Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-02-09
rHs BRIDAL WINECUP.
n TRUE STORY.

-;ne" cried the young and thoughtless
Harvey Wood .pledge with wine" ran
.hrouch the brilliant crowd.
The beautiful bride grew pale-the deci-
.;ve hour had come. She pressed her
white hands together, and the bridal
wreath trembled on her pure, white brow;
her breath came quicker, and her heart
beat wilder;
for once" said the Judge, in low tone,
entng toward his daughter, the company
srpects it. Do not seriously infringe upon
he rules Of etiquette; in your own house
act as you please; but in mine, for this
once please me-"
pair. Marion's principles were well
known Harvey had been convivialist,
but of late his friends had noticed a
change in his Manners difference in
his habits-and tonight they watched him
to see, as they sneeringly said. if he was
tied down to woman's opinion 80 soon.
Pouring trimming beaker, they held
II with tempting smiles toward Marion.
She was very pale, though more COM
nosed, and her hand shook not, as smiling
hack, she gracefully accepted the crystal
bumper and raised it to her lips But
scarcely had she done SO, when every
hand was arrested by her piercing ex-
clamation of ooh! how terribler'
aWhat, is it?' cried one and all, throng.
inc together, for she had slowly carried
the the glass at arms length, and was fixedly
regarding it as though it were some hide
Gus object. !,
light shone from her black eyes, wait,
and will tell you. see," she added,
slowly, pointing one jeweled finger at the
sparkling ruby liquid, a sight that beg.
ears all description And yet listen-I
will paint it for you if l can. 1t
is "a lonely spot; tall mountains
crowned with verdure rise in awful
sublimity around, river runs through,
and bright bowers grow to the
waters edge. There is thick, warm
mist that the sun seeks in vain to pierce |;
trees, lofty and beautiful, wave to the airy
motions Of the birds. But there group
of Indians gather; they float to and fro
with something like sorrow upon their
dark brows; and in their midst lies man.
ly form, but his cheek, how deathly pale !!
his eyes wild with the fitful fires of fever |!
One friend stands beside him-nay, l
should say, keeels; for he is pillowing that
Door head upon his breast.
'Genius in ruins! Oh! the high, holy
looking brow! Why should death mark
it, and 80 young? Look how he throws
the damp curls! see him clasp his hands I!
hear his thrilling shrieks for life! mark
how he clutches at the form Of his COM
panion, imploring to be saved! Oh! hear
him call piteously his fathers name! See
him Irvine his fingers together as he
shrieks for his sister-his only sister-the
twin of his soul-weeping for him in his
native land. ,tBs
"See!" she exclaimed, while the bridal
party shrank back, the untasted wine
trembling in their faltering grasp, and the
Judge fell overpOwered upon his seat.
"See his arms are lifted to heaven; he
prays now wildly for mercy! Hot fever
rushes through his veins! The friend be-
side him is weeping. Awe-stricken, the
dark men move silently away, and leave
the living and dying together"
There was hush in the princely parlor,
broken only by what seemed smothered
sob from some manly bosom The bride
stood yet upright, with quivering lips and
tears stealing to the outward edges of her
lashes. Her beautiful arm had lost its ten.
sion, and the glass, with its little troubled
red waves, came slowly toward the range
of her vision. She spoke again; every
lip was mute Her voice was low, faint,
yet awfully distinct she fixed her sorrow
ful glance on the wine-cup.
1t is evening now; the great white
moon is coming up, and her beams lay
gently on his forehead He moves not
his eyes are set in their sockets-dim are
their piercing glances-in vain his friend
whispers the name Of father and sister.
Death is there-dcath, and no gentle voice
to bless and soothe him! His head sinks
back one convulsive shudder! he is
dead!"
A groan ran through the assembly. So
vivid was her description, so unearthly
her look, so inspiring her manner, that
what she described seemed actually to
have taken place then and there. They
noticed, also, that the bridegroom hid his
face in his hands and was weeping.
"Dead" she repeated again, her lips
quivering faster and faster, and her voice
more broken; "and there they scoop him
q grave, and there, without shroud they
lay him down in the damp, reeking earth.
The only son Of a proud father, the only
luOilZcl UIOtueT VI iOEtt slSJcT. anu ne
Sleeps to-day in that distant country, with
no stone to mark the spot. There he lies
my fathers sonny own twin brother
"a victim to this deadly poison!
Fatherw she exclaimed, turning sud
denly, while the tears rained down her
cheeks, father, shall l drink it
aOw?"
The form of the old Judge was convulsed
with agony. He raised his head. and in a
voice he faltered, No. no, my
child-in Gods name, moi"
She lifted the glittering goblet. and, let
ting it suddenly fall to the floor, it was
dashed into a thousand pieces. Many
fearful eye watched her movement, and
antaneously every wine glass was
transferred to the marble table ON which
It had been prepared Then, as she looked
1t the fragments of crystal, turned to the
company, saying:
"Let no friend hereafter, who loves me,
empt me to peril my soul for wine. Not
irmer the everlasting hills than my re-
solve, God helping me, never to touch that.
terrible poison. And he to whom have
Just given my hand, who watched over
my brothers dying form in that last SOL
cnn hour, and buried the dear wanderer
there by the river, In the land Of gold, will
| trust, sustain me in that resolve. Will