The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-04-28
THE NIGHT BEFORE THE WEDDING.

small package to her daughter, ''as YOU are tc
| be married o-morrow, and it is now quite late
in the evening. l think there will be no
more"
Smother" said the young girl, in a frighten.
ed tone, holding up small jet necklace, The
contents of the package, 'see it is black 1t is
ominous. Oh, what grief can be in store for
/ Henry and me ?"
"None, none, Eaninka, this is mere folly, j
SAID her mother in a tone of rebuke.
But 1t was some minutes before the young
maiden recovered her oalmness. Then, con-
quering her weakness by violent effort she
/ said, lightly:
4 am not silly, mother! You will laugh
when tell you it; but my blood ran cold, and
my flesh seemed to creep as / touched this bau-
bic, as 1t had been q serpent, See, | do net
mind it now?7
Faninka Brentano was the only child of a
wealthy Prusslan commoner. She had been
long betrothed to Henry Werder, young Off
Ger IN the Prussan army but 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
one toward the end of which my story COM
mences Naninka was devotedly attached to
her betrothed, and too happy AZ the rear ap-
pr0ach OF their nuptials, to allow the necklace
to disquiet her long. Her parents left the
room, and throwing herself into chair. she
leaned her head against It's back and sank into
q reTeFie, heE fingers mechanically playing the
wie with her last gift. 1t was easy to see
that her reflections were OF . pleasant nature.
for, ever and anon beautiful smile stole over
her features. and tadiag gradually away. still
LETT the saEsc expression of quiet happiness
She had been sitting there sometime. when an
other person entered The room, The intruder
was young, handsome man, dressed IN full
Prussiau uniform. HIS face was pale. aud
wore an agitated look, strongly contrasting
With the peaceful smile on Faninl.a's lips
She Gid not hear him eater, and he stcad for
:. moment looking, with his eyes baamng with
tenderness upon her, then with the air Of a
man who has a distressing duty to perform, he
a,Ivapnad and e+oaI -l.e-c s.i-z
u did not expect you this evening; has any
thing happened2'
''ATuch, much, Yaninka. Sit down again,
and will take this stool at your feet. My
own beloved, came to tell you that our we'd
ding must be postponed"
"Our wedding p cried the astonished girl.
L
hurt have told you abruptly? Lock in my
face. Vauinka. and see what l have suffered
before l would grieve you with my bad news" ."
"But Henry, DO not understand. Why
must we wait still longer ?"
'Becanse I must leave you in twenty min
utes"
Leave me?"
"Yes! Napoleon has left Elba, and is even
now in Paris; cur troops leave the city in hait
an hour"
..Hcnry! am I awake - '.So, no, Henry,
you are not in earnest. Ah !" she said, shud-
dering as she caught sight of the necklace, -
said it was ominous I-I-Henry, you can,
not leave me. Tonight too! the very night
before the wedding"
''Vaninka p he cried, straining her to bis
breast, Il must 90 see the clock points to the
| time | set to leave you.-Vaninka She has
| tainted! Better so! And kissing her pale face
again and again, he laid her on the sofa and
went in search of her parents. 4 few words
told them all, and bearing their feryent bles.
sings, be departed.
Weeks passed. and Vaninka heard nothing
from her lover. She grew pale and thin hel
movements were languid and her former light
step grew slow and heavy. She no longer SANG
at her work but you'd let her hands fall list
Iessly into her Tap, and heaye deep sighs, whilt
sometimes the great tears rolled unheeded dowr
Ler cheeks
At length there came the news Of the battlt
Of Waterloo; Napoleon had been defeated
and all Europe was ringing with the tidings
Taninka's suspense now amounted TO agony
''Henry!" she would cry, sis he killed 0
when will he come 2"
One morning when she was seated with hel
mother, sewing, she was told that a Prussiar
officer wanted to see her With her heart
trembling between fear and hope she obeyed tht
summons as she slowly entered the room,
stranger rose, and advanced to NEE, her.
s'MademoiseIle Brentano?" he inquired, bow
ing.
"The same. Will you be seated, sir -
'I am Frederick I4ston; ! served in the bat
lie Of Waterloo, in the same regiment witt
Henry Werder, and he requested me to deliver
this to you" And as he finished, he placed
small package in her hands.
''Why don't ne come himself? He is no
, dead Oh, say he is net dead y she said in
voice Of such imploring agony that the youn
soldier felt the tears rise in his eyes.
LADY; ne s9Ao IL d Sau zone, iiel'y iei
at Wateri0ol"
She did not scream nor faint, but sank int
the chair near her, with only moan of agony
He mistook her silent, fearless agony for calm
ness, and began to relate the particulars Of hi
comrades death, and delivered his dying mes
sage to his betrothed. Vaninka heard ever
word, but she neither spoke nor stirred, br
with her eyes fixed ON the little package he hs
given her. He left her, and her mother foun
her, half an hour after, still in the same p'
sition.
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