The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1864-07-07

nv WEDDING NIGHT.
i was ~ vsd6ssg aiest. 70
three msatea - Assa.se ENa 0Yahan
had bses prtnised 20 me, and tbi,
q at sss to aes her mine mine forev
~. How I had Get this night up in ID.
(vsssse, = The bsasos . stes, my barl
~ over the troublesome shoals and
now thought I was at last entering
the still heaven, where al would b
love, peace and JOY.
had known Ella Graham for year,
had seen her long - bright star il
the ornament, to be worshiped from
afar. She Was then above my reach
above even my hopes. I had looked
upon her, with sdmiration, IS thing o,
beauty I could never obtain. Her faith
or was rich merchant, and I . poo,
orphan clerk in his employ and wha,
chance had ! to aspire to her regard |
much more, her love and still more
her hard?
Time passsd on, and Ella and I be.
came thrown together too often for ms
peace Of mind. ! vat several yeare he,
senior, and, being much in favor with
her father, was occasionally invited
home with him and taken into the hear,
Of the family circle, whore I came in
cortact with Ella in I'll her playful
sweetness and child like simplicity and
purity. Little then dreamed she or sny
other Of the true state Of my feelings,
But though my tongue was client for
the time, my heart spoke through my
eyes and 10 my ungarde4 ats, and soon
the quick preception Of the object ofmy
idolatry saw and understood al but
saw with pleasure, not With scorn for
secretly her owo noble hcsrt beat res
ponsive TO mine.
MY hesrt is yours" sweetly mur
INJURED the blushing Ella, "but ask no,
my hsnd till you gain my fathers con
sent" ssat
oh, well do / remember how I lrem
bled, as It were, shrunk into myself,
when | approached that father, to avow
my almost guilty secret, and ask the
greatest boon that earth could give |!
10 silence he heard my confession.
"Wal.er Mowbray," he At length re
lied, with eterness that startled me,
Il vas not prepared for this revelation.
Another time you shall have my an.
swer."
l bowed and withdrew with sink
ing heart.
Nearlya week passed away before
Mr.. Graham and exchanged another
word. Then he sent tor me. When
entered the counting room, where he
was sitting alone, the place grew dark
and | was obliged to take hold Of .
chair to steady my reeling frame.
"walter Mowbray." he said, 'wha,
answer do you expect from me?"
Il am without hopea," I Ifaltered.
"Then shall your modest merit no,
90 nnrewarded. Three months from to
day, my daughter's hand shall be yours
and on the 6rst day Of next year, you
shall be greeted - ! partner in thia
house ~
l heard the words ; but, After the first
few, they seemed Is il coming from .
great distance. II may hass been IN.
manly certainly feel no pride in con
it--but my strange emotions
comoletely overpowered me. and I
tainted and fell.
This then, to return, Vas the night
20 hopefully and joyfully looked tor
ward to a. the one that was to crown
my happiness, and I wss already on my
way to tho splendid mansion oi the
bride.
A I VAS harrying on through quiet
street. wild cry Of murder rnng out
upon the still cir. At the 6rst CORNER
before me, aaw man rsnpisg, - il
to escape, and impdsssvely ! sprung for
ward. When | reached the spot from
which saw the man start, he was d
ready out Of sight ; bat leaning againss
tho wall Of the corner hopse, l perceiy.
ed female, who seemed in the act Of
falling. Without thought Of the con-
sequences, ran up to her, impulsively
threw my arm aroaad her Asd inquired
It she was hut. She sunk heavily mp
on my arm F; and - ] eased her down,
I discovered to my horror that thers
was blood upon hss dress about the 70.
gion of the heart, while glance at hsr
rather handsome features, showed ths
ghastly look Of death. Terrified at The
thought Of being found Slvuo thcro