Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-16

How strange said lady, "that a simple
black veil. such aS any woman might wear
in her bonnet. SnouIi become such terrible
thing on Mr. HOppeT's facet"
"SOm7 thing must surely b. amiSs with
Mr.. HDOpCT'S intellect" observed her hus-
band, the physician Of the village. Blu the
stTangeSt part Of the affair Is the effect of this
Nagary. even On SOJer-minded man like
myself IGt black veil, though 10 covers only
our pastors face, throws its influence over
his Who'll" person, and makes him ghOs.liae
from head 10 foot. Do you not feel it sp''
Truly do l." replied the lady. -'and would
not be alone with him for the world, wOni II
he is not afraid To he alone with himself
Men sometimes are So said her husband.
The afternoon service was attended with
similar CircUmStanceS. At its conclusion the
bell tOllel for the funeral Of a young LAZY.
The relatives and friends were assembled in
the house, and the mOrr distant acguaint-
ances stool about the door, speaking of the
good qualities OF the deceased, when their talk
was Interrupted by the appearance of Mr..
Hooper. still covered with his black veil. IL
was now an appropriate emblem. The clergy
man stepped into the room where the corpse
was laid. and bent over the coffin, to take
last farewell of his deceased parish iOner. AS
he stopped, the veil hung straight down.
from his forehead. so that, il her eyelidS had
not been closed forever, the deaf maiden
might have seen his face. Could Mr.. Hooper
BE- fearful of her glance, that h1 80 hastily
caught back the black veil? \ person who
watched the Interview between tn" dead and
living ScTuplCd not to affirm that, al the in
slant when the clCTgyman's features ware lis
closed, the corpse had slightly SiU i1eTcd
TUStling the ShrOul and muslin cap, tho lEil
the cOuntenaucr retained the co ~ ,Ur' OF
death. \ sUpCTStitiouS old woman was the
only witness Of this prodigy. From tine
coffin, Mr.. Hooper passed into IN" chamber
of the mOuTner>, ami theme to IN" head Of the
staircase, u make the funeral prayer. II W.T.,
tender and misunderstanding prayer, fun of
sorrow, vet 50 inIbuol with celestial hop -.
that the music Of a heavenly harp. swept by
the fingers Of the dead, seemed family to b.
heard among the SadleSt accents Of tn" min
lister. The people trembla1. though they but
daTky understood him when he prayed that
they. and himself, and all of mortal rae,
might h. ready, a. he trusted this young
maiden had been, for the dreadful hour that
should snatch the veil from their faces. TIN
bearers went heavily forth. and the mOurnnr>
followed, Sadd1ning all the street, with the
dead before them, and Mr.. Hooper in his
black veil behind.
why 90 YOU look b3ck?" said one in the
procession to his partner.
Il hal fancy replied she, that the
minister and the maiden'S spirit were walk
ing hand-iu-hand."
And 80 had 4. at the same moment" said
the other.
That night. the handSOmeSt couple in Mil
ford village were To BE- jOinel i'm wedlOct.
Though TcCkOncd a melancholy man. Mr..
Hooper had placid cheerfulneSs for such oC-
caSiOnS. which often excited n sympathetic
smile where llvelier merriment would have
been thrown away. There was no quality OF
his disposition which made him more be-
loved than this. The company at the wei
ding awaited his arrival with impati1nce.
trusting that the strange awe which had ga
thCTcd over him throughout the day would
now be dispelled. But such was not the re-
suit When Mr.. Hooper came. the first thing
that their eyes rested on was the same hOTTi-
bic black veil. which had added deeper gloom.
