Omaha daily bee., 1874-07-09
BRIDES AT NIAGARA.
The Turtle-Dove Couples at tho
Hymeneai Mecca.

Hymeneai Mecca.
- A correspondent writing from
Niagara Falls, says: "ShoItly
after breakfast yesterday morning
strolled out from the Clifton to the
edge of the Horseshoe Fall to watch
a log that had caught in the back
eddy, and was slowly making its
way again to the verge of the
chasm. Just to the left IF me, and
looking down on one of the most
majestic and awful views that the
place affords, was the inevitable
couple, his arm about her waist and
bis other hand in hers. Hackey
was close beside narrating in his
professional monotone how, In the
cool gray light of q morning long
ago, a beautiful, but unfortunate
girl walked quietly out to
the edge Of the rock, stood there for
a moment with the wind tossing
the white folds Of her night-gown
and the tangled fringes Of her dis
heveled hair, and then leaped with
the strength of despair clear out into
the void beyond, and disappeared
In the hell Of boiling waters at the
foot of the fall. There was O mo-
ment's pause as the story ended,
but no doubt as to what should fol-
low-it was foreordained from the
6r.t-and the two mouths came to-
gether with the usual chirrup and
the usual blush. / turned away In
sadness and passed on. But perhaps
the most amusing spectacle OF this
hymenial Mecca may be witnessed
in the corridors of any of the great
hotels from $50 to 11:30 Of any eve
ming during the season. Go early,
SO as to be in time ascend to
about the third floor, and take up
YOUR post of observation in some con-
venient embrasure-say in the
window at the end of the hall. The
half-hour will hardly have struck
when door after door will open in
Quick succession, and groom after
groom emerge sneakingly from its
closing portal, give a quick glance
over his shoulder, and then walk
leisurely up and down, With q don't
-care-a-d- expression on his q
that is indescribably ludicrous. One
moment he shippers shamefacedly
ut his fellOw-sufferers who pass him
in their march, and another glares
sayagely at the carpet, the walls,
and the ceiling, as If spelling for q
! fight. But all the time he Is looking
| anaiously at his watch, until a half
hour has passed slowly away, when
he steals hastily back to his door,
knocks and enters, where necessity
compels us to leave him. The ex-
| PLANTATION is simple-he has been
sent out while the young and mex
perienced madam disrObes herself.
He is ashamed to go down stairs,
and so he watches out the vigil in
the hall.
On one joyful and ne'er-tO-be-for-
gotten occasion-the first of the
many times that I have sought to
console myself for the woes of bach
elordom by this pitiable sight, vas
called in to assist at the reunion az
ter the half hour had elapsed. A
groom, bigger and madden than the
average, had hardly re-entered his
nuptiaI chamber, when he reap
peared with direst alarm and con-
sternation depicted In his oounte-
nance. His room was the end one
in the hall, and my face the first to
meet his agonized glance.
care you one of the hotel men,"
h egasped.
II am, sir" 1 replied, with that
| innate truthfulness that character
lied the descendants of Geo. WASH
ton.
"Well, sir, my wife has gone, and
I'll have her, sir, i'll have to search
every room in your cursed old
shanty."
In vain I sought to console the
agitated youth, and check the cur
rent of profanity that cOursed with
| Niagara's own rush and roar from
his trembling lips. In vain ! assu-
red him that 1t was not customary
for wives to run away 80 early in
Il cir marital life,and that there was
not q case OIL record ofOne's quitting
her bed and board before the expira-
ration of the honeymoon. 1t was
useless-he would not be comfOrted
till finally, purely out Of the phi
~lanthrophy of an unselfish heart, 1
suggested that he let me assist him
In examining his room for traces Of
the missing bride. He at once as
scented, and threw open the door.
I entered with ~voiceless rever-
ence No human beings but our
selves were visible. In the corner,
piled upon q chair, were the ordi-
nary articles Of q wOman's appa-
rel, the smaller and more mysteri-
Gus garments carefully hidden un-
der the larger. In the bed was q
mock form, composed of q pillow
and a flannel shirt, which the
wrath of the alarmed husband had
ruthlessly and immodestly exposed.
I took in the situation in q glance.
There was evidently nothing un-
der the bed-that Is, nothing of any
conseauence-for it came too near
the floor. There were no closets In
the rom, no other doors, and
nothing behind which one could
hide. There was, however, what
the French call a boufet, with
shelves at the top, and folding
doors at the bottom. l gagged the
thing in nv minds eye, and ocu-
oluded that there was just room
enough for q flexible little woman
without much clothing to squeeze In
there. All this was but the work OF
an instant's observation, and then l
spoke with my mouth sharply:
"Young man, you have made an
ass Of yourself. Go to that side
board and find her."
Without waiting for me to hide
my bushes behind the door, he
opened the boufet with a bound,
and there, nestled amid a cloud OF
fleecy white, and covered with laugh
Ter and bushes, was the prettiest
little rosebud of q face that ever
cleaned out of lace and linen.