The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-01-18
THE rELON9S BRIDE.
HY LIEUT.. HENDERSON.

moro famed Ter its beauty than its
size.
The blasts al autumn had swept the
leaves from the trees, and they
stretched out their bare and quivering
limbs to implore winter to cover them
with his icy sheen. The poor were
shiveTing III their novels; the rich en-
joying life as best they could, sur
rounded by such comforts as wealth
always commands.
In neat and cosy mansion in the
said town-or rather in q parlor there
of-sat two persons one young man
whose almost beardless face and youth
ful appearance, did not place him
above one-and-twenty years IN the rec
ordS of time, if SO much. Had it not
been for rather reckless and dissi-
pated look, he would have been con-
sidered handsome. He had dark,
flashing eye his hair curled around a
high, fair brow; his features were
regular his figure good, and his dress,
with the exception of being over-iew-
elryiZed, was in the fashion, and ele-
giant.
His companion was q modest and
lovely blonde small and plump in fig
ure, with auburn hair, and those ten
der blue eyes, which, while they
2 speak not of fever heat, nor tameless
passion, still contain a world of deep
and constant love. Her age was evil
IDENTIFY two or three years less than
his; Just that era when the girl IS
merging into womanhoOd when, with
new thoughts. new feelings, new pas
sions and no experience, She energies
from the bud into the tiower, hanging
upon the thorny bush Of humanity, az
the mercy Of every breeze, and IN dan-
ger Of every daring hand.
''What 90 you say Annie = said the
young man. "Wil you not be mine
without his consent
so. Charles, how can | e. replied
the young girl, rs she clasped one OF
his arms within both of her own.
GLOW can L! love and fear my faith.
er, love you but is it not my duty
10 heed him :"
land so marry old Prendegast, the
banker, for whom he intends you !
said the young man, bitterly.
mo, Charles ; that Twill never dol
she replied, in tears the while; lit i
cruel in you to say 1t.
"And yet he intends it; he taunteC
me witt 1t to-day, when | asked your
hand of him, while he called me moth
ing but q beggarly post-otiice clerk.
4 change came over the young girl:
face as she heard this. The tear:
seemed Of themselves TO dry upon hel
burning cheeks Her little form seem
ed to enlarge, and her plump bosom
fal In 20 la
suddenly aroused to motion. The colo
ON her cheeks grew deeper and tn
light III her eyes more bright.
vile has spoken to me of that ok
wretch. said she and he is invited
here to spend this coming Christmas.
''Then. dearest. let him come; bu
do not let him find you here. Let II
fly. DISCUSSES for both are ready ; th'
cars pass in two hours | have plent,
of ready money. and iii Il few hour
we can be in another state, and yOl
shall be INV welded wife. Then WI
will send Your father word, and cop,
of our certificate of marriage an,
though lie may storm and rave for al
hour two, he will soon see that it j
useless, and call us back to his low
and home againi Come, Annie, come!
She hesitated-theTe was eyidentl
u struggle going on in her young hear
love ON one scale. and duty on til
other. lie saw her indeclsion.
tPeudergaSt is 4 hateful old miserl
said he.
The scales turned in a moment.
Charles" said she, and her ton
was low and solemn. and her loo
touchlngly earnest In its trusting innC
cense as she spoke: "ChaTles | Wi
go with you; hut pray God to trea
Won as YOU 90 me. fer my hOnor--m
very life, is III your hands from til
moment leave my father proteetin
roofi'
"Amen, my dear .'nnie,' said hi
as he kissed her tenderly. "You nee
not fear wrong from me, for | Low
YOU as do my very life -
And heseemed in look and tone mos
sincere wnen he spoke those words.
BE with me in an hour, at the CO
ner Of Bland and CIPHER streets. dea
est. he continued. land from theme
Sc 90 where we can disguise all ths
is necessary to escape recognition /
the depot; and then, within ten hour
more. You viii be SO much mine by til
laws of God and man, that no powt
on earth can drag You from me.
have arranged at the office, and e
leave TO he absent for a few days :
that | shall not lose my situation
being away from my post.
II will be there, Charles, reptile
Annie, not in wild romantic manne
but wit hthe quiet tirmness of one WI
seemed we'll TO know what she w
about TO do. and who in deep. cal
love. was willing 10 risk all for hi
whom she loved.
And now the reader might as we
be told who those young people so bel
upon elopement were.
Annie was the only daughter OF Il
wealthiest man in the place, the daug
ter Of an honorable but ambitious ma
who was stern in his manner, al
naughty, while she was as winning
June morning. Yet Mr.. Rivers w
looked up to with great reverence ,
every hand. annie-young thoug
she was-had many suitors; some d