The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-02-12
FREMONT, SANDUSKY COUNTY, OHIO; FRIDAY. II

"0h, something has happened to de-
tain them awhile; we heard from them
the other day, and all was we'll They
will be here by and by, never fear.
Evening came, the guests were as
.sembled, and yet the bridegroom tar
ried. There were whispers, surmises
land wonderings, and shadow of anx-
Iiety passed over the face of the bride
elect. At last carriage drove rather
Islowly to the door.
They have comelR cried many vol
ees, and Ellen entered. In reply to the
hurried and confused inquiries all
around him, Mr.. w. muttered some
thing about unavoidable delay" and
stepping up to the sideboard, tossed of
a glass of wine, another and another.
The company stood silent with amaze
ment. Finally rough old farmer ex-
claimed; "Better late than never,
lyoung man; SO lead out the BRIDE"
| w. strobe hastily across the room,
and placed himself by Ellen and took
her hand in his. Then, without daring
to meet the eye of any about him, he
said: 81 wish to make an explanation
IL am under the painful necessity
that is, have the pleasure to announce
that l am already married. The lady
whom / now hold by the hand is my
lwifeI'
Then, turning in an spologetical man.
ner to Mr.. and Mrs. Dutton, he added
t"I found that I had never loved until
knew your second daughterP'
And Lucy? she heard all with a
strange calmness, then walking steadily
forward, confronted her betrayers. Ter
rible, as pale as Nemesis herself she
stood before them; and her looks pierc-
ed Ike a keen, cold blade into their
false hearts. AS though to assure her
self of the dread reality of the vision
she laid her hand on Ellen's shoulder,
and let it glide down her arm-but che
touched not Edwin. AS those cold fng-
ers met hers, the unhappy sister first
gazed into her sisters face; and as she
marked the ghastly color of her cheek,
the dilated nostril, the quiyering lip, and
the intensely mournful eyes, she covered
her face with her hands, and burst into
tears. while the young husband, awed
| by the terrific silence of her he had
wronged, gasped for breath, and stag
geTed back against the wall. Then Lu-
cy clasped her hanps on her forehead
and first gave voice to her anguish and
despair in one fearful cry, which could
not but ring forever through the souls
of that guilty pair, and fell in death
like swoon at their feet.
After the insensible girl had been re-
moved TO a chamber a stormy scene en-
sued in the room beneath. The parents
and guests were alike enraged against
W.; but the tears and prayers of his
young wife, the petted beauty and spoil
ed child, at last softened somewhat the
anger of the parents, and an opportuni-
ty for an explanation was accorded to
the offenders.
A sorry explanation it proved. The
gentleman affirmed that the first sight
Of Ellen's lovely face had weakened the
empire of her palmer sister over his af-
fections. Frequent interviews had COM
pleted the conquest of his loyalty; but
he had never been held in check by
honor, and never told his love, until, |
when on his way to espouse another, in |
an unguarded moment he revealed it, |
and the avowal had called forth an an
swering acknowledgment from Ellen.
They had thought it best, in order
to save pain to Lucy" and prevent the
from her, and to secure her
own happiness, to be married before
their arrival at G..
Lucy remained insensible some time. |
When she revived and apparently re-
gained her consciousness, she still main
tanned her strange silence. This con
tinued many weeks; when it partially (
passed away, her friends saw with in
grief that her reason had
1ed-that she was hopelessly insane
But her madness was of mild and
harmless nature. She was gentle and
oeaceable as ever, but frequently sighed