The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-07-02
Selected alistrIIanp.
TnE BRIDES TOMB.

THE BRIDES TUMB.
r An AWFUL PrcsenlimoRt.
The incident which l am about to relate
is one Of the many evidences Of the oft-re-
peated saying, that truth is stranger than
fiction. Science, which has opened 30
many doors, which has solved riddles hard
er than the SphynX ever p"ropounded 10 the
Thebans, looks with silence upon a 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 physical
or natural causes in producing this class Of
events. Imagination, coincidence, optical
illusions, are the wet blankets which these
superbly practical people shower upon the
heads OF all who mayb be inclined 10 excnim
with the poet "Thero are more things in
heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt
ofin your philosophy" That the writer
was not extinguished years ago by one or
more Of those wet blankets, may he accept
cd as proof that they are not so potent for
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 to
state that i am too profoundly ignorant
for any such mental exercise. ! wrote
conscious of but one reason. "1is the Goth
of March, the anniversary of an over-mem-
orable night. Like Coleridgc's 'Ancient
Mariner" my heart is filled with n woeful
agony and l am constrained TO repeat the
tale.
Years ago, ] was invited to spend the
month Of March with a family with whom
enjoyed the most intimate relations. This
family consisted of three persons-Mr. and
Mrs. Linden, and their daughter Marie, n
lovely girl Of nineteen,
Mario was 10 be married ON the Goth Of
Nhn month aud - Unaa NLE.I .a.-a - LzaN.
mother and daughter that 1 should spend.
as much time with them az I could pre-
vious TO the event. IL 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. L have no heart to-
night TO make any attempt at refuting this
abused error; but that IL * an error my
love for Mary Linden would be convincing
proof in my v heart, thought had never
loved another woman.
Apopular writer has said that 'to have
a face that can look beautiful for those who
love 1t, on whom it looks with love, is
enough for ordinary women" Such a face
had Marie Linden; yet, dearly rs / loved
her, | doubt If / can convey any clear i'm
preston Of il 10 the render. Hazel ewes.
auburn hair, and a bright comp EXON, tell
nothing-it was not in form or color that
the beauty lay. Perhaps it was because
the face was so sweet and true. or perhaps
- W. - ~ NgNNf WAAAAh hNANht -
the very depths-an inward serenity, which
made 1t impossible to associate ANYTHING
akin TO sorrow with their possessor-I
know not and must proceed with my story.
Mr.. Linden's house was situated on a
crest OF rising ground, about a mile distant
from an old seaport town. II commanded
q variety of scenery, which must have sat
ished 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 n broad expanse of
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 q billowy sea, The east
side commanded a Wow of the town; here
distance lent its usual enchantment TO the
picture. Midway between the town and
Mr.. Linden's house, stood the gray church
which Mr.. Linden, with his wife and daupb-
ter, always attended, and where two or
three generations of Mrs. Linden's family
were buried. The white columns which
marked the graves Of Mrs. Linden's par
ents, and one daughter, who had died
young, were on a clear day, who had yisi-
BILE from the house.
The month passed rapidly, M the months
always do when peopleare absorbed. Marie
was to marry the man Other own choosing,
and a 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 fat con-
radlction TO the old saying, that 'the
course Of true love never runs SMOOTH
During a woyears' engagement, noshadow
had ever darkened their paradise it had
been n clear sky, a bright sunshine, from
first 10 last.
The 10Th arrived, and the first par of the
programme, which had long been arranged,
was carried out The ceremony took place
al EnnH IL ID H.
intimate friends being present; but there
was TO be a bridal party in the. evening,
and on the following day the bride and
groom were TO start On their bridal tour.
Nine o'clock soon came, when the rooms
were hlled with the beauty and aristocmcy
OF both town and country. Never was there
a more beautiful bride than Marie Perciyal.
Never was there a happier groom than her
husband. Never was there a gayer com
pan than was assembled that night under
Mr.. Linden's roof Yet most of the guests
have probably retained only such r~ecollec-
ton OF the evening as an unusually pleas
ant party might leave upon the mind.
But for me, 1t is branded on my memory
with a strength which years have had no
power TO dim. The almost summer warmth
OF the night, the blue sky without a eloud,
the stars, the full moon, which lit up the
Old gray church, and the two white columns.
Within there was the bewildering light, the
. PV..iupiN ~ bho MOWERS, tne music OF tho
waltz, and the rapid whirl of the walters,
as they hoated past the open window,
where l stood gazing attentiyely upon the
two pictures-one without and the other
within. II was there that Marie Joined me,
Gliding me, in her pretty girlish way. for
not joining in the waltz. told her that |
had been better entertained; then, putting
the face curtains further back, / drew her
close 70 the window, and we stood there,
hand clasped in hand, for az least five min.
utes, she gazing cut upon the beautiful
night, talking Of George. and of her ex-
Pected trip, with sometimes a loving word
ior myself; l. gazing upon her, thinking
how wen her bridal robe becamC her, when
saw the color slowly fading from her sweet
hoe' thoaghttt was the moonlight, and
was going TO draw the c~urtains, when ahe