Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-07-17
,ur MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE.

I.
THE MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE.
strange story Of the Eighteenth Cen.
fury.
Ono night in the early part of the
, J century the old and respect
nsstor of the village of Norwig, in
1t, Zealand. sat in his solitary cham
w last in devotional meditation. The
onr was near midnight. His house
~ situated at the furthest ex-
,smity of the village, and the simple
no biIants knew so little Of mistrust or
honesty that bolts and locks were
I;te strangers to them, and every door
sma;ned either opened or without fast
hing. H.: A.
nlemn stiffness Of the hour was only
pterrupted by the murmuring of the
ayes, and the pale mconbeams were
Elected on the surface of the ocean,
ben he suddenly heard his house
DOR open, and heavy steps ascend the
airs and he naturally expected call
the sick bed OF some of his parish
ners to afford the last spiritual con-
blations, when two strange men en-
pred his apartments. their faces con-
paled in large white cfoaks. One ofthem
dyanced and said TO him very courte-
usly:
reverend sir, be good enough to
blow us Immediately. We want you
perform marriage ceremony, and
he bridal pair already await you in the
hurch. This sum-" continued he,
sking purse from his breast, twill re-
lard YOU for your trouble, and for
isturbing you at this unreasonable
Jour.
Silent and frightened the old man re-
arded his visitors, who seemed to him
} have something strange and even
heartily in their appearance. The
granger repeated his invitation in
pmmanding and threatening tone.
Then the old man had recovered him
Flf little, he began in mild manner
demonstrate. and told him that his
lcred office did not allow him to per-
brm the solemn ceremony of mar
iage withou, knowledge of the indi-
hduals themselves. and complying with
nch other formalities as the law d.
ected.
Reverend sir" said the other man,
|tepplng forward in threatening man.
per, you have the choice to follow us
hnd take the sum of money offered to
you, or remain here with a pistol-bul-
Yet IN your BRAIN" With that he held
p pistol to the old mans head, and
waited his answer.
Inc OLD pastor grew pale, rose up 81
ient and trembling, and hastily clothing
himself in his robes. said "I am ready,
gentlemen"
Inc strangers had spoken in Danish,
out with such foreign accent as could
pot De mistaken. The mysterious men
Event silently through the village, bur-
Pc, as 1t was in slumber, and the pastor
|iolowed them. 1t was dark night in
|aulNmn. When they approached the
|ehuFch the bewildered old man, with
|3ear and establishment, saw it brilliant
|! ighted up, and his companions has
|!ehed across the low sand flats which
a .N between it and the village,
sHIl concealed in their white nantes,
|"uie' with his limbs palsied with age
E'llu lflght, he with difficulty strove to
ATeP up with them. When they reach
IT, 'ne church they blindfolded his eyes.
i iue 10 the PASTOR well-known side
oOol opened at their approach, grating
IA l's hinges, and he found himself
u 'nN! thrust forward into the church,
.;.aG appeared filled with a great null.
,"uue' All around him he heard a
, ,' ,oIs and sound Of many voices in
! 'ongue unknown to him, but which
S,o ~ pposed to be Russian. And as he
5 ai1l AMID the multitude with blind
NIUE eyes, puzzled, and not knowing
Y rn"s was about to happen, he felt his
lana seized, and was pulled with con.
a. G Iaa violence through the crowd.
b (" -as'' as well as he could Judge, the
5n ,ois was thrust aside. They loosed
aS uandage from his eyes, and he
CTosnized by his side one of his former
Va 1I pahlonss, and found himself stand.
:" sa oel9Fe the altar, which was lit up by
iii ,gn oI wax lights. burning in splendid
.eIi candle sticks, and the church
1st was SO completely illuminated
ja; Ia, ,ne most distant object could be
"a. dlscerned; and as, when he
az lhrust blindfolded amid the crowd
1',, noise had terrified him, so now his
- .- vas struc X with astonishment and
''o' at the dead silence that prevail
enough the side aisles and benches
st rue tba church were densely crowded,
I'd he centre aisle was quite empty,
newiv pastor pastor perceived opened in it
Al y-made grave. The stone which
~ covered it was placed LEANING
Wis, ,s one of the pews. The pastor
,,, none about him but men Init he