Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-10-08
lFrom Wood's Magazine
ONE WOaLAN'S LIFE.
A TRUE TALE.

wa N'th' NieNFa VI guhuB Atlot
nodding and smiling with their low.
ers, were walking rapidly toward ST
Anus Church aud carriages, filed
with superbly atIired ladies aud
venerable men, turned in the same
direction.
II was the perfection of an even.
ing, in that most perfect of months
rose brimmed June.
The air was laden with the mia
gled fragrance of the t~ea-rose, the
luscious honeysuckle, and tht pure
hearted lily. 1t was a night when
the moonlight and flowers COM
biu,d 10 break wise resolves, and
make the impassioncd lOve-words
(held more easily in control in calm
ar montts) break over the lips
and Hood the heart.
st. AIMS no longer looked SOM
brc, for the moonlight nickered
among the tall elms which sur.
founded it silvcrcd the ivy which
chung 10 lis Old stone walls, aud
started out into surprising bright
ness the cross surmCuuiiug the
tower. Butmosl dazzling were the
streams OF light which poured
through each window, aud from the
open door, whence issued the rich
melody into which the Organist had
deity woven a lew Of the simple,
old ballads which had been, aud al.
ways would be, associated with the
pure voice OF Marian Heath, the
fair young girl whose entrance as
a bride the eager crowd were
awaiting.
At length the whisper ran
through themultitude, "She cOmesV'
and every head was turned toward
the door. The good clergyman
arose from his chair and approached
the chancel.rail and slowly up the
aisle came the white-rObcd brides
maids, the calm, proud bridegroom
in his military dress, and last, on
the arm Of her venerated father,
clothed in shimmering satin and
costly pearls, with q snowy veil
shading her young, happy face from
every rude gaze, the bride, the wo-
man whose liie-history. that hour
began.
lido not propose to describe the
ceremony. II is the fact, the mar.
riage, the new life of Marian Tracy,
with which | have to do.
Most novels end at this point
the point where most of life, most
Of experience, and often most Of
the tragedy begins.
Marian Heath was the beloved
daughter of a not rich. but well-to.
do lawyer, who was honored
through all courts. She had had a
happy, free. from.care girlhood, in O
charming home, where her bright
face made constant sunshine. Eve.
ry advantage in the way of educa.
ton and social position was hers
and added to this, though she was
not really handsome according Ia
any standard of beauty, was the
loneliness Of perfect health, the ease
and grace Of good breeding, and an
irresistibly winning vivacily, Joined
to a childlike simplicity.
MOI q sorrow had ever darkened
her brow not one anxiety checked
her girlish laughter and to com.
plete her happiness, the course Of
true love with her did run
smooth" Captain Tracy, OF th,
Regular Army, fell deeply in love
with her a sentiment which she a.
fully returned.
He was q gentleman, a scholar
irreproachable, so far as could bC
known, in character ; and possessed
of both sufficient means and sOcia.
status TO continue to Marian all thC
comforts she had ever enjoyed
And so, though 10th to part will
their idol, her parents gave her up
and this June evening beheld Mari
an Heath, Mrs. Henry Tracy.
Then followed and extended
tour during which letters over,
flowing with praises Of her hus.
bands kindness and devotion
cheered her parents in their loneli,
ness.
81 am so happy" she wrote, "sC
happy | sometimes fear 1t cannot
lastl Itell Harry so, but he laughs
at the idea and asks me what there
is to make a real lOve-match, like
ours, unhappy. And, indeed, wha'
is there? 7"
This was when she had been mar.
ried two months and the parentI
smiled at her loving enthusiasm
and remembered their own honey
moon days, and did not notice tina
that was the last letter which spOkt
in quite the same strain.
When in a later letter she spOkI
of her longing TO see them, that i
seemed very long since she wa.
with them; and it would be 5,
pleasant to be home once again, tn
i, good couple were pleased, aud said
"she has not forgotten her home
aud still loves US a. dearly as ever
Notwithstanding her entire happi
ness"
They did not-how could they
discern the cloud in the sky as We
"no larger than a mans hand" bu
destined TO darken and destro,
every JOY in life?
Neither did she wholly discern 1t
her innocent, unsuspicious nature
t and devoted love and trust in he
husband, prevented her believing /
possible It should ever increase il
its proportions.
Still she sighed YEARLY, gazinI
out of the window of her luxuriOu
room at the hotel, upon the tumul
tuous waters of Niagara.
Thav xvora on THAR rOnfa home