The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-07-22
THE SECRET MARRIAGE.
BY MISS N. LEoNoRA BRADLEY.

may fall more heavily than my curse
upon your disobedient headP And
the rage of the tall, sinewy Scotchman
increased so rapidly that 6endish
expression vas visible even In the
purple twilight that was wrapping in
misty folds the great plains that
stretched away miles and miles, until
lost In the dim, uncertain distance Of
the horizon, where the lingering
beauty Of the sunset lent a radiance
and charm almost heavenly ID Its
glory.
But the darkest shadows seemed to
cluster and cling around the man VINO
stood with his back against the ma
jestic trunk of tall, strong oak, that
lowered sentinel-like almost over the
roof which sheltered the lame, Invalid
wife. Yet it is to be hoped that even
there was deeper gloom IN his heart,
fer his only daughter, his sweet jamie
he. had been wont to call IN times past,
could never call this home hers again
with his consent, for she had chosen
to secretly wed one she loved rather
than the broad, rich acres of the man
he had chosen, with great discretion,
he had secretly prided himself. In
vain had jamie pleaded that her hus-
F., band was good and noble. and that
his poverty Was,no disgrace as long as
he had the intellect, the energy and the
desire to better his circumstances;
and If was only from fear that her
father would force her into marriage
utterly distasteful, that she had dis
obeyed him. In vain had she cried
to him for her mothers sake, not to
turn her out on the cold, still plains
I~~ al ,osuhk hn
whittier.
Then as q last faint hope, such as
the shipwrecked mariner must feel
when only one frail plank is left be-
tween him and the dark, chilling wa
tiers. she entreated that Nero, great,
brave, loving Nero, the watchdog,
might 20 with her on her lonely jour
new: but Donald MeGregor's only
answer was the one given at the COM
mencemert of our story. followed by
4 sharp, clear whistle for the dog,
who came bounding, not to his
masters but to Janie's side, where
she knelt iu the thick clover, with her
hands ra ID implorIngly above her
white. ma. BILE like face-so rigid was
It in expression. With love and ten
derness almost human, the dog, with
q quick, low whine, caressed her;
then jamie impulsively threw her
arms around the dogs neck, hid her
soft brown eyes, shaded by masses of
ripping hair, on his shaggy head. and
sobbed as though all the sorrow Off
life was concentrated 10 that moment;
then. ere her father seemed to fully
realize her intention, she thrust Nero
away and sprang through the open
kitchen door, then ran quickly across
the sanded floor into her mother s
room where she had been confined
many months by a serious fall. With
CRY of agony which she had Yainly
attempted to repFess, she sank beside
her mothers chair, sobbing pitifully.
kiss me quick, dear mother; am
going TO Paul. ] dare not stay anoth-
err moment; father viii cone; he has
only gone to chain Nero"
With a fond, lingering embrace,
the mother pressed her jamie to her
heart, mingling her sObs with hers;
then. with a strong effort she said
II know all, jamie darling. | was
sitting by the open window and heard
every word. 1t is cruel-it Is unjust
but God is willing and able to care
for all that comes to him through
faith; trust HIM, my child, and he will
never forsake you.
jamie, daring not to reply, kissed
her mothers tender lips, then was
gone, speeding away out over the
lonely plains. Gone almost ere her
mother fully realized it. Even then
she listened intently for her return
ing footsteps, for stern and tyrannical
as she knew Donald to be at times,
she had not so far lost the sweet faith
of her youth in him, as to believe he
would not relent Indeed, she quite
soothed herself into the belief, for
hour after hour passed aud still he
came not.
For time. she heard black Ellen s
heavy feet and CHATTER In the milk eel.
lar among pals and pans, then al
was hushed. Enduring the death.
like stiffness until it was no longer
bearable, she tremblingly CROPPED hel
way out into the kitchen with the
assistance of her crutch, sometime:
almost falling, once striking her heaC
so that the pain rendered her almos
faint, yet never faltering for one mo
ment; for she was fed aud strengthen
ed as it were, by an undefnablc mo
tive to do and dare what at anothe
time would have been an Impossibility
Yes she scarcely realized her objec
until she was by Nero's side. Their
she fell exhausted; but not faoult
Wavered until her trembling finger
had loosened the dog How she foun,
her way to her room again, ever aFte
seemed dim and unreal, but there sh
lay on the bed when Donald Metre
gor come, IL heavy slumber he a
first supposed, but it proved death
like swoOn.
And where had be been during thi
time? Alter jamie if he had followe
his better nature, for he was not
thoroughly depraved and heartles
man, though he had all his life, as
too often the case, been strewini
thorns in his path by endeavoring L
govern all around him by fear rathe
than love. Thus it was that he coult
seldom understand or sympathiz
with his family, or they with him, 70
that matter.
After his anger had subdue6 in
measure he almost hoped anie woul
return. Indeed, he was quite sur
she was somewhere now in'the houz
Or barn. So he had compl4centl
laid his plans that night, while RI
turning from the village with jamie
rejected sutton. how they would 500
dispose of the silly girls HUSBAND
Paul Clifton.
The plains of Long Islam
are in this day nothing IN cOmpariso
to what they were fifty years ag
Then there was but dreary waste
tall grass and stunted shrubs, throug
which roamed in summer vast kur(
of branded cattle and sheep. Ar
oil al