TO the funeral. and could pOrtcnd nothing but
evil 10 the wedding. Such was its imma-
date effect on the guests, that cloud seem II
70 have rOllei duSkiIy from beneath the
black Grape. and dimmed the light of the
candles. The bridal pair stood up before the
minister. But the brides coll fingers quiv-
cred in the tramulOuS hand Og the bridegroom,
and her dcath-lilIe palenaSS caused a whisper
That the maiden who hal been buried n few
hours before was come from her grave u be
married. IL ever another wedding were 50
dismal. il was that famous one where they
t1llcd the welding kncll. After performing
the cert mOny. Mr.. Hooper raised glass OF
wine To- his lips, wishing happiness to The
new married couple, in n strain OF mild plea
Santry that ought to have Frightened the f,a-
lures OF the guests, like cheerful glaam from
The heart AT that instant, catching a glimpse
OF his figure in the lOOking-gIaSS. the black
veil lnyOlvelh his own spirit in the horror with
which 10 overwhelmed all Ofhar-. His frame
shuddered-his lips grew white-he split the
untaStcd wind upon the carpet-ani rushed
forth into the darkness. For the earth, too.
had ON a black veil.
The next day. the whole village of Milford
talked of little else than PaTsOl Hooper's
black veil. That, and the mystery concealed
behind 1T, supplied tonic for discussion he
tween acquaintance meeting in the street.
anu gOOi women gOSSiping at their open win
dOwS. IL was the first item of news that the
Dabbled OF IL on their way to school. One
initiative little imp covered his face with an
old black handkerchief. thereby SO alright
ing his playmateS. that the panic seized him
sell, and he wel!-niSh lost his wits by his own
Waggcry.
IL was remarkable that of all the busy DO
dies and impairment people in the pr sh.
not one yentUred to put the plain question 10
Mr. Hooper. wherefore he dill this thing
Hitherto, whenever there appeared the
slightest call for such Interference he hal
hF hi al
averSe 10 be guided 10y their Judgment Ifhe
erred at all, IL was by 80 painful a degree of
self-d!StruSt. that even the milieSt cenSure
would lead him to consider All indifferent ac-
tlOn as crime. Yet, though 50 well ac-
quaiDted with this amiabIe weakness, no
individual among his parishiOners chose to
MAKE the Dlack veil subject of friendly Re-
mOnStrance. There was a feeling of dread,
neither plainly confessed nor carefully con-
cealeft: which caused each to shit the re-
slOnSlblllty upon another, till at length il
was found eypedient to send a deputatiOn of
tne church in order to deal with Mr.. Hooper
aoouI me mystery, before II should grow into
a >cih'ttl Never did any embassy 50 i'll dis
charge its duties. The minister received
them with friendly courtesy but became ST.
lent, after they were seated, leaving to his
visitors the whole burden of Introducing
their important business. The topic, it
might be supposed, was obvious enough.
There was the black veil, swathed round Mr.
HOOrerS forehead. and cOnccaIing every fea-
tuTe above his placid mouth, on which. at
times, they could perceive the glimmering OF
d hleilhcnOly smile. But that piece Of Grape.
70 thelr imagination, seemed to hang down
before MS heart, the symbol ola fearful Sc
CTet between him and them. Were the veil
but cast aside, they might speak freely of it,
out not Till then. Thus they sat a consider
able time, speeches., confused. and shrink
ing uneaSily from Mr.. HOOpers eye. which
they ielt to be hxed upon them with an in
visible glance Finally. the deputies re-
turned abaShed 10 their contestants pro-
nouEcIng The matter too weighty TO be hand
led except by council OF the churches. if
indeed, IL might not require general synod.
But there was one person IN the village un-
appalled, by the awe with which the black
ven mad impressed all beside herself When
the deputies returned without an explana-
nor, or even Venturing 10 demand one She
Win the calm energy of her character, de-
lerInlned to chase away the strange cloud
That appeared 10 be settling round Mr.
hooper, every moment more darl1Iy than be-
lore As his plighted wife. il should be her
privilege 10 know what the black veil con-
cealel Al the minister's first visit. there
lore, She entered upon the subject, with di-
rect simplicity, which made the task easier
both for him and her After he had seated
himself. she fixed her eyes steadfaStIy upon
the ven. but could discern nothing of the
dreadful SloOmfth had so overrawed the
multitude; 10 was but a double fold of Grape
hanging down from his forehead To his mouth
Il IL fip=R-1F IL, hi