The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1872-09-05

stranger. The 8 Orm continued 70
rage; at length, we deserted a light IL
the distance. We MADE for it, and
stopped before q church, from the
brightly Illuminated windows of
which the light shOne. The door was
open, three sleighs we've in front OF it,
and l saw several persons in the YES
tibule. One of them called to me:
'This Wayl This way ~ l got out
and walked toward the vestibule. The
person who had called advanced to-
ward me.
"'Great Heavens he said, 'hOw
late you comet Your intended has
tainted, and we were on the point Of
driving home again.
/ "Half-bewildered and half-amused, ,
/ I resolved u leave the adventure take
! its course. And, indeed, had little
time fOr reflection. Ny friends
I tugged me into tine interior of the
church, which was poorly lighted by
| two or three lamps. A female was
sitting upon q bench in the shadow,
while another stood beside her aud
/ chafed her temples.
AT last . cried the latter. God
/ be praised that you have cOmei My
I poor mistress liked to have died y"
IAN agec priest amerged from be-
hind the altar, and asked: Can we
begin -
"'Begin, reverend fatherv I cried,
unadvisedly.
''They assisted the half unconscious
girl to rise; she appeared to be very
pretty. In fit OF objectionable, and
now quite comprehensive, levity, l
readilystepped 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
muffled in the hood Of my cloak.
ain few minutes the nuptial cere-
mony was over, and the priest, aceOr-
ding to custom, desired the newly
married pair to embrace.
'My young wife turned her pale,
charming little face toward me, ,andwas
about to place her head upon my shOul-
der with a sweet smile-when, sud-
denly, she stared at me as if turned
into stone, tOttered, and with a cry of
1T is not he ? fell to the floor.
"All the furies of hell lashed me out
of the church. Before anyone could
think Of staying me had jumped in
to my sleigh, seized the reins, and
was soon beyond the reach of pur-
suit"
The lieutenant was silent. Maria,
also gaZed in silence to the ground.
"And you have never discovered
what became of the poor girl ?" she
finally asked.
"Never. know neither the name
of the village where I was married,
nor do recOllect the station where I
stopped. At the time, my culpably
frivolous prank seemed to me a mat
ter of so little moment, that as soon
as there was no longer any pursuit to
fear, went to sleep in the sleigh, and !
did not awake till we arrived at an |
other station. The servant whom l |
had with me was killed in the battle /; |
ali my efforts to find out the pOstil- /
lion who drove us proved unavailing; |
and so every clue seems indeed cost by /
which might again find the scene Of |
that folly, for which l have now to |
suffer so heavily"
Marie turned her pale face toward /
him, and took both his hands. The |
Lieutenant gazed thunder-stuck into /
her eyes; a dim foreboding awoke in
his breast, a vail dropped from his
eyes.
'Marie! God of Heaven, how can
L have been so blind Marie, was it
indeed you ?''
"I am your wifer' was the only /
answer of the girl, who sank fainting /
into his arms.-ALdi1e for august.