Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1869-07-07
$rlefteo SAistelIatlu.
THE BRIDES TOMB.
AnAwfuI Presentiment.

,..- An Awful Presentiment.
The incident which am about TO relate
is one of the many evidences of the oft-re
peated saying, that truth is stranger thar
fiction. Science, which has opened Sc
many doors, which has solved riddles hard
er than the Sphynx ever propounded 10 thu
Thebans, looks with silence upon certain
kind OF phenomenon which has puzzled
wiser heads than mine, and which Webster
classes under the nebulous word superna
tural
Quite as lucid is the definition of those
who deny the agencyof other than physica
or natural causes in producing this class o
events. Imagination, coincidence, optical
illusions, are the wet blankets which thest
superbly practical people shower upon the
heads of all who may be inclined to exclain
with the poet, "There are more things il
heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt
of in your philosophy" That the writel
was not extinguished years ago by one OF
more of those wet blankets, may be accept
ed as proof that they are not so potent fol
the purpose as many good people imagine
them to be. | repeat, truth is stranger
fiction, which repetition means that am
not exercising my imagination. / beg tc
state that / am too profoundly ignorant
for any such mental exercise | wrote
conscious of but one reason, "lis the 29tl
of March, the anniversary Of an ever-mem
orable night. Like Coleridge's "Ancien
Mariner" my heart is filled with woeful
agony, and am constrained to repeat the
tale.
Years ago, was invited to spend the
month of March with family with whom
enjoyed the most intimate relations. This
family consisted of three persons--Mr and
Mrs. Linden, and their daughter Marie, a
lovely girl of nineteen,
Marie was to be married on the Goth of
the month, and it was the desire of both
mother and daughter that l should spend
as much time with them as / could pre-
vious to the event. 1t has been so often
asserted that there can be no real love be-
tween women, that the saving has come to
be accepted as truth. have no heart to.
night to make any attempt at refuting this
abused error; but that it is an error my
love for Mary Linden would be convincing
proof in my own heart, though had never
loved another woman.
A popular writer has said that ''to have
face that can look beautiful for those whC
love it, on whom it looks with love, il
enough for ordinary women" Such fac,
had Marie Linden; yet dearly as loveC
her, 1 doubt if l can convey any clear i'm
preston of it to the render. Hazel eyes
auburn hair, and bright comp exion, tel
nothing-it was not in form or color tha
the beauty lay Perhaps it was becaus
the face was SO sweet and true or perhap
it was in the eyes, which were serene Il
the very depths-an inward serenity, which
made it impossible to associate anythin,
akin to sorrow with their possessor-.
know not and must proceed with my story
Mr.. Lindens house was situated on
crest of rising ground, about mile distan
frnF mn, al tSN,,,, i
variety of scenery which must have sat
isfed the most difficult taste The house
faced the north, fronting the broad bay
which swept into the open sea. Between
the bay and the house broad expanse o.
level ground extended for miles along the
coast On the southern side were richly
wooded slopes with stretches of meadow
between where, in the season, the ripened
grain waved like billowy sea, The east
side commanded view of the town: here
distance lent its usual enchantment TO the
picture. Midway between the town anc
Mr.. Linden's house, stood the gray church
which Mr.. Linden, with his wife and dauph.
ter, always attended, and where two O,
three generations Of Mrs. Linden's famil,
were buried The white columns which
marked the graves of Mrs. Linden's par
ents, and one daughter who bad died
young, were on clear day, who had visi
BILE from the house.
The month passed rapidly, as the months
always do when peopleare absorbed. Marie
was to marry the man other own choosing.
and man that her parents would have
chosen for, could their choice have COM
pretended the world. The love of Marie
Linden and George Percival was flat con-
tradlction to the old saying, that "the
course OF true love never runs smooth. -
During two years engagement, noshadow
nau ever darkened their paradise it had
been clear sky, a bright sunshine from
first TO last
The 29th arrived, and the first par t Of the
programme, which had long been ARRANGED
was carried out. The ceremony took place
at four o'clock in the afternoon, only a few
intimate friends being present; but there
was to be bridal party in the evening
and on the following day the bride and
groom were to start on their bridal tour
Nine clock soon came, when the rooms
were filed with the beauty and aristocracv
OF both town and country. Never WAS there
a more beautiful bride than Marie Porcival.
Never was there happier groom than her
husband. Never was there gayer COM
pany than was assembled that night under
Mr. Linden's roof. Yet most Of the guests
have probably retained only such recollec-
SDn Va ehV o'SninB hb III unusually pleas
ant party might leave upon the mind.
But for me, II is branded on my memory
with strength which years have had no
power to dim. The almost summer warmth
ofthe night, the blue sky without cloud,
the stars, the full moon, which liz up the
old gray church, and the two white columns.
Within there was the bewilderinQ lipbt. The
perfume Of the flowers, the music Of the
waltz, and the rapid whirl of the watzers,
as they hoated past the open window,
where stood gazing attentively upon The
two pictures-ono without and the other
within. II was there that Marie ioined me.
chiding me, in her pretty girlish way., for
not Joining in the waltz I told her that /
bad been better entertained; then putting
the face curtains further back, 1 drew her
close 70 the window, and we stood there,
hand clasped in hand, for at least Ave min,
utes she gazing cut upon the beautiful
night talking Of George. and Of her ex-
st pected trip, with sometimes a loving word
for myself; |, gazing upon her, thinking
how well her bridal robe became her. when
saw the color slowly fading from her sweet
face. thought IL was the moonlight. and
WAS going 10 draw kha oiirfaiy,a xvba,, ,ho