The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-03-23
'IRI-W EEKLY EDITION.

| mat our marriage was mere farce, gotten
| up for the Occasion!"
80 you have said before; but | believe
that' before the Great Judge of all, we are
| man and wife,"
',,Why don't you say it again9-why
dont you say it agan?" he returned, in a
voice OF suppressed passion, while his wolf
ISL eyes glared with rage. ''Come home
WIN me- nc cried, grasping her by the
arm.
the girl made no reply, but followed him
quietly. They turned up another side
street, and were soon lost to view in the
depths of the great city.
1t was to be the great wedding of the
year Howard $. Ransom to Miss Minnie
Ford. 1t was to be in church in the even
ing. Only few select guests were to be
present at the ceremony, though there was
TO be great reception at Mr. Ford's after
ward. Every one was discussing the strange
ness OF having ceremony in the evening,
Ill church, and only a few guests present,
Dut such was the wish of the bride and her
betrothcd seemed very willingly to consent
to it.
lhe music OF the noble organ was again
pcailng through the arches of the church,
Only few candles were lit about the chan
cel-thc rest OF tho church was in darkness.
Ii was the wish of the bride, who was no,
accustomed TO have anything denied her
1t was Il lovely sight to sec the ladies, in
their snowy dresses marching up the aisle
with the ghostly shadows of tho great church
| thrown upon them. Not dozen in all, IN:
Guiding the gentlemcn--yct striking sight
in the noble editice.
Tho little assembly was soon grouped
about the chanccl-rail; and the deep grave
voice of the aged minister was heard re-
sounding through the empty church, and
echoing through the wide range of deserted
seats:
Into this holy estate these two persons
present come now to be joined If any
man can show just cause why they may not
lawfully be joined together, let him now
speak, or else hereafter hold his pcace!'"
Ills words had scarce ceased to rcsound
through the empty church, when a white
robcd figure, heretofore unseen, rose from
| a pew, midway back stretched her arms
imploringy to Heaven, like some suppica-
ting angel, and said, in voice heard dis
tinctly through the echolng church:
81 am his wife, | am his wi"
The blood gushed from her lips, and she
fell forward across the pCw---lcad!
~ ID al COu uiSHC Ill JUnuary,
snow lies On the ground the carriage wheels
grinding over it, sing slow music of their
own. Tho night express is flying over the
frozen rails.
Who is this sitting in the seat in the
corner7 Howard Ransom! That man
there! How few hours have changed
him!
He throws up the window and leans far
out into the night.
Faster and faster flies the iron stccd over
the cold steel rails. Faster and faster-on,
still on, with thunder and crash--yet never
fast enough to deadcn the heart pangs of the
wretchcd man who sees his past misdccds
| rise up before hm as he had never seen
them till now
He at last closes the window and falls
asleep in his seat But not to rest. Like
| some dark phantasmagoria of the past, his
crimes pass in vivid array before his ex-
cited mental vision. One can, sec, from
the clutching of his hands and the twitch-
ings of the muscles of his face the agony he
is suffering.
Hours have passed. Still grind, grind,
grind; still on, on flies the through express.
The man is awake again. Hc throws up
the window. 1t is almost morning A
faint light appears far of on the horizon.
| Day is about breaking. The dcathly cold
brcezcs fan his fcvcrcd brow, and play
wildly with his locks of curly black halr.
But he does not seem to feel it: yet he is
trembling like leaf
Sitting there in the cool cleaning of the
! breaking morn, let us hope he feels the
coming events, and is thinking Of the days
! of early YOUTH when his soul was white
and guiltless!
The train at last slows up. He goes to
the platform to dlscmbark.
'Look out, sir!" cries tho brakeman,
warningly.
''lt is too late. One wild shrek from
the passing express, and IL man is twisted
and ground to atoms beneath the cruel
wheels.
| A gray haired woman is gazing from the
porch OF beautiful country house down
across wide, sloping lawn, to where the
sunset glows in crimson splcndor. Minnie
Ford Is an old woman, who has never re-
covered entirely from the excitement of
her early years. Yet her life is not entirely
unblesscd. Her nieces and ncphcws neither
think her sedate nor thoughtless, and every
one looks To Aunt Minnie rs the one to seek
when in trouble of any kind.
Only those of ripper years know of the
terrible tragedy which defaccd her once
young and glowing life. a...
I