Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-08-13

sank exhausted into the arms of the old wa-
. man behind her, and relapSed into her
former state of insensihiiy, and so the cers
mony ended. The bridegroom rose up ana
pore the ifelesss form of the bride TO her
former place, aud the old woman and the gi-
ganllc man followed them. The Pastors
nrst conductors then appeared again ana
bnndfolded his eyes as before and led him
MOI without some trouble, through the crowd
ana, having pushed him rudely through The,
side door, they bolted II on the inside and
left him standing alone in the churchyard.
Here he remained for some time bewildered
and confused. uncertain whether al he had
just witnessed was not a dream. But when
he had torn the bandage OF his eyes, and hs
saw the church before him. still lighted up.
and heard the noise Of the people within h
continue he felt convinced of the reality OF
the mysterious event he had been an actor in
In ORDER TO observe as much as possible the
conclusion OF the strange scene, he concealed
himself in corner Of the porch, and anNiously
listened, as every moment the noise within
became louder and louder. IL seemed as IL a
warm strife had arisen he thought he could
distinguish the rough voice OF the bridegroom,
who loudly commanded silence. Then fol-
lowed long pause, which was succeeded by
the piercing scream OF a female voice. After
that another silence, and then a voice of loud
lamentations which lasted nearly quarter
Oh an hour The lights We're then suddenly
eNlngulshed, the confused noise of the crowd
was again heard. and the whole multitude
came streaming out of the church, and hast
ened nolsliy down 10 the sea shore.
After little while the pastor crepr ont Of
MS hiding place, and fastened to the village.
He then awoke his friends and neighbers.
and, still laboring under the effect of his
lignt, related Ia them all that had occurred.
But so peaceful, still, and monotonous was the
usual course of events I'm The community that
an alarm OF quite different nature seized on
them. They believed their respected pastor
had lost his senses and it was rot without
some trouble that he at last persuaded some
OF them TO accompany him with pickaNes and
ShoyeS, and follow him TO the church,
In the mean time the night had passed away
and the sun had appeared and as the pastor
and his companions assembled the hill on
which the church stood, they saw shin i'm
full sail leave the shore and steer in a north
erly direction. Such an unusual sight in such
a solitary neighborhood made them a little
more inclined 10 credit the old mans story,
and il was fully confirmed when they found
the church door had been forcibly broken
open. Full of curiosity, they entered the
church, and the pastor pointed out to them
the grave which he had seen open during the
night. 1t was easily perceived that the stone
had been lately displaced, and the tools they
had brought with them soon enabled them
again 10 remove il. and in the open grave was
found new and richly decorated cofiir.
With almost youthful Impotence the old man
descended into the grave-ohers followed
hlm-and the pastor soon found mis- horrible
forebOdingS confirmed. In the coffin lay the
form of the murdered bride. The magnificent
diadem was gone, and pistol bullet had APP
parently been discharged through her heart.
The traces of grief and horror were vanished
from her features, which now wore placid
smile of almost heavenly expression, and she
himself down weeping beside the coffin, and
deep wonder, horror, and establishment seized
all the beholders.
The pastor found himself in duty compelled
to report this strange occurrence TO the
Bishop of Zealand, and before he went for the
purpose to Copenhagen, he requested his
pariShionerS on no account to mention what
had occurred. The grave was again covered
up, and no one ventured again to speak of the
matter. In a short time afterward a man OF
high rank arrived at the village from the seat
of government, desired them to show him the
grave, and commended the pastors prudence
in preserving silence about the matter: ha
ordered the whole affair To he kept as priva t8
as possible, and threatened any one who dared
to speak on the subject with the highest dis
pleasure of the authorities
After The death of his pastor, among his pa.
pers was found a detailed account OF tha
transaction attached TO the church records.
Some believed that it was in some way con-
nected with events which occurred in Russia.
in the period between the death of Peter the
Great and that of the Empress Catharine. 1t
is hard, and, indeed, impossible, to satisfac-
torily explain this dark and mysterious oc-
currence; but the manner of the Russian no.
bility of the highest rank, and even of the linz
perial family of that period, render it probable
that some of them were concerned i'm this
tragedy, of which the victim is supposed To
have been Princess OF CORTLAND, and the
principal actor grandson of Peter the Great.