Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-01-27
Vol. 64.-325O. No. ID.

ald yet the bridegroom tarriod There were
whispers, surmises and wondcrings, and
shadow Of anxiety passed over the face of tho
bride elect. At last carriage drove rather
slowly to the door
They have come y cried many voices and
Ellen entered. In reply to the hurried and
confused inquiries Of all around him, Mr.. W.
muttered something about unavoidable de-
lay" and stepping up to the sideboard, toss
ed of lass of wine another aud another
The company stood silent with amazement.
Finally rough old farmer exclaimed Bet
ter late than never, young 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 " | wish to make
an explanation-I am under the painful ne
cessity-that is | have the pleasure to an
nounce that am already married. The
lady whom | now hold by the hand is my
wife r
Then, turning in an apologetical manner 10
Mr.. aud Mrs. Dutton, he added " | found
that had never loved until knew your Sec
ond daughter
And Lucy She heard all with strange
calmuess, then walking steadily forward, con-
fronted her betrayers. Terrible, as pale Mem
esis herself, she stood before them and her
looks pierced like 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 Eens shoulder, and let il
glide down her arm-but she touched not
Edwin. As those cold fingers met hers, the
unhappy wife first gazed full into her sisters
face and as she marked the ghastly palor
Of her cheek--the dilated nostril-the quiv
cring lip and the intensely mournful eyes, she
covered her own 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 staggered
back against the wall. Then Lucy clasped
her hands on her forehead and first gave voice
to her anguish and despair in one fearful cry,
which could but ring forever through the
souls Of that guilty pair, and fell in DEATH
ike swoon at their feet.
After the insensbe girl had been removed
to a chamber, stormy scene ensued 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 spoiled child, at last softened somewhat
the anger of the parents, and an opportunity
for an explanation was accorded to the Offend
ser.
A sorry explanation it proved. The gem
tleman affirmed that the first sight of Ellen's
lovely face had weakened the empire Of her
palmer sister over his affections. Frequent
interviews had completed the conquest of his
loyalty but he had 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 answering acknowledgment
from Ellen.
They had thought it best in order "to save
pain to Lucy" and prevent the opposition
from her, and to secure their own happiness,
to be married before their arrival at c..
Lucy remained insensibe for some time.
When she revived and apparently regained
her consciousness, she still maintained her
strange silence. This continued for many
weeks; when it partially passed away, her
friends saw with inexpressblc grief that her
reason had hed-that she was hopeessly in
sane But her madness was of mild and
harmless nature. She was gentle and peace
able as ever, but frequently sighed and seemed
burdened with some great sorrow which she
I popularity, which all who knew her must
recollect this was wild fear aud careful
avoidance Of men. She seemed possessed of
the spirit of unrest. She could not, she
would not, be confined, but was continue
ally escaping from her friends, they knew not
whittier
While her parents lived, they by their
watchful care and unwearied efforts in some
measure controlled this sad propensity but
when they died, their stricken child became
a wandercr, homeless, friendless, and for
lorn.
Through laughing springs, and rosy sum-
mers, tramp, tramp, tramp-no rest forher of
the crushed heart and crazed brain.
remember her as she was in my carly
childhood, towards the last of her weary pill
grimage. As my father and elder brothers
were frequently absent, and as my mother
never closed her heart or door on Crazy
Lucy" she often spent an hour or two by our
iireside. Her appearance was very singular.
Her gown was always patched with many CO.
lors, and her shawl or mantle was worn or
torn, until it was open work and fringe. The
remainder Of her miserable wardrobe she
carried in bundle on her arm, and sometimes
she had a number of parcels of old rags
dried herbs, &c.
In the season of flowers, her tattered bon
net was profusely decorated with those which
she gathered in the woods or by the wayside.
Her love for these and her sweet voice were
all that were left her of the bloom and music
Of her existence. Yet, no her meek and
child-like piety still fingered. Her God had
not forsaken her; down in the dim chaos Of
] L. 4.
faintly--in the waste garden of her heart she
still heard His voice at eyentide, and she was
not afraid. Her Bible went with her every
where--a torn and soiled volume, but as holy
still, and it may be, as dearly cherished, my
dear reader as the gorgeous copy now lying
on your table, bound in purple and gold,
and with the gliding untarnished upon its deli
icate leaves.
Thirty years from the time of the COM
mencement of this mournfu history, on a
bleak autumna evening, a rough country
wagon drove into the town of c.. 1t
stopped at the alms-bouse; an attenuated
form was lifted up and carried in, and the wa
gon rumbed away. This was Lucy Dutton,
brought to her native town to die.
She had been in decline for some months,
and the miraculous strength which had so long
sustained her in her weary wanderings at last
forsook her utterly. Her sister had died
sometime before and the widowed husband
had soon after removed to the far West so
Lucy had no friends, no home but the aims
house.
One day, about week from the time of
her arrival, Lucy appeared to suffer greatly,
and those about her looked for her release al
most impatiently; but night she was evident
ly better, and for the first time she slept tram
gully till morning. The matron, who was
by her bedside when she awoke was startled
by the clear and earnest gaze which met her
own, but she smiled and bid the invalid Good
morning Lucy looked bowildered but the
voice seemed to reassure her, and she ex-
claimed Where am | and who are you
do not know you"
A wild surmise flashed across the mind of