Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-02-17
His naughty family pride had received
"a lace-maker!" he said to himself.
"a peasant girl. If had but known it y

Il
"A peasant girl! If | had but known it"
All that night, and for days and nights
afterward, the thought of his bride''
humble extraction tortured him: the stine
to his pride would not be removed.
Unconsciously to himself his annoy.
ance affected his temper: he became irri.
table, fretful, impatient, sometimes to the
very verge of impoliteness even; above
all, he conceived an absurd but violent
dislike to the bridal veil.
II detest the sight Of it, he cried
one evening. in moment of self-forget.
fulness. and when he and Adele were
alone. "If, indeed, you love me, never
work at it in my presence, Adele; and il
| dared ask one special favor of you, il
should be"
He paused suddenly-she was listen.
ing in great surprise.
"Well." she said sit should be-
"Wear any other veil in the world but
that to be married in!
She folded her work and let her fail
hands fall on it in her lap; one could SEE
tha, those little hands were trembling.
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
subtle and unpleasant change in Louis
Could it be possible that she was about &c
discover its causes
"You ask singular favor" she said
with forced quietness. "Are you aware
that my dear mother worked this veil:"
1T is for that very reason that | hate
it."
And then she understood him. This
daughter of England had been slow to
suspect or comprehend the pride Of the
French aristocrat, but she would not
marry the man who thought he stopped
to take her.
She folded up the veil, and gently but
firmly said:-
"You did not know, when first you
sought me for bride, that ma was lace
maker in France; if you had, perhaps
YOU would not have loved me. Since
YOU have learned this fact YOU have re-
gretted our engagement. You need not
speak; have seen change in you-l
feel that il is so, But there is no harm
DONE" she went on with simple dignity,
..since have learned the truth before it
is too late; and So she held out to
him little, trembling hand, which he
took mechanically-"and so | will grant
YOU the favor you coyet, my friend.
Your bride shall not wear my darling
mothers bridal veil''-here he kissed the
hand, and she drew it quickly away-"but
that is because | shall not be your bride.
No need to dwell upon what followed.
His prayers, his protestations-humble
at first, then angry-his tears that had
no power to sap the strength OF her reso-
luton. They parted coldly at last-lor-
ers still in heart, for love dies not so easily,
but outwardly seeming scarcely even
friends.
She stood proudly as he left the room
when the sound Of the street door closing
after him struck like knell Of hope to
her young, passionate heart, she flew to
the window and watched him out OF sight.
"Gol co. she cried, dashing away
the tears that blinded her. 'Go from my
ewes, hateful tears, and let me see my
love for the last time. My love! my
love. And have lost him"
She sank down sobbing. Just then
the sound Of her mothers voice, singing
merrily an old French song in room
above came to her ears. Once more she
dashed the tears away.
"He despised you, my darling mamma
you. No. no, will never pardon
him."
Her parents questioned her in vain.
She had quarreled with Louis; that was
all they could learn. And before a
chance for a reconciliation came, Elsie
was smitten with mortal illness and died
in three days, and Adele, overwhelmed
BY the awful calamity, was prostrated
with brain fever.
At this juncture n summons came to
Louis from France, demanding his imme-
diate presence there. Strange changes
had taken place Two of the three lives
that had stood between him and the titles
and estates of the Marquis de la Riviere
had been suddenly swept away, and the
third, frail and delicate child, lay dying
The present Marquis, himself feeble OLD
man, was also at the point Of death, SC
they sent in haste to Louis, as the heir o.
the dying nobleman.
The news bewildered him. His heart
swelled with exultation and delight, but
it sank again. Adele. Had he not lost
Adele: II care not for rank or wealth
unless she shares them cried his heart
81 will 90 and implore her pardon"
He made the attempt, but in vain. HI
sought her father, and said few word:
to him, however, that might have made
all well again had she ever heard them
but she never did. When her long ant
wasting sickness was over at last, ant
she began slowly and feebly, to take holt
on life, she found herself an orphan il
very truth. Walter followed Elsie to I
better world.
Nor even then had she drained the cur
of sorrow to the dregs: her father