The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-06-04
from me my last consolation: do not deprive
me Of the happiness or thinking that You might

from me my last consolation: do not deprive
me of the happiness or thinking that you might
have been mine, if not-D
"Hush!'' c,iee Mari. "Cease, coniure you:
you pierce me to the heartn
"Yes, ! hare the consoling thought that YOU
would have been mine. But am the most un.
fortunate of men--I am marriedp,
Mari raised her eyes with look Of amaze
ment.
81 am married, !" resumed the colonel--smar-
ried these four years, andneither know ,oho nv
wife is, nor THERE she is, nor whether | shall
ever meet her.n
"What can you mean? What is the mys.
tory? But go on, | beg of ysu-I will tell you
afterwards ds-o
"Here, then, J" said the colonel. sare the facts
In theyear 1912 was going to the wilma tc
join my regiment. arrived late one evening
ata station, aud ha just given orders to have
my horses Immediately harnessed, when sud-
denly there arose snow storm. The master
of the house and the postillion both strongly
advised me to postpone my journey; but, tenn.
pest OF no tempest, was resolved to push on.
The postillion took it into his head that he
banks he knew very well.
However, he missed the right ford, and
brought me to place which was totally
strange to him. The storm continued to rage.
but at length we described distant light. /
hastened toward It, and found myself outside
a church, whence the light proceeded. The
door was open. Sledges were waiting outside,
could shorten the way by crossing river whose
and several persons were standing in the porch.
One OF them called to me, "This way: this
wayp got out of my sledge, and entered the
church. One of the people in the porch said:
I'm the name Of Heaven, what has DELAYED
you? The bride has tainted, and we are all on
the point of returning home.o
Half bewildered and half amused, I Iresolyed
10 follow up the adventure. Indeed, was al
lowed no time to deliberate, for my impatient
friends hurried me into the interior Of tho
church, which was family lit by two or three
torches. A girl was seated on a beech in ;be
shadow, while another, standing beside her.
""' iuooii'S hei temples.
"At length," said the latter, ssGod be prais-
ed that you are come. My mistress was nearly
dying.''
'An old priest approached and said, .sShaIl
we begin ?"
"Oh, begin by all means my reyerend father. !,
replied | giddily
They assisted the young girl to rise. She
seemed very pretty. Through levy quite un-
Pardonable, and, as It now seems to me quite
lnconceivable, advanced beside her to the al
tar. Her servant and three men who were pre.
sent, Were so much occupied about her, that
they scarcely glanced at me. Besides. the
hight, as have said, was very dim, and nv
head was enveloped in the fur hood of NV
travelling pelsse.
In few moments we were married,
Embrace each other," said one OF the wit
nesses. My wife turned her pale face towards
me. For at instant she gazed as if petrified /:
then, falling backwards, she exc laimed, s.It is
not he Ii is not he!'
''Out of the church rushed, before the as
tonished priest and the bridal party had time
tothink ofmy flight. Jumped into the sledge
and soon left all pursuit behind.o
"And," said Mari, "dd you never ascertain
what became of that poor woman p,
'Neyer. do not know the name of the VIII
lage where was married, nor can I recollect
that of the station where l last stopped. AT
that time, so little Importance did attach to
my criminal levity, that, when all danger of
pursuit was over, fell asleep in the sledge and
did not awake until found myself at another
station. The servant whom had With me was
killed in battle, so that every clue seems lost by
which might discover the scene Of nv folly,
which now expirats so dearly,'
Mari turned her pale face fully towards him
and seized his hands.
"What!" cried Vourmin, s'was it you?o
"Don't you recognize me?,
A long and close embrace was the reply.