The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-02-15

"And now" said Ellen, imprinting q
kiss upon the pure brow OF the young
bride, 81 will go down into the outer
room and see if Herbert or the minis
ter has arrived" With these words
she Quilted the apartment, leaving the
young girl to her own reflections. And
o. how happy was Ada at that mo-
ment, and how surprisingly lovely that
happiness made her appear. Her
dress was of spotlese white, and a
wreath of orange flowers was twlned
about her raven hair. A dreamy soft
ness was in her hazel eye, and a glow
upon her cheek, as she thought of the
one who in q few short hours should
become her husband.
At length the door opened, and her
sister entered, bearing In her hand an
ebony box.
"They have not yet come" she said,
"but here is wedding present, which
has just been brought to the door by q
boy, who says that it came from some
one of our friends"
Ada took the box in her hand and
opened it. AS she did so a piercing
shrek broke from her lips, for she
had scarcely raised the lid when a SER
pent darted quickly forth and coiled its
shiny folds about her wrist. A feel
ing of sharp pain ran through ner arm
az the snake fastened its poisonous
fangs into her flesh; and overcome by
terror, she fell fainting on the floor.
The shrek which Ada had uttered fell
upon the ears of her father and his
guests, and they rushed in body to
her room. Herbert, who was just en-
tering the house, heard it also; and
and with q terrible foreboding in his
heart, followed after them. What a
sight met his eyes as he entered the
room There lay his Ada On the floor
as white as marble, with her rignt arm
extended, upon which the poisonous
serpent still remained coiled, like a
bracelet. His heart sickened at the
sight, but he obeyed the rash impulse
of his nature by rushing forward, and
with his own hand disenga ging the
snake from Ada's wrist, which now
presented blue and swollen appear
ance. The reptile, however, inflicted a
poisonous sting upon the back of his
hand while he was thus engaged, and
he could feel its deadly venom cours-
ing through his veins. The serpent
then crawled, Kissing, about the room,
until it was finally dispatched by one
of the guests. Ada was conveyed to q
couch, and, despite the horror of his
situation, under the influence of the
venomous bite he had received, Her
bert persisted on remaining by her bed
side. At length, however, his suffer
ings became so intense that he was
for ced to lie down.
A physician was summoned, but he
came too late. The serpent had done
its work well, and Ada and Herbert
both died in horrid commissions the
following day. Although not welded
upon earth, it is to be hoped that they
were united in the land of spirits.
In the box which held the serpent a
paper was found containing these
words:
az have said that the serpent should
sting thee. Take this as thy wedding
present-'th the poison bracelet from
him who bears the reptiles name"
Mr.. Melville did not long survive the
melancholy incidents above related he
was soon laid by the side of poor Ada.
Marco was arrested not long afterwards,
and identified by the bearer of the box
as the same individual who had given
it to him to convey to the house of Mr..
Melville. Perceiving that there was no
hope left for him, the criminal con-
fessed to the deed, saying that he did
it from motives of revenge; that his
mother had possessed three reptiles Of
the most venomous character, and that
he had taken the most poisonous one
and shut it up in box, which he hired
a boy to carry to the residence Of the
young bride.
The villain expiated his crimes soon
after upon the gallows.
Such was the story of my friend; and
l unused with q feeling of sadness upon
the fate of the beautiful Ada Melville.