Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1872-08-01


Joining my regiment late IL tho
evening | rsacbe station. anl lad
already ordered that horses shonld
be put 10 again, when fierce snow
storm suddenly arose. My landlord
and the position urgently ADVISED
me to postpone my departure but
was determined TO go IN spite OF the
rough weather. Tho position had
got it into Lis head that, by cross n /.
a small river, the banks Of which wero
perfectly well known TO him, he
should fn' shorter route. He msss.
ed the right crossing, however, and
got into region to which he was an
entire stranger. The storm contlnu-
ed to rage at length we deserted a
light at distance. We made for it,
and stopped before a church. from
the brightly illuminated windows of
which the light shown. The door
was open, three sleighs were in front
OF 1t, and saw several persons in tho
vestlbule. One of them called to
me: This way! this wayr 1 got
out and walked toward the vestibnlc.
The person who had called advanc.
ed toward me.
"Great Heavens he said, how
late you come Your intended has
tainted, aud we were on the very
point of driving home again.
"Halt-bewildercd and halt-amused, :,
| resolved to let the adventure take
its course. And, indeed, had little
time for reflection. My friends tug
ged me into the interior of the
church. which was poorly lighted by
two or three lamps. A female was
sitting in the shadow, while another
stood beside her and chafei her tenn
Piles.
"tAt last ? cried the latter. God
be praised that you have come! My
poor mistress liked to have died
"An aged priest emerged from be-
hind the altar, and asked: Can we
begin p
"Begin; reverend father!' I cried.
unadvisedly.
'They assisted the half unconscious
girl to rise; she appeared to be very
pretty. In fit of objectionable, and
now quite incomprehensible, levity, l
readily stepped with her to the altar.
Her maid and the three gentleman
present were so much busted with
her as scarcely to throw a look at
me. Besides, tho light in this part
of the church was dim, and my head
was mufiled in the hood Of my cloak.
"In few minutes the nuptial cerc-
mony was over, and the priest, ac.
cording to custom, desired the new.
Unmarried pair to embrace.
"My young wife turned her pale,
charming little face toward me, and
was about to rest her head upon my
shoulder with sweet smiIe-when,
suddenly, she stared at ME as if turn.
ed into stone, tottered, and with the
cry of 1t is not hen fell to the floor.
"All the furies of hell lashed me
out Of the church. Before anyone
could think Of staying me 1 hsa
jumped into my sleigh, seized the
reins, and was soon hey ond the reach
of pursuit"
The lieutenant was silent. Marie,
also, gazed in silence to the ground.
"And have You never discovered
what became OF the poor girl!' she
finally asked.
"Nevcr. | know neither the name
of the village where / was married,
nor do recollect the station where
AT the time, my culpably frivolous
prank seemed to me matter OF SO
little moment that as soon as there
was no longer any pursuit to fear. I
went to sleep in the sleigh, and d,l
not awake till we arrived at another
station. The servan. whom I had
with me was killed in battle; all my
efforts to find the position who drove
US proved unavailing; and SO every
clue seems indeed lost by which I
might again find the scene OF that
folly, for which l have now to suffer
so heavily"
Marie turned her pale face towatd
him, and took both his hands. Tho
lieutenant gazed thunder-struck INTO
ler eyes; a dim forebodlng awoko
n his breast, veil suddenly dropped
from his eyes.
"Marie! God of Heaven, how can
have been SO blind Marie was it
indeed you ?n
Il am your wife, was the only
answer Of the girl, who sank fainting
into his arms.-[ From Tile 4AMine for
August.