North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1865-07-19

yours FlDg3 DclicNe-ouc Will LcIuiu ia
you, aud then you will part. s-.--
Rose left her seat as he turned toward her
and crossing the room, calmly and sadly laid
the betrothal ring in my hand. a.s
a''Good-by," she said II must obey papa
I, is all over between us. Good bye,. Will
lam" s.as ..s .a
But could not be so calm. l caught her
hand and turned toward the stern old man
with his iron face. .....
"Do you remember your own youth ?" l
cried. 'Do you know what you are do
ing 2" . -.H.s ... s
And he answered, "My duty, hope. l
shall endeavor to secure the best interests of
my daughter. You will cease TO urge the
point when you hear that she is to marry
the Rev DR.. Benjamin Bitterworth week
from next Sunday" ...s..
Marry him :" cried. "Rose have you
consented to this Are you false to me 3
Have you"
He checked me with a solemn wave of the
hand.
"You have done your best to fill my
daughters head with folly" he said, shut
you have not succeeded. She has chosen for
her protector one of mature judgement, and l
am glad oft"
"Rose," cried, sis this true 2 Have you,
| Of your own will chosen him 2"
My father has commanded me-" was the
answer, "and l must obey"
turned from her, and fed from the room
and the no use, mad and blind with grief and
indignation.
''She is not what thought her." ! said
''She has been won by gold. My property
has lost ber to me-"
| Yet loved her still, aud the world seemed
dark and desolate. l had wild thoughts of
wandering away and hiding myself from the
eye Of mortal man, and was thankful that
excitement made me really so Ill that on Sun
day Of the wedding had ample excuse for
desertinc my pulpit, and, having procured
substitute spending the day in my own room
This at least was my intention, but,as the
| hours crept on, an influence which found it
| impossible to resist urged me to leave the
house and 60 ross the fields, and through
| the village 10 the church where Rose was to
be married, and witness the ceremony. l
| think ! was feverish-alnost delirious-
| Surely, wise judgement would have led me to
any other spot in the universe. But ! went.
1t was winter day, and the snow lay
.thickly on the country path trod. 1t
whitened the roofs and clung to the tall
spire, from which the bell rang clear and
sharp, upon the frosty air, listened to it.
'Surely,n said, "some awkward hand is at
the rope it is more like the peal tolled for
the dead than that rung for q merry wed,
ding" But this nigh: have been my fancy
for everything looked dark to me that day.
l knew this was so, for as l sat in sheltered
spot on the gallery looking down. those who
came in seemed to wear sad countenances
and to exchange mournful whispers,-yet
still the thought that it was more like fu
neral of my brightest hopes, of every mour-
ful dream which l have cherished"
Then there was a whisper a stir. The
bride was coming, l should see her again.
Could bear it2 strained my eyes. How
slowly they came, how gravely heads were
bent ; and they were dressed in black every
one of them. Was l going mad l saw
old Deacon Olmstead l saw Benjamin Bit
terworth. And what was this2 o merci.
ful Heaven the bride was coming. not in
bridal wreath and veil blus hing and heauti-
ul, but cold and white as marble, lying be-
meath that sable pail, motionless, sightIess,
dead to wor Is of earthly love for evernore
Rose Olmstcad was dead.
| They who lifted me from the floor, where
| had fallen, told me that she had died the
night before that she had been failing for
the last few days and that on that night
she had risen and knelt down to pray, it was
believed, for they found her kneeling with
her face upon her hands, quite dead. ''Her
heart is broken" the doctors said and / be-
| lieve them.
was very i'll after this so i'll that they
feared must die. But Death chose those
who were happier, an1 left me. dwell now
in the same old place, where can sit beside
my darng's grave IN the twilight of the
Sabbath eve,--an old man, weary with the
weight Of years. Yet shall be young again
sometime-young and happy in Heaven with
my lost one. s.e as ~ 4-.a
SD ONE,
One hour gained by rising early, is worth a
month IN A wear. ....r