New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-04-05

| H"uASA PooSlOudtC grill FOT Gays MIS-,
waking something dreadful should
have occurred. AS days passed slow.
| ly by no tears ever dimmed the
eyes of Monitta, which were growing
fearfully brilliant, while bright scarlet
spot flushed up on either cheek and the rich
olive complexion pale each day. Not a
sigh, not complaint ever escaped her pal
I'D lips; but she chung closer and closer to
her mother each hour.
Chapter III.
Six short months ago Monitta was beauti
tul, strangely, wildly beautiful in the full
ness of life; now she was very thin, and her
once elastic step was feeble; vet she was
beautiful as an angel in the sweet spiritual.
ity which was daily stealing over her. She
had grown cheerful, and but for her rapidly
increasing love of God and the angels her
mother would have believed that her great
love had stayed the hand of death and that
the child of her heart would be spared to
her.
And Edward Montray. Had her brilliant
image faded from his heart? Far from
it. In every hour of loneliness she was
before him. In the crowded room of fash
ion and fair-faced beauty his heart longed
for the old hours with this child of nature
in all the witchery of her impassioned love.
And tonight, of all the nights, her great
| liquid black eyes haunted him: for tonight
| another was to become his bride, and he
could not silence the cry of his heart for the
only woman he ever loved. And in the
hushed agony of his soul he almost cursed
| himself for the choice ne had made. But
now another was involved; that other
would soon be his wife. She, too. must moi
fall victim to his selfshness. She mus
never suspect the wandering of his heart
from her. So he wore a smiling face, and
all thought him happy groom.
The guests had assembled in the spacious
halls OF Norwood home. The scene
was brilliant one. The bride was /
! queenly woman. All eyes were bent
upon the bridal group as they arranged
themselves before the minister. just as he
was pronouncing the first words of the Ger.
emory stir was in the hall, the grour
parted, the minister paused, and an Indian,
beautiful as vision, entered cast an ap
pealing look upon the group, tottered for
ward, uttered faint ejaculation. and fell
at the very feet of MOntray with the dark
/ lips.
The bride drew back, but her white slim
pered feet were dabbled with the blood o.
the dying girl, and a slow horror crept
throughout her heart as Montray sank be
I side the dying Indian, raised her in hi.
arms, pressed passionate kisses upon her
brow and face, and called on her for love o.
him to come back to life, and that he would
make her his bride in that very hour.
AS he swore that his heart was hers alone
and that death should not part them, Ellen
Norwood felt that even should the beantifn
Monitta die, Edward Montray could never
be more to her. From that room She
turned to pray, to struggle, and to conquer.
Mon1tta never spoke, but as she fell thC
passionate kisses of Montray and heard hin
swear that 1t was her alone whom he loved
glad smile broke over her face, her trem
bling hand pointed heayenward, dropped by
her side, and the pure spirit had taken it,
Edward Montray waved off every helnino
hand, raised the lifeless form of her whom
he now knew t. be dearer to him than All
the world beside, stepped into the carriage
and babe the man drive rapidly to Mrs
Bedfords. As he raised the now stiff
fleming form in his arms he stag
s saEe.. ..aaer ste FE'ec: :sss, but III
mothers should touch the form a.
hRllowed by his love. His som
seemed burning with indignation against
the world, whose fat had Induced him Il
loved. WV
As he stood by the dead, hard lines Of
grief settled in his face, and his Wretched
ness was 700 Qeep TO admit OF word OF re.
proach, even from the mother whose heart
seemed breaking in her woe. Mrs. Bedford
raised one raven lock, severed il. and
dropped 1t in the hand of the stricken. re
pentant mourner.
Edward, from tonight we are friends
Our griefs unite us. God gave. AM
he hath taken. Her pure spirit is in
heaven. know that che awaits US there,
your spirit bride and my spirit child. lei
itbe so. It is well.r
No word gave back a response, but the
mouth twitched, and the hard lines auiy.
cred.
Edward Montray left the state the dav
atter the burial, and never from that night
saw Ellen Norwood; indeed no thought q,
her seemed to enter his mind, but wear
afterward when he heard of her as a happy
wife, heavy weight seemed raised from IN
heart, and he became almost cheerful.
Thus 1t was that the ia ented, wealthy
and nohle.loOking Edward Montray came "a
liYe and die bachelor.