Middletown transcript., 1868-02-22
le :. 01J nI -s17ll0W a " TI|
An's5n,ttel.rliess!itting Stup,
THE SUDDEN CHOICE


IA few years agoI made one of the
seventy-nine passengers on board the fast
steamer Emily Barton bound up the Ten
nesseesd Aipleasant, Intelligent, go-ahead
captain, n good steward, and social, refined
company, made the trip one. of pleasure,
indeed long shall remember the ssaaey-
Emily Barton and her superb living
freight. One lovely summer afternoon, it
was whispered that we were to- have a
wedding before the boat reached her des-,
tination; said whisper started first low
near the ladies cabin, and speedily made
its way to the hall, the boiler deck, and.
even TO the main; likdlthe snowbally down
the mountain, gathering size and momen-
tum, as it rolled forward, until the prin-
cipals in the interesting scene were not
only pointed out, but the pcfsons-somc
scraps in the history of each fiction, fact
and surmise, all hashed up ingeniously
leaving you in the half pleasant, half pain
full suspense and doubt that opens the eyes
so wide and strains the drum of the ear SO
tight to alltranspiring around you. Well,
We landed to wood at magnificent beach
bottom, the tall, heavy-leafed trees, with
silyer-gray trunks, making deep cool
shade, while they, that bore them, were
in the CLASSY river, reflected, SO clear, SO
true. that inversion only pointed the false.
from real. ~. +. i5r.-,57 h=.- : -...,,..'g. =.
Cutting this charming spot in twain
came murmuripg crystal brook, scarce
four spans wide, to loose itself in the mass
OF Tennessee waters, they in turn to- be
alike lostin the boundless sea. aHliisns 7.i
No sooner was the staging out than
there emerged from the ladies' cabin fine,
manly looking fellow, dressed in faultless
taste, intellect beaming in every feature,
while all over his face perfect happiness
shone like phosphorus ON the sea, and
leaning on his arm was the most lovable
woman it has ever been my lot to behold;
her fine hazel eyes (tell-tales that they
were) speaking deep emotion, and her ex-
pressiye lip quivering with deep suppressed
excitement, while her step, dress and
grace was that Of a queen. +" There they
arei "That's her =" NJ. -.. E. ..l..lv =
--..Oh how handsome ~ burst from many
q lip as we instiuctiyely, made way to let
them pass to the altar, and where that was
we had about as clear an idea as a trans
cendentalist generally has of what he is
talking about. But one thing we all
seemed to know. that'there was fun ahead
and to fall in their wake was the way to
see Il, silI 7ar no .h'iaaFa piasii1 gsg'Ef
As the ladies passed, gallant arm arm was was
offered to each, and thus We marched out
of the cabin, down the stairs, across the
staging, and up the sloping bank. Some
hftY yards up the brook the pair stopped,
sand. joining hands, they stood with clear
water between them--bridged as il was
with their twining fingers, and crossed by
q stream of love as pure as itself All,
was silent, still, until broken by the min,
lister reading In an Impressive manner. -.
f-And of the rib which the Lord God
hath taken from man made he woman and
brought her unto the man. And Adam
said. this 10 now bone of INV bone. and
flesh Of my flesh she shall be called wo.
man, because she was taken Of man. !.
Therefore shall . man leave his father and
mcther and cloaxe unto his wife and, they
SHAH be one flesh. ..ssllsl'g
He closed the book and offered most
aopchiRg prayer not . heart but seemed
te1eel that earnest appeal to the throne Of
grace. 70 ei..- -.-.7geil
Then, asking the usual questions, he
pronounced them husband and wife. The
bride, slowly sinking on her knees, raised