesty, she consented to unite her
| heart and her slaves to the heart and slaves of
M. Duac.
The venerable couple and the two young To-
vers had thus changed VOWS the most dear,
| each one dreaming nothing but to receive the
sacrament OF marriage. Balthazar Polo, the
good Providence of all husbands was called
upon to witness the quadruple obligations
Without knowing it, the two couple had selec-
ted for their marriage the same day and the
same hour.
1t happened Also that all the bachelors at
Anayes, young and old, had agreed to receive
the nuptial benedicton the same day That
year is still called, in the annals of the parish
The gear of the aoeddings"
You know, Richard" said Therese to her
lover, that Father Polo has promised to
marry all who present themselves tomorrow
at noon, and the day after tomorrow at four
| o'clock in the morning. How embarrassing it
would be to marry before the whole world =
But my dear Richard if we were to marry
day after tomorrow at noon, who will see
us or if any do see u.s. being married them
selves, what can they have to say? Let us
marry, then my dear Richard, if you please
day after tomorrow, at four o'clock in the morn
ing"
The young bridegroom yielded so the force
of this reasoning, and parted from his betroth-
ed to make the necessary preparations for the
wedding.
One thing is worthy of remark, that the ca
price of the young and timid girl was likewise
the caprice of the wiful and headstrong Ma
dame Labedoycre She insisted with NJ. Du-
lac, that she would be married with the others
at noon, but would go to the altar incQgnito,
the day before lent, at four o'clock in the morn
ing. He consented.
At length the last day of carnival arrived.
The Joyous carnival was about to die, and Lent
raised its sharp-pointed vsage, when, at three
O'Clock in the morning the church was thrown
open, with discordant and furious gathering
Ear Polo, who had been performing the mar
rage ceremony all the preceding afternoon,
was the first at his post. The church was
speedily filed by the future conjuncts and their
friends, the happy pairs coming in one after
another, and forming spectacle of great va
riety and singular confusion Nearly all the
new bridegrooms were wrapped in cloaks of a
sombre hue, in which they sought protection
+bv, IL -,,ft T.,
the sky which the evening before had been blue
and serene, had suddenly become changed with
thick and muttering clouds March, the SPOIL
ed child of the spring, had passed from smiles
to tears, from pleasure to anger. Fourteen
couples, IN two opposing rows, the men on one
J side and the women Oh the other knelt down,
leaving an interval for the priest to pass along,
and unite the pairs by giving them his bcnedic-
ton. Behind the groomS stood the relatives
! and friends of each, ready to receive the bride
after the ceremony, and to conduct her in tri
umph to the house of her husband The body
of the church was buried in darkness, the only
lights being two candles of bceswax placed
upon the altar. Outside there was gathering
a terrible storm. As the dav advanced, the
night grew still more dark the wind blew
with great violence against the holy edifce,
and rushed in gusts through the half-open
door
In this deplorable circumstance of the night
and the storm, Father Polo saw, what others
had told him frequently, that it was necessary
to hasten the ceremony, if he wished the newly
married pairs to arrive without inconvenience
at their several homes. He hurried according
ly through the conjugal ranks, scarcely taking
time to place the wedding rings upon the fin
gers held out to receive them. The ring being
received the worthy Balthazar handed the
bride to her husbands friends, who hastened
to envelope her in her mantilla, and conduct
her home before the storm came on. This was
done more rapidly than can be described At
every step the good priest took, fash of
lightning Illuminated the heavens, a newly
married couple disappeared from the church,
and Father Polo proceeded to the next
In this hasty and touching ceremony, NJ Du-
lac and Richard Alveres were on their knees
at the side Of each other opposite to them
respectively were Madame Labedoycre and
Therese Paccard, both trembling, the one with
fear, the other with love-both cnveloped in
their cloaks-both stretching out their hands
for the wedding rings, with their heads bowed
down for the priests benediction. BalthaZar
Polo, more blind than ever, reached the two
couples at a rapid pace. Fourteen carriages,
the noise of the storm the glare of the wax
candles, the mantillas of the brides, brought
about very necessary result. The worthy
priest, troubled in heart and soul, placed Oh
the finger of the beautiful Therese the ring of
the old and withered Dulac, while Madame
Labedoyere received the ring of the handsome
Richard, and to end the ceremony, he handed
Therese to the friends of Dulac, and delivered
Madame Labedoyere to those of Richard. A
loud crash of thunder extinguished the beeswax
candles-the church was shrouded in darkness,
and Father Polo fervently commended to the
protection of Heaven all whom he had that
night made happy These hastened to mount