Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1880-02-05
A Mormon Wedding.

:
our neighbor-a plural Mrs. r. TX
my surprise / was the recipient of al
invitation to attend a supper given il
the celebration of this event. Mrs. r
(the first) received me kindly, for away
down in her life this woman and have
qualities in kinship. We sat down tC
supper at six o'clock. Mr.. r. and hi'
wife sat at opposite ends of the table
The new Mrs. R. sat by " Sister Julia. .
| had the post of honor at the right o.
the bridegroom. This new kind oi
Benedict wore almost sheepish air,
and was i'll at ease throughout. II
dawned upon me at last, that my pres
ence on such an occasion was re.
proach to me. | was more than
ashamed at my own stupidity in yield
ing to what appeared so plainly as a
most vulgar curiosity. In such mood
it was of course difficult to be amiable,
and as the best substitute for that amia.
bility due from a guest at a marriage
feast, / tried to be witty. Suffice it to
say, we succeeded in singing each
other like a nest of angry hornets, and
nothing but our good breeding pre-
vented an open quarrel. We animals
fed at that supper with something of
the snappishness attributed to feasting
wolves. That agOnizing supper over,
we stood around the bright fire in the
cosy little sitting room. Mr.. R. had
planned to take his bride to the theater,
and so preparation in the way of gloves,
cloaks and bonnets began. The late
Miss Finnell was soon toileted for the
opera in the most fashionable attire.
Mrs. R.-my old friend-stood half
reclining against the piano. We had
been silent for a moment, and to re-
lieve the embarrassment taking pos
session of us, said: " Mrs. r. it almost
makes one wish to be bride again"
Mrs. r. laughed accomodatingly just
then Mr.. r. placed his arm gently
around the slender waist of his new
bride, folding her handsome cloak close
to her form and drew her towards him.
She responded to his caress by ten
der upward glance of her beautiful
eyes. Then l looked toward my friend
to find her face pallid as death, while
look of agOnizing endurance, min
gled with deyilish malignity, almost
froze my blood.
| had said aloud in actual surprise
before turning toward her, "as live
he actually loves this girl"
Mrs. RS. look met mine squarely.
That face told me all. No lies now,
with ready lips to the bidding of fealty
to religion. That agonized, refined,
sensitive face proclaimed the system
damned. A woman's natural love rose
grandly in the awful denunciation of
those fierce eyes. A great throb of
pity filled my own Woman's heart.
saw all the torture and the noble rage
ofself restraint. stepped toward her
as if to hold her in pity to my heart
My Mormon lady friend took me by the
arm with almost rude force, and whis-
pered warningly: Mrs Castine, for
Gods sake remember where you are."
l did remember where was. Ibid re-
member, and discomftted, returned to
my place near the mantel. Amid this
little furry the bridal party took their
departure. We women were a silent
party at first. Mrs. r. still stood lean
ing on the piano, with her look bent on
me almost resentfully.
"You don't think yourself called up
on to pity me, Mrs. CastineP" she said |
with an almost quarrelsome tone.
81 do pity you, Mrs. R., and l have
a right to"
You think me jealous Of my new
sister thenP"
MRS. R., we are both proud wom-
en-. We only need to look into our own
hearts tc learn what a real woman must |
feel under the ordeal through which
you are passing"
81 am not Jealous, Mrs. Castine.
Not only not jealous, but happy in this
new love of my husband. Our faith
teaches us to love these sisters in mar
riage as our own flesh. This marriage
is not an estrangemGnt of my husbands
love as it would be in an unsanctifed
GENTLE, but remarriage to myself.
In this marriage / live over again my
own espousal, my own bridal, ard re-
new again the first sweets of married
love-"
View all decidedly uncomfortable,
and our two lady companions took their
leave together. But my impulse of
pity had not been lost, and without
word having been spoken between us
after our friends retired, she sank into
a chair, and covering her face with her
hands, cried out in bitterness: "0h!
Mrs. Castine, am most wretched. Be-
tween me and any celestial lights, or
glory, or peace, or consolation in this
life or in the world to come, there
stands that woman. This girls face is
hateful to me; that my husband should
Ove one of her mere beauty alone! Ny
cannot be held back from
III the soul-torturing, crucifying things
which follow in the train of this mar
'iage. The box in the theater holds to-
hight man and wife-not more. There
ire gentle pressure of hands, the
ylancing of loving eyes, the blending of
ives in one destiny in this life. Be-
vond these rise, in spite of all pretense
md spirituality, the bridal bed, the
iradle, the child; in whose veins there
,an be the commingling life-current of
,ut one father and one mother. All ]
hese things one man can have only !
With one woman in marriage. No, Mrs. ,
)astine, marriage to one woman un-