The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-04-23

One morning day or TWO pruviou
to that decided upon as the day o
days, Elbridge was riding slowly hom,
from visit to his lady-love, hi
thoughts tinged with golden fancies
and bis heart stepped in sweet recolee
tions. In passing through wild ant
rocky glen, he was startled by the sud
den appearance of Katharine Denny
She was deathly pale, and her eye wal
blacker and more fearfully brilliant thar
ever. Elbridge dismounted, hung tn,
bride on his arm, and walking by bel
side, pleasantly passed the usual compli
ments. To these Katharine made nc
reply, but turning abruptly, and fixing
a gaze of intense meaning on her face
said calmly
Sand SO you are to marry Elizabeth
Blair?"
81 am" he replied smiling.
'It is happy and fortunate eircum
Stance to her." she reioined.
"But most of all to me-" added the
lover. A pause of some moments.
Then Katharine continued in a deep,
impressive tone -
"Mr. Elbridge, l love my cousin
Elizabeth as an own sister, but stronger
Than iny love for her, than my family
pride, is my sense of duty owe to my
pastor, to my church, to religion itself,
and must warn you before it is too
late"
"Good Heavensi!" cried Elbridge
what do you mean ?'
"Tell me-" she replied, "did not Dr.
N advise you of this marriage ?"
eyes"
"Strongly %
'Very strongly"
"Then, are you blind, are you mad ?"
she exclaimed, "can you not see the
trap laid for you? He would not mar
ry the poor girl, the drunkard's daugh-
ter, and puts her of upon you in his
calculating villainy. Beware!"
She then.turned and ran swiftly mp
the hillside at her left. Once she
paused on rock, many feet above him,
and while the wind bore back the dark
hair from her white cheek and brow,
she stood like very sibyl, and stretch
ing her hand towards him, cried SOL
emnly, "you are warned-rememhe |"
and disappeared amid the thick brush
wood.
Elbridge stood trans6xed with
amusement and horror, while the blood
ran cold through every vein. a faint
ness came over him, and he leaned for
support against his horse. But pres
emily he lifted up his head and smiled
a proud, happy smile. 81 will believe
in my Elizabeth," lie murmured, "as /
believe in that Heaven whose own
goodness and purity are written in eve
ry line of her sweet face" And he
went his way with heart strong in
faith, and richer than ever in love.
''Dear Elizabeth" said Elbridge, at
their next meeting, "If you have not
yet invited the guests to our wedding,
there is one of your relatives must ask
you to exclude-Katharine Denny"
"What! dear Kate, my only cousin !,
Why is this, Henry?"
81 will tell you sometimo-at present
grant my request, and trust me for my
reasons"
"lf it is your wish, l promise," she
said turning aside to hide her emotion.
| will not bore my reader with de
scription of the wedding. They were
married and started directly for Vir-
glnia.
Mary Blair, who seemed to possess
goOdly portion of her sisters spirit,
cheeriully took charge of her fathers
family.
Great was the grief of Elbridge's at
tached parishioners at the loss of their
faithful pastor, and he is remembered
by them with reverence and affection.
The morning after his marriage El-
bridge acquainted his wife with his
memorable interview with her cousin
in the glen.
SIT is well you did not tell me this
at the time," she said.
"Why, my love?" .c
81 never should have married you,
had you done So"
AS for Katharine Denny, she soon
after lost, unaccountably, all her relig-
ious zeal, "backslid" to her belle hood,
aud finally "astonished the natives by
runaway match with Tom Henderson.
9 n ai-
/ think / cannot better close my
story, than by quoting part of letter
from my friend DR.. N, to whom
had applied for information Of the after
fate of some of my characters.
'''The Elbridges have been married
some four or FIVE years. he writes,
"when | visited them with my wife at
their home in Virginia. We found
them living happily and harmoniously
with rparents," brother and widowed
sister of Elbridge, in the very midst OF
his "aristosratic connections" With
out being essentially changed, Eliza
beth Elbridge had become truly q
magnificent woman. Her beauty was
heightened to greater delicacy, by.
habits of elegance, and rendered strik-
ing by.rich. aud tasteful attire. Her
sweet face was softly shadowed by
lconstant care for poor Henry's health,
which / fonnd was not yet firmly es-
tablished. She had then one child, q
boy, and her brother "James," grown
a tall. fine looking lad, was with her.
She .was an admirable hoefass and T