Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-07-04
ROCKVILLE MARYLAND FRIDAY MORNING. JULY A, 1873.

mysterious organlSt Still kept his post ;
but his head was bowed upon the instru-
ment, and he could not see the lone de-
voice. AT length she rose from the aisle
and moving to the organ-loft, she paused
beside the musician.
Bertrand she murmured.
| Quick as thought the organist raised
his head. There, with the light of a
lamp suspended to the arch above falling
upon her, stood the princess who had
graced the royal pew that day.
The court-dress of velvet, with its soft
ermino trimming, the tiara, the necklace,
the bracelets, had been exchanged for a
gray serge robe and long thick veil,
which was now pushed back from the
fair girlish face.
"Oh, Elizabeth Elizabeth !" cried
the organist, and he sank at her feet and
gazcd wistfully into her troubled eyes.
Why are you here, Bertram ?" asked
the princess.
:" l came to bid you farewell. and, as
| dared not venture into the palace, |
gained access to the cathedral by bribing
the bell-ringer and taking the vacant
scat of the dead organist. Let my music
breathe out the adieu | could not trust
my lips to utter"
A low moan was the only answer, and
he continued:
| " You are to be married tomorrow :"
!" Yes" sobbed the girl. "Oh, Bcr-
tram, what trial it will be to stand at
yonder altar and take upon me the vows
which will doom me to living deathw
Think of me" rejoined the organist.
"Your royal father has requested me to
! play at your wedding, and have PRO-
missed to be here. If l were your equal
| could be the bridegroom instead of the
organist; but poor musician must give
you up"
:" 1t is like rending body and soul
asunder to part with you !" said the girl.
Tonight l may tell you this--tell you
how fondly | love you-but in a few
hours it will be sin. Go, go. and God
bless you"
She waved him from her as if she
would Danish him. He rose to leave her
and then came back, held her to his
heart in a long embrace, and with a half
smothcred farewell left her.
The next morning dawncd in cloudless
splendor. AT an early hour the cathe-
dral was thrown open. and the sexton
began to prepare for the brilliant we'd
ding. Flameicolored flowers nodded by
the wayside; fame-colored leaves came
rushing down from the trees, and lay in
light heaps upon the ground; the ripe
wheat waved like golden sea, and Der
rics dropped in red and purple clusters
over the rocks along the Rhine.
At length the palace gates opened, and
tho royal party appeared, escorting the
Princess Elizabeth to the cathedral 1t
was brave pageant. Far brighter than
the cntwincd foliage and blossoms were
the plumes which foated from stately
heads and the festal robes which strcamcd
down over the housings of the superb
steeds.
But the princess, mounted on snow
white palfrcy, and clad in snow-white
velvet, looked pale and sad !; and when,
on nearing the church, she heard a gush
of organ music which, though jubilant
in sound, struck on her car like funeral
knell, she trcmbled, and would have fall
en- to the earth had not page supported
her. A few moments afterward she en-
tered the cathedral. There, with his re-
tinue, stood the royal bridegroom, whom
she had never before seen. But her glance
roved from him to the organ-loft, where
she expected to see the mysterious or
ganist. He was gone, and she was obliged
to return the graceful bow Of the king,
to whom she had been bctrothed from
motives Of policy. Mechanically she
knelt by his side on the altar stone me-
chemically she listened to the service and
made responses. Then her husband drew
her toward him in conyulsive embrace,
and whispered Elizabeth. my queen,
my wife, look up.'' Trembling in every
limb, she obcyed.
Why did those dark eyes thrill her 50 2
Why did that smile bring glow to her
check? All though the king wore the
royal purple, and many jeweled order
glittcred on his breast, he seemed the
same humble person who had been en-
ployed to teach organ music, and had
taught her the lore Of love.
Elizabeth" murmurcd the monarch,
"Bertram Hoffman, the organist, and
King Oscar are one. Forgive my STRAIT
agem. l wished to marry you, but would
not drag to the altar an unwilling bride.
Your father was in the secret"
While tears of Joy ran from her eyes,
the new-made queen returned her hus-
bands fond kiss, and for once two hearts
were made happy by royal wedding.
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