Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-05-04
AT Original Sturg.
dHE IRON CHEST.
BY AN OLD CONTRIBUTOR.
CHAPTER XIII.

to living at Lyndon; but his pride, which
now came out IN fuller force than had ever
seen it, prevented his saying great deal on
the subject. Ifelt as much for his disappoint'
ment as for my own for in these days a new
affection for him seemed to have sprung up in
my heart, and never before had I so thorough
ly appreciated his worth. However, I had
given her my promise, which I could not re-
woke; and, indeed, I felt that the happiness Of
having won her was SO complete as to be
scarcely damped even by this contretemps.
Selwyn had left us, but had readily accept
ed my invitation to return in time for our
wedding. he was to stay at Lyndon, accom-
pany US from thence TO Bath, remain there a
couple of days, and then take leave Of US; for
since We had decided upon going abroad, We
had made arrangements to start at once for
the Continent, and not stop at Lyndon at all.
The time appointed for the marriage arriv'
ed. I bid farewell, with acute pain, to my
dearly.loved home, but soon forgot the pain,
in anticipation of the joy which was shortly
to be mine. On our journey, selwyn and l
sustained the conversation, for Rudolph
scarcely spoke. His depression appeared too
great for him to be able to shake it of, nor
did I wonder that it should be so. ...
At the request of my betrothed, the cere-
mony was to be conducted in the quietest pos.
sible manner at home, without parade of any
kind. About dozen guests only had been
invited. There was to be simple breakfast,
and Immediately afterward we were to take
our departure. ...-.
We all stopped at hotel the night before.
went to see Olive, but Miss Storr told me
she was feeling little weary and unwell, and
she had persuaded her to retire early.
81 hope it is nothing serious" 1 said, anx-
iously. ... ...
"Ohl no, MI. Phillip. nothing at all serious;
but, you see, the dear child has been exerting
herself good deal, packing her trunks and
so forth, and that, and the natural agitation
she feels at the prospect Of leaving, has rather
unnerved her. thought she would be more
likely to feel we'll and bright in the morning,
if she got good long rest tonight"
81 am not to see her, then, I suppose, until
the ceremony" I said.
swell, no but you need not mind that,
you know, since you are to have her all to
yourself for the rest of your life. We, who
are to be deprived of her, are the ones to be-
moan ourselves now"
81 daresay we shall be coming back, one Of
these DAYS" said !. ::l1lissg;l arahahly sst
tired of Continental lifein few years time. !"
81 hope so, I'm sure. 1 was more than sur
prised to find that she wished to leave Eng
land. Butshe lived abroad a good deal when
she was a child, it appears; and I suppose the
places where she stayed most with her parents
have pleasant association for her"
The night passed-the last night of my
bachelor life. Would it had been the last of
my mortal life For then should have been
spared the sin and misery in store for me, and
these "reminiscences would never have been
written. But the golden dreams that lowered
over my pillow, and shed their brilliant fan
cies on my brain, gave no warning of woe,
and whispered only Of purest peace and de-
light. t.ts ".
The next morning-my wedding morn-is
as vividly impressed upon my memory as if
it we're yesterday. The day broke in unsur-
passed beauty. A light, pearly mist, which
yelled the dawn, was scattered by the rising
sun, and the sky smiled down with an un-
clouded face. But, an hour later, the whole
aspect of nature changed. A chill, raw wind
sprang up suddenly; dark gray clouds OBJ
scured the serene azure, and halfhour be-
fore the time appointed for the ceremony, q
thin, drizzling rain began to fall. This was
certainly depressing. My spirits sank, for I
. have always been keenly alive to the inAu-
ence of the weather, as most nervous people
are. However, it was not to be helped and
without even the consolation of hoping for q
favorable change-for such prospect there was
none-I repaired to Miss Storrs, accompa-
MED by my brother and friend.
Most brides are, believe, unpunctual. It
istheir prerogative to be so. Olive was an ex-
ception to the rule. Just as the clock struck
ten she entered the room, where we waited to
receive her, leaning on the arm of an old gen.
.tleman, relative Of Miss ;Storr's, who was
to act the part Of "father. or friend" and give
her sEey.
MNaeart leaped up as advanced to meet
her, then sank again, oppressed by sudden
chill. No sculptured marble could have been
whittier, more rayless than her face The color
had forsaken her very lips, and her features,
though beautiful as ever, wore an almost rig
id expression. She never raised her eyes
once to meet mine. Like statue she stood,
cold and passive, and repeated in low, me-
chanical tone the words the clergyman in.
structed her to say. As slipped the golden
circlet on her finger, the touch of her hand
was like ice-it seemed to chill one through
and through. 1t was over, and then for an
instant she looked up-not at me, but in one
swift, comprehensive glance around-and oh,
what a look it was! So wildly pathetic and
imploring, like that Of newly-caged creature
longing to be set free-so full of impotent
despair!
This felt, keeuly, sharply, like the cut of
6ne-edged blade, thrilling with anguish to
nv core. But was it a dream, or the play Of
q diseased fancy? I almest thought so, a
minute later; for my bride, still pale, but
quite composed, was smiling in answer to some
whispered speech, and quietly receiving the