The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1874-01-02
ed his task. Wins be played. yelled
figure glided in and knea,t near side
shrine. There she remained Fntil thA
eS,snpRs haA-dSpsrsS, AhesAs
A.xton touched her on the sh3ulderapd

| Madam, everybody has gone but you
and me, aud wish to close the doors.
| 81 am not ready TO go yet. was the
| reply. Leave me leave mel"
The sext1n drew back into a shady
| niche and watched ana listened. The
| mysterious organist kept his post; but
his head was bowed upon the instrument
| and he could not see the lone devotee.
At length she rose from the aisle. and
| moving to the organ-loft, She paused be-
side the musician.
"Bertram, she murmured.
Quick as thought the organist raised
his head. There, wirh the light of q
lamp suspended to the arch above falling
upon her. stood the princess who had
graced the royal pew. The court dress
Of velvet, with its soft ernline trimmings,
the tiara, the necklace. the bracelets. had
been exchanged for gray serge robe and
long. thick veil. which was now pushed
back from the fair, girlish face.
20 Elizabeth! Elizabeth u exclaim-
ed the organist; and he sank at her feet
aud gaze1 wistfully into her troubled
eyes.
WHY are you here, Bertrand asked
the princess.
Il came to bid you farewell and, as
| dared not venture into the palace.
gained access to the cathedral by bri6ing
the bell ringer, and, taking this vacant
seat Of the dead organist, let my music
breathe cut the idea L could not trust
my lips to utter
4 low moan was the only answer, and
he continued:
You are to be married to- morrow p
Yes, sobbed the girl. 80 Bertram
what trial it will be to stand at yon-
der alter aud take upon me the VOWS
which will doom me to living death.
Think Of me-" COINED the organist.
Your royal father has requested me to
play at your wedding. and have prom
iaed to be here II were your equal
! could be the bridegroom, instead OF
The oIganist but poor musician must
give you up.
1T is liEe rending body and soul
asunder to part with you, said the girl.
''To night I may tell you thls-tell you
how tondly I love you-but in few
hours it will he a sin. Go! go!-and
God bless you"
She waved him from her as if she
,rould hanish him. He rose 20 leave.
her. and then came back. held her to his
heart in a long embrace, and with
half smothered farewell, left her.
The next morning dawned in cloudless
,plendor. At an early hour the cathed-
raj was thrown open, and the sexton
began to prepare for the brilliant we'd
ding. Flame colored flowers nodded by
the waysiie--f1ame-c olored leaves came
rushing down from the trees, and lay In
heaps upon the ground; and the ripe
heat waved like golden sea, and Der
ries dropped in red and purple clusters
over the rocks along the Rhine.
At leugth the palace gates were open
ed aul the royal party appeared, escort
ing the Princess Elizebeth to the cathed-
raj, where her marriage was to be
solemnized. It was brave pageant
far brighter than the entwlne1 foliage
and blossoms were the tufts of p.umes
which foated from stately heads, and
the festal robes which hoated down over
the housings of the superb steeds.
But the princess, mounted on a snow
white palirey, aad clad in snow white
velvet. looked pale and sad; and when,
on nearing t he church, she heard eush
oil! organ music, which, though lubilant
In sound, struck on her ear like funeral
kneil, she tseDbled. and would have
fallen to the earth had not a page sup
ported her \ few moments afterwards
she entered the cathedral. There, with
his vetiGue, stood the roral bridegroom,
whom she had never before seen. But
her glance roved from him to the organ
loft, where she had expected TO see the
mysterious oreanist. He was gone, and
she was obliged to return the graceful
bows Of the king, to whom she was be-
trothed from motives Of policy. Me-
chemically, she knelt at his side on the
altar stone; mechanically she listened to
the service and made responses. Then
her husband drew her towards him in a
convuISive embrace, and whispered:
ELIZA beth, my queen, my wife, look
up!"
Trembling in every limb she obeyed.
Why did those dark eyes thrill her SO?
Why did that smile bring glow on her