The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-12-12
Marie gazed up at him with look OF

tmued the lieutenant, "and | do not
know either who my wife is, or whether
| shall ever meet her.
Explain yourself more clearly, " said
the girl.
"T love you, Marie, and will contide
in you You shall know all, and you
will not Judge too severely an act OF
youthful levity. 1t was in the year
1912. happened to be on my way to
Wilma with the intention of joining my
regiment. Late in the evening | reach
ed station, and had already ordered |
that horses should Instantly be put to |
again, when fierce snow storm sudden
" arose. Ny landlord and the position
urgently advised me to postpone my
departure but was determined to go
in spite of the rough weather. The
position had got into his head that, by
crossing small river, the banks OF
which were perfectly we'll known to
= him. he should find shorter route. lie
missed the right crossing however, and
} got into region to which he was an
entire stranger. The storm continued
y to rage at length We deserted light
a in the distance We made for it and
t stopped before n churhc, from the
brightly illuminated windows of which
the light shone. The door was opened,
: three sleghs were i'll front of 1t, and
, saw several persons i'll the vestlbule.
II One of them called out, This way !!
!, This way + got out and walked toward
the vestihule.
u "The person who had called advanced
toward me.
Il "'Grcat Heavens = he said, how late
- Won come Your intended has tainted,
y and we were ON the very point OF drlV'
~ ing home again.
IL "Half bewilpred and half amused,
~ resolved to let the adventure take it'
- course. And, indeed. | had little time
~ for reflection. My friends tugged m,
80 into the interior OF the church, whicl
W was poorly lighted by two or three
~ lamps. A female was sitting upon
VI bench in the shadow, while another
stood beside her and chafed her temples
'" "'At last = cried the latter; 'Go'
% be praised that you have come! Nj,
" poor mistress like to have died.
,or "An aged priest emerged from be
no hind the altar and asked;
ck "'Can we begin?
oir Begin, reverend father, erie,
unadvisedly.
H.. "They assisted the half unconsclor
,e girl to rise she appeared very prett'
o. In fit of unpardonablc, and now quit
oh. iucomprehensible Icvity, readily ste
h;a ned with her to the altar Her ma
nod and the three gentlemen present we
,;rl 40 much busted with her as scarcely
han throw look Mt me- Besides, tn" llg
her in this part OF the church was dm' Al
liar INV heod was mufted in the hood OF 4
me. cloak
,ora .sma few minutes the nuptlal cel
mr.. mony was over, and the priest, accor
in. ing to CUSTOM desired the newly-m'
her ried pair to embrace
her "My young wife tnrned h'f pa
,yhv charming little face toward me, and
his about to rest her head upon my shoul'
,er's with sweet smile--when, sudden
sion she stared ut me as if turned int" Sto
and tottered, and with the cry OF 1t Is
the he = fell to the floor.
as a "All the furies OF hell lashed me
wna of the church before any one co
It of think of staying me. | had luml
hus- into my sleigh, seized the reins, and
soon beyond the reach Of pursuit
sit The lieutenant was silent, Ma
and also, gazed in silence to til" ground
.And have you never discovered "
her became of the poor girl?' she mn
3''''i asked. A.. -.
| out of the village where | was married
do recolect the station where =
mur- ped. At the time my culpable, III
ous prank seemed to me matter .
It his little moment that as soon as there
no longer any pursuit to fear, l wen
o., - sleep in the sleigh, and did not aV
ala until we arrived ut another station.
,;,., servant whom had with me was k'
,l,,to- in battle; MI my efforts to hnd ont
,oolv postillion who drove us proved INA
Iowa ing and so every clue seems III
,efore lost by which l might again ma
! 1s- scene of that folly, for which l
,oao, now to suffer so heavily
.. Marie turned her pale face '"'
: ,a,.a him, and took both his hands
lieutenant gazed thunderstruck
her ewes dim forboding awoke Ill
breast n veil suddenly dropped
gh to D.'"''
q ,ov his eyes.
y 'io" "Marie God Of Heaven, how G.
ought 4nA,l. ,'., ~ Il;nd Marie was i
49,, deed you :!
y anu Il am your wife," was the
nave d answer of the girl, who sank fan
must .'''' -
placed ''''
n us. A WRITER in The Country cent?
Marie, recommends that late winter and
have .l,,ll NOT hp earth