The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-02-24

sister tits when she beholds her heart pa
from its budlike innocence aud girlhood, ar
taking to its very core the fervid light
+ love, glow and crimson into perfect woma,
hood
At last the plighted lovers came, and we
comes and festivities awaited them Dir. v
gave entire satisfaction to father, mother, an
even the exacting "beauty" He was a hAns
some man, with some pretentions to fashion
but in manner, and apparently in characte
the opposite Of his betrothcd
It was decided that Lucy should not sgai
leave home until after her marriage, which
at the reqnest of her af55opt lover, was to b
celebrated within two months, aud on til
bmthdssJ of the bride. It was therefore az
! ranged that Ellen should return With MIR. "
to take charge Of her sisters school for tn
remainder of the term. s.-@
| The bridal day had come. It was ushere
in by a May morning Of surprising lowell
ness; the busy hours had worn away. an
now it was nigh sunset. and neither the bride
groom, nor Ellen, the first brides maid, hat
appeared. Yet in the neat little chamber ga
Lucy, nothing doubling, nothing fearing
She was arrayed in simple muslin, and hcl
Flew bridal ornaments lay on the table by he1
side. Miss Allen, her second bridesmaid, {
bright eyed affectionate hearted girl, hcl
chosen friend from oh .ldhood, was arranging
| to more graceful fall the wealth of light
| rlnglets which swept her snowy neck. To
the anxious inquiries OF her companion re-
speeding the absent ones, Lucy smiled quietly
and replied: .~
80, something has happened to dc'a;n
them awhile; we heard from them the other
day, and all was we'll. They will be here by
and-bye, never fear"
Evening came, the guests were assembled,
and yet the bridegroom tarried There were
whispers, surmises and wonderngs and a
shadow of anxiety passed over the face of
the bride elect. At last carriage drove
slowly to the door
oThey have come !" cried many voices, and
Ellen entered. In reply to the hurried and
confused inquiries of all around him, Mr.
W. muttered something about unavoidable
delay" and stepped up to the sidcboard,
tossed off glass Of wine, another and auoth-
er. The company stood still with amazement
Finally rough farmer exclaimed:
"Better late than never, young man so
lead out the BRIDE" ....@.
w. strobe hastily across the room and plac
ed himself by Ellen, and took her hand in
his Then without daring to meet the eye
Of any about him, he said ::
II wish to make an explanation. I am
under the painful necessity is, I have
the pleasure to announce that [ am already
married! The lady whom now hold by the
hand is my wife p
Then, turning to Mr.. and Mrs. Dutton in
an apologetical manner, he added:
. 81 found that had never loved until I
knew your second daughter"
And Lucy? She had heard ell with a
strange ealmncss, then walked steadily for
ward, and confronted her bctrayers Terri
BILE, as pale as Nemesis herself, she stood be-
fore them, and her looks pierced with a keen
cold blade int their false hearts AS though
to assure herself Of the 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 these cold fingers met hers, the
unhappy wife gazed full into her sisters face,
and as she marked the. ghastly color of her
check, the diated nostril, the quivering lip,
and the intensely mournful eyes, she covered
her own face with her hands, and burst into
tears; while her 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 vent to her an.
gnish and despair in one fearful cry, which
could not but ring forever through the souls
Of that guilty pair, and fell in death like
swoon at their feet
After the iusensible girl had been removed
to chamber, a stormy scene ensued in the
room beneath. The parents and guests we're
alike cnraged against W; but the tears aud
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
ers ;a-4Nt .1.,e
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 be had been held in check by
his honor, and never told his love until when
on his way to espouse another, 10 an ungard
ed moment he had revealed it, and the ayow-
al had called forth an ack acknowledgement from
Ellen. ;t4 af5.s 2,
They bad thought it best; in order to save
pain to Lucy, and prevent the opposition
from her, and to secure their ewn happiness,
to be married before their arrival at c.
Lucy remained insensible for some time
When she revived: and apparently regaincd
her consciousness, she still maintained her
strange silence. This continued for many
weeks when it partially passed away, her
friends saw with inexpressble grief that her
reason had fed-that she was hopelessly in
sane But her madness was ola mild and harm
less nature She was gentle and peaceable as
ever, but frequently sighed. and seemed to be
burdcned with a great sorrow which she her
self could not comprehend She had one pc
culiarity which all who knew her must recol-
lect. This was wild fear and careful avoid
ance Of men. 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 unwearicd efforts, in some
measure controlled this sad propensity but
when they died, their stricken child became
a wanderer, homeless, friendless and forlorn
And though laughing spring and rosy sum
mers, tramp, tramp. tramp-no rest for he,
of the crushed heart and crazed brain.
| T remember her as She wac IN NV 90 -,