The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1865-07-01
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Night E:efore the Wedding.

Night k.e1Orc the wedding.
"This must be lie last OF your wedding
gifts, Vaninka," said Madam Brentano, hand
ing small package to her daughter - as
yen are to lie married tomorrow, and it is
now quite late in the evening, think there
will be no more"
Mother" said the young girl. in fright
ened tone. holding up a mil Jet necklace
the contents of the package see, it is black
1t is ominous. Oh, what grief can be in
store tor Henry and me y
None, none, Faninka. this is mere fol
ly." said her mother IN IA tone of rebuke.
but it was some minutes before the young
maiden recovered her calmness. Then, con
quering her weak ness by a violent effort, she
said, lightly:
"a l am not silly, mother. You will laugh
when tel you it but my blood ran cold
and my flesh seemed to creep as touched
this bauble, as if it had been serpent. See,
i do lot mind It now!'
FanInka Brentano was the only child of a
wealthy Prussian cUmuoner. She b I'd been
long berrothed to Henry Werder, Il vourg
officer III the Prussian army; hut owing to
the wars in Europe their wedding had been
long delayed. Now, however, there was peace.
and the lovers were to be united the day after
The toward The eud OF which my story
commences. Naninka was devutedly attach
ed To her betrUtiied. and to- happy 1t the
near approach ot their nuptlais TO allow the
black Leckace to disquiet her long. Her
IarentS lett the room, and. throwing herself
into chair, she leaned herself against its
back. and sank into revere, her fingers me-
chanically play, d the while with her last gilt.
II was easy to that her rtrec' IoI.s were of
= pleasant lure, for ever and anon beauti-
tul smile stole over her features. and tad n z
gradually away, still left the same EXPIRE sion
OF qule, happiness She had been sitting
there some time, when another person enter
ed. He was a young, haud on man. dressed
in ful. Pruss al uniio.m. His face was pale,
aud Wore agltated l. Ok, strong s contra /
ing with the peaceful suiles Eani"ka S
lips. She did not hear him enter, and l:e
stood lor moment looking, with eyes cam
ing with tenderness. upon her; then, with
.he air vi 4 MAJ, who has DIST tessing duty
to perform, he ADVANCED aid stood before
her.
Henry!" she exclaimed, starting to her
feet. Il did not expect YOU this evening ;
has anyth ng hapI eurd =
Much, much. tanIni,a. Sit down again,
and will take this stool at Your ieet. My
own beloved, l came to tell you that our
we-di.g must be postponed
"Uar wedding!' cried tie aston:shed girl.
Even So! 1ou are astuLished, perhaps
hurt bare l told you too abrubty? LOOK
in my iace, Eaninha. an': what | suffered
before would g:eve You with bad news"
But, Henry, do not understand. Why
must we wat slIll louger!''
because must leave you in twenty min
utes."
Leave me-
"Ies Napoleon has left Elba, and is ever
i.,uy Tho rff.-
half an Hour."
Heury, am l wake? No, TO. Henry, you
are not in earnest. Ah!'' she SAID, shu,.d-ring
rs she caught sight OF the necklace, a. ! said
it Was OMNIBUS l-l-Henry, yLu cannot
l-ave me. Tonight, too. the very III b, be-
fore the wedding!'
"Vaninka = he cried s,raining her to his
breast, must go; see the clock points to
the time l set to leave YOU. Nanluka! She
had tainted Better So T. Aud kissing her
pale face again aud again, he laid her OH the
sofa and went i'll search Of her rents. \
few words told them all. and bearing their
tervent blessings he departed.
Weeks passed, and Naninka heard nothing
from her lover. She grew pale and thin
her movements we're iausuid aud her former
light step grew slow and heavy. She no
longer sang at her work, but would let her
fs'ii s4ot'-eSih It4tp Alti anu
deep sighs, while sometimes the great tears
rolled unheeded down her cheeks.
At length there came the news of the battle
of Waterloo; Napoleon had been defeated,
and all Europe was ringing with the tdings.
Vaninka's suspense now amounted to per
feet agony. Henry" she would cry, Is
he killed? o, when Will he come p
One morning when She was seated with her
motner, sewing, she was told that a Prussian
officer wanted to see her. With her heart
trembling between fear and hope she obeyed
the summons. AS she slowly entered the
room, stranger rose, and advanced 10 meet
her.
"Mademoiselle Brentano?' - he inquired,
bowinc
The same Will you be seated, sir?'
am Frederick Lston; served in the
battle Df Waterloo, il the same regiment
with Henry Werder, aud he reqt ested me to
deliver this 20 you And as ..e finished, he
pl ced a small package in her hand.
Why don't he come himself? He is not
dead? On, say ne is not dead " she said,
in voice oi such imploring agony that the
young soldier felt the tears rise in his ewes
& Lady," he said, in sad tone, Henry
fell at Waterloo! =
She did not scream or faint, but sank into
a chair near ner, with OILY moan of agony.
He mIstook her silent, fearless agony tor
calmness, and began TO relate the particulars
OF his comrades death. and delivered his dv-
ing message to his betruthed. Vaninka
heard every word but she neither spoke nor
stirred, but with her eyes fixed on the little
package he had given her. He left her. and
her mother iourd her half an hour after still
In the same position.
"Naninka," she said, who was your visi.
tor 2" There was no answer
VaninkaT' she said again, "are you
ill?' and she laid her hand gently upon her
arm.
her eyes.
Who is dead darling o. asked her m 9TH
er. frightened at her strange tone.
Vaninka slowly opened her package, and
drew out the ring ard hair it contained, muir
mnring Henry! Oh, mother. he is dead J"
and she fell sobbIng in her mothers arius;
We now change the scene TO Waterloo in
the hitter part Of the BATH, between the
armies OF Napoleon and Wellington. The
morning we choose was the one ia which the
Imperial Guard OF the Emperor thre. them
selves between the advancing Prussian forces
and the English army to prevent their joining
their forces. Henry Werder, at the head OF
bis regiment, felt his heart thrcb with intense
e2cne meni as the two immediate columns,
the hover OF the French army, advanced up
on the English troops. They came on in ST.
iencr, until withiE range of the batteries pre-.
Pared to receive the n !; then the terrible dis
charge, seeming to rend heaven aud earth,
scattered death among their ranks Still
these veterans advanced. The honor Of their
nation was in peril; they con'd die but not