Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-05-23

arm with one hand ana her bouquet WIN tue
other
"Tho poor old thing" thought Beulah
chow could she think Of such dress at her
agey'
"rho confoundtd old fool, thought most
of those gathered, 'to make such II display
Of her folly
And that's your sister whispered Marion
as they passed. "Iiow very unlike you are
why, / should think -"
But we shall never know what Marion was
about to think for the pair arrived at the al
tar rail, and the occupants Of Dr. Blake's
pew for the first time got view of the hus-
band-elect
Marion's remark tainted ont on her lips
she turned whittier than the flowers which
crowned the brides head; she sprang one
moment to her feet, and then before Beulah
or the doctor could deian her she stood in
the aisle, pale and determined.
The crowd arose simultaneously. Amaze
ment sat on every face
Stop" cried Marion, in clear mistaken
voice, "stop!" The officiating minister look
ed Mortified. Miranda shook from the top
flower of her chaplet to her weak knees
Beulah nearly tainted with dismay, but it
was afterward remarked that Ephraim Shep-
pard was the most truly mortified Of the par
ty.
THAT man cannot marry that woman"
spoke the voice of the iconoclastic Marion.
"You must not disturb the ceremony
murmured some officious deacon, plucking at
her sleeve.
Marion calmly put his hand away walked
up to the astonished pair, slightly motioned
the bride aside, stepped in between them,
and said, in a voice heard by the listening
crowd in the galleries:
This man cannot marry you, since he is
my husband. We were married by Rev.
Chauncey Homer in st. Johns Church. Mon
treal, the 2lst of August Of last year. lie
was married to me under false name, but he
is none the less my lawful husband let him
deny it if he dare. Ask him" she said bit
terly, turning TO the gasping Miranda, ''if he
passed two months two years ago at st. Cath
crimes Wells. Let him prove he did not.
Let him dsprove, if he can, his marriage with
me, but let him do that before you marry
him
There are some scenes which defy descrip-
tion. Miss Bcdens wedding was one of
these. The minister closed the book with
slap. as if he felt there was no further use for
it that day. The lawyers eyes protruded
with horror and yet he could summon no
word in defense or denial, while, as for Mir
auda She gave one look at the stern face of
the young wife and the guilty, dumhfounded
Sheppard. and she Strengthened out and fell
like stick across the altar step. Beulah had
her III her arms in a moment, and amid the
confusion ensuing the poor woman was car
ried to the vestry. and Sheppfrd turned sud
denly and was lost in the wondering crowd.
Perhaps Marion would never have been be
leycd had lie staid and faced her out III her
accusation, but Ephraim was willy but weak
scoundrel his flight and his continued alb
scnce were confirmation of the wrongCd wo-
mans story.
The barrier which long months of coldness
and arrangement had raised between the sis
ters was not thus lightly to be thrown down.
After the first excitement, Beulah and her
protGgc went mournfully back to the stone
cottage, while Miranda, more dead than alive.
was conveyed by her curious friends to the
decorated mansion destined never to receive
bride. All night, within the big parlor,
surrounded by her wedding trappings, Mir
anda paced up and down. Through all the
dreadful details of that never-to-be forgotten
scene came the remembrance of Beulah bend
ing over her.
Poor old Miranda she clutched at her gray
hair and cursed the hour of her birth. An
object of ridicule thenceforth for her neigh
bors what had she, the miserable dupe to
live for? Some way the question was an
swered by the image of little Beulah, her pale
blue eyes moist with sympathy, and the poor
old woman sobbed out the despised sisters
that heaven would grant her one consolation
in her misery-her sisters love.
And Beulah. Late into the night She sat
and talked with Marion Mann of the strange
way in which she had avenged her wrongs.
Then, when left alone, her warm heart turned
to that desolate creature, stricken down in
the hour of triumph. The longer she dwclt
on the unfortunate Mirandas troubles. the
smaller seemed the cause of offense between
4. L, 81,
broke she silently and cautiously crept out
the front door, and took her way up the road
toward her old home. At the head Of the
hill dividing the old town from the newer
settlement by the sea, Beulah beheld advanc-
ing to meet her tall, warlike figure, striding
on in the early morning. now and then fish
ing up a large handkerchief and wiping her
aching red eyes As they approached each
other-Beulah sturdily trudgng under huge
sun-umbrella, the second matutinal pedestri-
an so occupied with her woe and her hand
kerchief-neither saw the other till close to-
gether then came cry of delight and the
Belden girls were united, heart and hand. 1t
was many years before Miranda recovered
from the shock of that awful day, and it made
another woman of her, gentler and better
one. Poor Beulah was all the world to her,
and Marion and the little Alice shared the
new and friendly emotions which sprang up
in the bruised heart of the spinster.
Sheppard was never heard of again. This
time he really fed to Europe, and the sisters
became models of family devotion.
The stone cottage by the sea is the summer
home Of all, but beside the hearth of the
homestead every winter sit the reunited
"Belden girls" their constant companions
the deserted wife and her child and not
stranger gets within the gates of that town
but hears the strange story of that dreadful
time at Miranda's wedding.-N. J, Sunday
Times