The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-05-25
are looking your best, as you are in duty
bound to do to-day"


are looking your best, as you are in duty
bound to do to-day"
There was no answer. The girl did
not heed or even appear to hear the
words, but stood gazing vacantly up into
the blue sky, where some feathery clouds
were floating slowly by.
cit is time that you were dressing,"
Mrs. Kyrle went on, in accents that had
grown sharper through Hesters silence.
eyes," answered the voice but the
figure never stirred.
"Leave her to me, Mrs. Kyrle ;" and
girl in bridesmaids s gear came forward
from the other end of the room. "Trust
to me that Hester shall be ready by the
time the clock strikes eleven"
"Thank you, Maude. Twill leave you
to your task and it seems to me that
you will find it difficult one - and Mrs.
Kyrle rustled angrily out of the room.
Hester, you must dress" |" and Maude
Wymer threw her arm round the girl
and tried to draw her round.
"Very well :" and this time the figure
did move. Hester walked firmly across
the room, and delivered herself into the
maids and Maude's hands and in
little while she stood arrayed in her satin
dress, with q coronet of orange flowers
crowning her brow.
"You look lovely, Hester; just shade
too white, perhaps, beautiful as a dream.
Does she not, Anne ?" cried Maude, en-
Enthusiastically.
"Miss Kyrle looks lovely, but she is
q great deal too white; she looks like
bride of DEATH"
"Oh, hush, Anne Hester, you had
better sit here until it is time to go
down."
81 should like to go to the window"
was the quiet answer. "Please raise it,
Maude; feel stifed."
1T is delicious day; the air is so full
of fragrance, and the sun shines so
bright. 1t is happy bride that the sun
shines on, you know" Maude said, push
ing the sash up; then she drew forward
an armchair, into which Hester sank.
"You are crushing your dress And
if you lean back like that you will spoil
your flowers and veil !"
The bride-elect looked up at the re-
monstrance, and gave little wistful
smile.
"You can put me to rights tomorrow,
Maude; am so tired to-day y and she
YEARLY closed her eyes.
Maude Wymer gazed at her in dismay
and surprise. Then she went and sat
down little way off. A thousand trifes,
light as air at the time, seemed to her
now as confirmation strong of doubts
regarding this marriage that had occa-
sionally arisen in her mind. She was an
intelligent girl, and in a few minutes
she had realized Hester's pitiable posi-
ton. Hester was going mad at her fate,
was the thought that flashed through her
mind as she watched her sitting or sleep
ing SO strangely then. Suddenly a
throng of girls appeared at the door,
They were Maudes sister-bridesmaids;
and, after exchanging word with her,
they walked toward the window.
Hester is asleep" whispered one of
them in astonishment, and the others
moved softly and spoke in hushed tones
as they gathered round the chair.
How dreadfully white she looks!'
"She will have more color when she
wakes, perhaps"
Then a sort of curious awe, almost q
dread, crept over them, and they were
silent. Hester was so still. There was
hot the slightest flicker of golden lash;
white and rigid as marble image, with
her pale hands folded loosely and meekly
together, Hester Kyrle sat before them.
At this moment the maid approached
the panic-struck group. Surprised at the
startled expression of the different faces,
she pressed hurriedly forward /; and, as if
with an instinct of what was to come,
she seized one hand the touch of it
was sufficient The woman fell on her
knees before the motionless figure that
was clad in all the mockery of bridal
array, and she gave piercing shrek that
resounded through the house, and fell
on the ears of the marriage guests-a
shrek which in the contagious panic of
horror was taken up by each of the as
sembled bridesmaids.
The clock chimed eleven loud strokes,
but Mervyn Tyrrell waited in vain for his
bride to come to him. Then John Kyrle
stood and gazed at his daughter, and he
knew that the Heaven she had invoked
to save her from Mevyn Tyrrells arms
had listened to her prayers, for Hester
Kyrle was dead.
PART Ill