River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1872-12-06

weather. The position had got 1t into
his head that, by crossing a small river,
the banks of which were perfectly we'll
known to him, he should find shorter
route. He missed the right crossing,
however and got into a region to which
he was an entire stranger. The storm
continued to rage at length we dis
cried light in the distance. We mado
for 1t, and stopped before a church,
from the bright illuminated windows
of which the light shone. The door
was open, three sleighs were in front of
it; and / saw several persons in the
vestibule. One of them called to me
This way! this way' got out and
walked toward the vestibule.
The person who had called advanc-
ed toward me.
"Great Heaven chow late you
have come! Your intended has faint
ed, and we were on the point of driv-
ing home again"
Half bewildered and hall amused, /
resolved to let the adventure take its
course. And, indeed, had little time
for reflection. My friends tugged me
into the interior Of the church, which
was poorly lighted 10y two or three
lamps. A female was sitting upon a
bench in the shadow, while another
stood beside her and chafed her tenn
Piles.
Sat last cried the latter. "God
be praised that you have GOMEZ Ny
poor mistress liked TO have died"
An aged priest emerged from behind
the alter, and asked "Can we be-
gin \"
Begin, reverend father 1 cried,
unadvisedly.
"They assisted the half unconscious
girl to rise; she appeared to ne very
pretty. In fit of unpardonable, and
now quite incomprehensible, levity, /
readily stepped with her to the altar.
Her maid and the three gentlemen
present were so much busted with her
as scarcely to throw look at me. Be
sides, the light in this part of the
church was dim, and my head was
muffied in the hood of my cloak.
g In few minutes the nuptial cere-
mony was over, and the priest, accord
ing to custom, desired the newly-mar-
ried 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 smile, when sud-
denly she stared at me as if turned into
stone. tottered, and with cry of 1t
is not he fell to the floor.
All the furies OF hell dashed me ont
of church. Before any one could think
OF staying me | had jumped into my
sleigh, seized the reins, and was soon
beyond the reach of pursuit.
The lieutenant was silent. Marie al
so gazed in silence to the ground.
''And have you never discovered
what became of the poor girl? " she
finally asked.
"Never. know neither the name
of the village where was married, nor
do l recolleot the station where / stop
ped. At the time, my culpably frivo-
lous pranKs seemed to me matter of
so little moment, that as soon as there
was nc longer any pursuit to fear, L
went 20 sleep in the sleigh, and did not
awake till we arrived at another station.
The servant whom L had with me was
killed in battle; all my efforts to find
out the position who drove us proved
unavailing, and so every clue seems
indeed lost by which L might again
find the scene of that folly, for which
/ have now suffered heavily"
Marie turned her pale face toward
Linn and took both his hands. The
lieutenant gazed thunder struck into
her eyes a dim forboding awoke in
his breast, veil suddenly dropped
from his eyes.
Marie God of heaven, how can
have been so blind! Marie, was it in
deed you2"
II am your wife was the only an
swer Of the girl who sank fainting in
to his arms. From the Russian OF
alexander PuShkin.