The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1869-07-20
THE SECRET MARRIAGE.
BY MRS. M. LBoNoRA BRADLEY.

-NO OdAIA OA AAAuO 0AO AO"S =
guide for nothing, so gang quick to your
worthless husband, or my hand may
fall more heavily than my curse upon
your disobedient head! And the rage
of the tall, sinewy Scotchman increased
so rapidly that fendish expression
was 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, uncer>
tain distance of the horizon, where the
lingering beauty of the inset lent q ra-
dance and charm almost heavenly in its
glory.
But the darkest and deepest shadows
seemed to cluster and cling around the
man who stood with his back against
the majestic trunk Of tall, strong oak,
that lowered sentinel-like almost over
the roof that sheltered the lame, invalid
wife. Yet it is to be hoped that even
there was a deeper gloom in his heart,
for 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 Sc
cretly prided himself In vain had ia
ME pleaded that her husband was good
ami 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 it was only from
fear that her father would force her in
to marriage utterly distasteful, that
she had disobeyed him. In vain had
she cried to him for her mothers sake,
not to turn her out on the cold, still
plains to wander all night, she knew
not W hither.
Then as last faint hope, such as the
shipwrecked mariner must feel when
only one frail plank is left between him
and the dark, chilling waters, she en-
treated that Nero, great, brave, loving
Nero, the watch dog, might go with her
on her lonely journey But Donald Nc.
Gregor's only answer was the one given
at the commencement of our story, fol
lowed by sharp, clear whistle for the
dog, who came bounding, not to his
masters but to Janie's side, where she
knelt in the thick clover, with her hands
raised imploringly above her white,
q p h a "a ~ -
preston. With love and tenderness
almost human, the dog, with a quick,
low whine, caressed her then jamie i'm
pulsively threw her arms around the
dogs neck, hid her soft, brown eyes,
shoded by masses of rippling hair, on
his shaggy head, and sobbed as though
all the sorrow of her life was concentra-
ted in that moment; then, ere her faith
er seemed to fully realize her intention,
she thrust Nero away, and sprang thro'
the open kitchen door, then ran quickly
across the sanded floor into her moth
| cr's room, where she had been confined
many months by serious fall. With a
| cry of agony which she had vainly at
tempted to repress, she sank beside her
mothers chair, sobbing pitifully..
kiss me quick, dear mother 1 am
| going to Paul. dare not stay another
moment; father will come; he has on
ly gone to chain Nero
| With fond, lingering embrace, the
mother pressed her jamie to her heart,
mingling her sobs with hers then with
a strong effort, she said:
I know all, jamie darling. I was sit
ting by the open window and heard ev-
cry word. 1t is cruel-it is unjust-but
God is willing and able to care for all
that come to him through faith; trust
him, my child, and he will never for.
sake YOU
jamie, not daring 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 listen
ed intently for her returning 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 that he would not re
lent. Indeed, she quite soothed herself
into the belief, for hour after hour pass
ed and still he came not
For time she heard black Ellen
heavy feet and clatter in the milk cellar
among pals and pans, then all was
hushed. Enduring the death-like still.
ness until it was no longer bearab!e. she
trem blinely groped her way out into
the kitchen with the assistance of her
crutch, sometimes almost falling, once
striking her head so that the pain ren.
dered her almost faint, yet never falter-
ing for one moment; for she was fed
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