The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-11-28
THE BRIDAL VEIL.

WORK IL, whose lover was over the sea
, She was French girl, and came of q
family of lace-maxers.
"Ill work my own bridal veil In my
leisure time" she said. $50 when
Walter comes to marry me, / shall be O
gay BRIDE" 'r .v .bss..
But she never finished her veil. Wal
ter came too soon. She married her
English lover -as poor as herself-and
went with him to London; and the
hall-finished veil went along, carefully
folded away at the bottom of trunk,
and for a time being quite forgotten.
1t may have been forgotten In ear
nest during twelve years, for aught
know-certainly 1t lay that long nnno-
ticcd. A lovely little ten-year-old girl
was the fairy that broke its long sleep
at last. She had dark eyes, like the lit
tie peasant of twelve years ago, but
Walters golden hair.
"Oh, the charming laceW she cried,
clapping her hands and dancing delight
edly, as Elise shook it out of the folds.
"Dear mamma, what is it2 and who
made itP and why is it half donep Can
l have 1t for dress for my doll, man.
map
The pretty, dark-eyed matron laughed
anu snook ner heau, ana nal1 s1gneu as
she pressed the delicate frbric to her
lips. linen she told the child the histo-
ry OF ITS making. t-4-. 5
but 1t shall not be hidden so long
from tne ilgnt again. she SAID tender
ly. VI VIII hnish 1t, and when the time
comes ior my niue Adele to be bride
snc VIII nave ven 10 be proud or"
Again tne niue taper hngers toiled
merrlly ana DUSTY over the delicate
ia ce, ana ialry-llke terms and masses OF
grsceiui mowers grew steadily under
them' Adeie watched the progress OF
tlie WORK win interest.
mamma, teach me TO work It," she
saiu ON y. my nngers are much
hher and tiuier than yours.
After that she would bring her little
work-basket to her mothers side and
work at veil for her doll. The facil-
ity with which she learned the graceful
art was astonishing. AT the age of fif
teen SO expert was she that Elise did
not fear to let her take part in the crea-
ton OF the bridal veil itself, but they
worked at 1t now and then as the fancy
seized them.
Louis Riviere was from France, like
Adele's mother-that had been bond
between them from the first-for Adele
loved her mother country for her moth.
er's sake, though she herself was proud
OF being called English, and she alse
loved the young Frenchman.
Louis came OF noble blood, and was
well-to-do. lie had some money-not
enough to live upon in idle luxury, but
Piehty TO secure him fair start In bus
mess life. Unwilling to enter upon
,hls course in Paris, where his noble re-
iatives would not scruple to oppose him,
ne had chosen London as the scene of
MS future efforts, and embarked in bus
mess there.
The happy weeks and months grew
into years. Adele was now seventeen;
it was agreed and promised that when
the spring time came, she should be Ri
vier's bride.
"We must finish the bridal veil,"
cried Elsie eagerly. "l tell you, Mon
sieur Louis, no lady OF your proud
house ever wore lace more exquisite
and rich. Ah, shall l not be proud
when look at my beautiful CHILD in
her marriage robes, and think OF the
poor little peasant girl OF long ago, who
toiled at the lace TO earn coarse bread
SO far away over the seal"
Louis turned quickly at these words,
a look OF displeased surprise i'll his
dark eyes.
what peasant girl, madame" he
questioned nneaslly.
| MYSELF" she answered happily, not
marking the look or the tone. "What
was l but poor lace-maker when my
generous young lover married me, the
iather OF AdeleF
He answered nothing, and Elise went
merrily chatting on; but Adele noted
MS suddenly downcast air and gloomy
eyes, though she was far from suspect
ing the cause of either.
HIS naughty family pride had receiv
ed blow. -
"A iace-maker," he said to himself.
"A peasant grill Ii had but known
It,"
All that night and for days and nights
afterwards the thought OF his brides
humble extraction tortured him; the
sting to his pride would not be re-
moved.
Unconsciously to himself his annoy
ance Affected his temper, he became ir-
ritable, fretful, impatient sometimes to
the verge OF impoliteness even; above
all, he conceived an absurd but violent
dislike to the bridal veil. ~ !t-y
81 detest the sight OF it," he cried one
evening in moment Of forgetfulness,
and when he and Adele we're alone.
III indeed You love me, never work at
1t III my presence, Adele; md If dared
ask one special favor of you, 1t should
be-"
He paused suddenly she was listen
ing in great surprise.
"M ell" she said. "It should be ="
swell, any other veil in the world
but that to be married in."
She was greatly surprised at his man
ner and request, and also vaguely hurt,
she scarce knew how or why. Indeed,
she had wondered often lately at SUBJ
tie and unpleasant change in Louis.
Could 1t be possible that she was about
to discover its cause?"
1