The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-07-30

weather. The postillion had got it into his
head, that by crossing small river, the
banks of which were perfectly well known
to him, he should find shorter route. He
missed the right crossing, however, and got
into region to which he was an entire
stranger. The storm continued to rage, but
at length we discried light at distance.
We made for it, and stopped before a
church, from the brightly illuminated win
dows of which the light shone. The
door was open, and three sleighs were in
front of it, and saw several persons in the
vestibule. One of them called me: "This
way this way!" got out and walked
toward the vestibulc
The person who had called advanced
toward me.
"Great Heavens p he said "how late
you come Your intendant has tainted. and
we were on the very point of driving home
again"
"Half-bewildered and half-amused, l
resolved to let the adventure take it's
course. And, in deed had little time for
reflection. My friends tugged me into the
interior of the church, which was poorly
lighted by two or three lamps. A female
was sitting upon bench in the shadow,
while another stood beside her and chafed
her temples.
CAT last - cried the latter. "God be
praised that you come My poor mistress
liked to have died."
can aged priest emerged from behind
the altar, and asked: +" Can we begin?"
"Begin, reverened father ~ l cried I'M
advisedly.
"They assisted the balf-unconscous girl
to rise; she appeared to be very pretty. In
a fit of objectionable, and now incompre-
hensible, levity, l readily stepped with her
to the altar. Her maid and the three
gentlemen present were so busted with her
as scarcely to throw a look at me. Besides,
the light in this part of the church was
dim, and my head was muflled in the hood
of my cloak.
In a few minutes the nuptial ceremony
was over, and the priest, according to Gus
tom, desired the newly-married pair to en-
brace.
"My young wife turned her pale, char
ming little face toward me- and was about
to rest her head upon my shoulder with
sweet smile-when, suddenly, she stared
at me as il turned into stone, tottered and
with the cry of cit 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 into my sleigh,
seized the reins, and was soon beyond 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.
" Never know neither the name of
the village where was married, nor do l
recollect the station where / stopped. 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, went to sleep in the sleigh
and did not awake till we arrived at another
station. The servant whom had with me
was killed in battle all my efforts to find
out the postillion who drove us proved una
vailing and so every clue seems indeed
lost by which l might again find the scene
of that folly, for which l have now to suf-
fer SO heavily"
Marie turned her pale face toward him
and took both his hands. The lieutenant
gazed thunder-struck into her eyes dim
foreboding awoke in his breast veil sud-
denly dropped from his eyes.
"Marie God of Heaven, how can have
been SO blind Marie, was it indeed you"
81 am your wife !" was the only answer
of the girl, who sank fainting into his,arms.
from The Aldine for August.
A Grand SnectncIe.