Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1869-02-11
sent ones, Lucy smiled quietly and

"oh, something has happened to de
tain them awhile; we heard from then
the other day, and all was well. The,
will be here by and by, never fear"
Evening came, the guests were as
sembled and yet the bridegroom tar
ried. There were whispers, surmise.
and wonderings, and shadow of anxi
ETY. passed over the face of the brid,
elect. AT last carriage drove rathe
slowly to the door.
"They have come!" cried many
voices, and Ellen entered. In reply t
the hurried and confused inquiries al
around him, Mr. W. muttered some
thing about unavoidable delay" ant
stepped 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
young man; so lead out the BRIDE"
w. strobe hastily across the room
and placed himself by Ellen and tool
her hand in hisl 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, l have the pleasure to announce
that I am already married. The lady
whom l now hold by the hand is my
wife!'
Then, turning in an apologetical man.
ner to Mr.. and Mrs. Dutton, he added:
81 found that had never loved until
l knew your second daughterp'
And Lucy? she heard all with a
strange calmness, then walking steadily
forward confronted her betrayers. =
Terrible, as pale Nemesis herself, she
stood before them; and her looks pierced
like keen, cold blade into their false
hearts. AS though to assure herself
of the dread reality of the vision she
laid her hand on Ellen's shoulder, and
let it 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 color of her
cheek, the dilated nostril, the quivering
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 hand
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 a deathlike swoon at their
feet.
After the insensible girl had been re-
moved to chamber a stormy scene
ensued in the room beneath. The pa
rents 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 some
what the anger of the parents, and an
opportunity for an explanation was ac-
corded 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 affections. Frequent interviews
had completed the conquest of his 10y
atty; 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 ar
answering acknowledgment from Ell
len.
They had thought it best, in order
''to save pain to Lucy" and prevent
the opposition from her, and to secure
her own happiness, to be married be-
fore their arrival at c..
Lucy remained insensible for some
time. When she revived and appa-
rently regained her consciousness, she
still maintained her strange silence
This continued for many weeks; when
it partially passed away, her friend saw
with inexpressible grief that her reason
had fed--that she was hopelessly in
sane! But her madness was of mild
and harmless nature. She was gentle
and peaceable as ever, but frequently
sighed and seemed burdened with some
great sorrow which she could not her
self comprehend. She had one peculi-
arity which all who knew her must
recollect: this was wild fear and care
full avoidance of men. She seemed
possessed of the spirit of unrest. She
could not, she would not, be confined,
but was continually escaping from her
friends, they knew not whittier.
While her parents lived, they, by
their watchful care and unwearied eff
forts, in some measure controlled this
sad propensity; but when they died
their stricken child became wander
er, homeless, friendless and forlorn.
Through laughing springs and rosy
summers, tramp, tramp, tramp-no rest
for her of the crushed heart and
crazed brain.
l remember her as she was in my
early childhood, toward the last of her
weary pilgrimage. 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 fire
side. Her appearance was very sin
gular. Her gown was always patched
with many colors, and her shawl or
mantle was worn or torn, until 1T was
open work and fringe. The remain
der of her miserable wardrobe she car
ried in bundle on her arm, and some
times she had number of parcels OF
old rags, dried herbs, DC.
In the season of flowers, her tattered
bonnet 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