Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-01-10

| Sonu"e' ""o hhoceut anu pure Irul
her heart was bound to the elder of tn
brothers, and the time came when tn
lovers stood hand in hand, bathed in tn
light of the sunrise of love.
"Rejoice with me, my brother" sait
the chosen one. BLESSED as my life ha
been, it is now to be trebly blessed. Evan
geline is mine"
"Thine !" exclaimed the younger brother
with haggard look.
For him, in that fatalmoment, the worlG
grew dark. But one bright star remained
the guileless maid who raised her face tt
his to receive brothers kiss. All othel
light was blotted out.
He kissed her with lips as cold as snow,
and she stood between the brothers with
unwavering faith in both.
" You are my brother, now," said Evan
geline, gazing with innocent trust into the
face of the younger man.
Then said the happy lover, eff aught
befall me, my brother, thou wilt protect
| Evangeline"
"To the death ~
This was sacred custom in the isle.
One brother dead, the other remained tc
comfort the bereaved heart-with hus.
bands love, if it were so agreed.
When it became known that the elder
brother had chosen Evangeline for his
mate the hearts of the islanders were filled
, with gladness. "The race of heroes will
not now die out, they said. Fetes were
held to celebrate the approaching union of
one of the heroes of the Silver Isle with
the loveliest maiden who had ever graced
it. 1t was time of universal rejoicing.
The wedding day arrived-a fair and sunny
day. Smiles were on every lip; the houses
and the church were bright with flowers.
In the morning the bridegroom's brother
presented himself at the house of the bride
to conduct her to the church. He gave
her the bridal flowers, and she placed them
IN her bosom and in her hair. Her waist
was engirdled with white roses. Her
heart was garden of sweet thoughts.
They walked to the church, followed by
the islanders, who made this day general
holiday. By right the bridegroom should
have been in the portal of the sacred
house to receive his bride, but he was alb.
sent. The sun-dial marked the appointed
time, and the man who should have been
the first to arrive did not make his an
pearance. 1t was strange, for he had
never been a laggard His brother was
questioned.
"What detains him.
81 know not"
''Saw you him this morning?'
mo. saw him last at midnight. He
said he wished to be alone, to commune
with his heart and with God. Such would
have been my desire had his happy lot
been mine We kissed and parted
He was well %
"He was we'll"
Whittier went he ?"
81 cannot say"
In what direction ?"
'' In the direction of the snow mountain. -
At the words "Such would have been
my desire, had his happy lot been mine, :"
Evangeline suddenly turned her eyes to-
wards him. Some unaccustomed note in
his voice had strangely moved her; but
only on her ears had it fallen with sig-
nifcance.
No other man in the Silver Isle had in
formation to give. Many ON the previous
night had seen the brothers depart from
the valleys with their arms around each
other, embracing. They walked towards
the nights in loving converse, as they had
often done in the by-gone time.
The day waned, and still no bridegroom
The islanders stood about in clusters, en-
deavoring to account for his absence
They sent scouts in search of him, who
returned unaccompanied and unsatisfed :;
no trace of him could be discovered. The
islanders questioned Evangeline She did
not hear their first words. Her eyes wore
an inward look she was searching the
past for new meanings to words, gestures,
glances, which, at the time they were
given, seemed capable only of honest con-
struction. She was as one in troubled
dream.
Evangeline, listen to us.
"Ah, pardon me What do you wish
to say to me ?"
"You know no cause why your bride
groom should not be here?"
q know of none. God may; do not. -
"All was well between YOU"
"He never spoke ungentle word to me,
nor / to him. There was nothing con.
cealed between US, nothing to be con-
cea'ed. knew his heart he knew mine
Dear friends, my trouble is greatl"
They turned to the brother again.
"Last night, when you parted from him,
he said he would be here today"
Assuredly. To be united with this
sweet flower who was to bring heaven into
his life. He might have added, "And
hell into mine " but he kept his thought
close.
Yet it seemed as though Evangeline had
some consciousness of it. She looked into
his face for moment. He returned her
look with wild and tender smile, and with
the words:
He will come"
She drew him aside, so that no other
ears could hear what passed between
them.
care you sure?"
81 would-from the grave. He will
come, if he love you as you deserve to be
loved"
Did he not love me? All, me Die
, he not SO love me ?"
He made no answer, but peered arounc
into the air, expecting presence that val
not among them. Again she looked int
his face. Again he returned her look Will
wild and tender smile
"H Have you secret?" she asked, in
whisper.
eyes. A heart secret
1