The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1880-02-13

uSFAeu not 10 Oe apparent. cope
commented variously upon it. Some
pitied her for being compelled to mar
riage SO distasteful others thought,
with Give Soulard, that. if it was dis
tasteful, she alone. was to blame if she
did not choose the interest proverty in
preference to it.
Pen, meanwhile meditating ard spe-
culating constantly upon Gives chang
ed demeanor, concluded at last that he
was as Indifferent to her as he pretended
to be; and she resolved, if nothing oc.
curred before the wedding day, to refuse
then to marry him, whether or no.
She had made all the usual prepara-
tlons. Her dressing-room was s:rewn
with snowy lace, silks and mu<lins;
the bridesmaids for the occasion were
being duly drilled and otherwise got
ready for their part in the approaching
C CEREMONY.
The wedding morning came.
Forth from her chamber fioa,ed the
bride, clad in flowing snow, and sur.
rounded by her bridesmaids, like the
queen-rose In a garden of blossoms
forth stepped the bridegroom, handsome,
graceful, light of heart and exultant
Penelope let him take her hand and
lead her forward, without lifting her
eyes till they stood at the very altar
steps. Then, suddenly, she looked mp,
first at him, then at the assembled
guests, and, drawing her hand from
him, she said with slow, deliberate
enunciation
81 cannot do it. Better proverty,
better wretchedness, better anything
than snch marriage as this. have
changed my mind. Good friends, it is
a pity to disappoint yon, but there will
be no wedding today"
So saying, she gliled through the as
:onished groups, aud LETT them staring
breathlessly alter her.
The iuckless Bridegroom knew not
what to say or to do or where to look
lie was taken at disadyantagc; wound
ed full sore at a point -shere, being ten.
der, but unsuspicioua, he had not suffi-
cier,ly guarded himself
Was it the modification, the slight,
the being so publicly rejected by SO
lovely a girl as Pen Brad<hawe?
Or did bis very inmost heart quail
with tear at the thought of losing her
after all, woman who, with all her
coque,tish frivolousness, was worth
more TO him than all other women to.
gether-than twenty fortunes like the
one she forfeited to him by refusing to
become LIS wife
Certainly Give Souiard's handsome
face had suddenly taken the hue of
death, and his voice was unsteady, as
he tried to nlurmer something that
sounded like a confused apology or
explanation of this strange contretemps.
The guests fell into little whispering
knots, the clergyman who was 10 have
offfciatcd looked confonnded, aud the
bridal attendants stole halEfrightened,
curious glances at Give Soulard, who,
with hIs eyes do vncast, h,s whole ap-
pearanCe expressive of the agitated con-
tiic: going on within him, stood strug-
CLING vslnly TO recall his selfpossession.
Presently he drew nearer the clergy
man, Faid something inaudible to others
and with halfdeprecatory glance lett
the room.
In a stupefaction scarcely less than
his, Penelope had managed somehow
to reach her own chamber again, and
was sitting amid the chaotic array of
bridal gear that strewed the room, when
tirni3 knock sounded a. her door.
All her energies rallied at the sound.
Paosing deliberately 10 rouge her
white cheeks, she waited for a second
knock, and opened the door.
It was Soulard himself who stood
there, paid yet resolute, agi,ated but
determined.
Fire seemed to flash from his hand
some eyes as they met hers his nostrils
quivered and dilated.
He-looked his true self-manl5, not
easily bafled this time.
It was on PENS lips to say, in the as
surance of the triumph she telt TO be
hers: "oh, it is son is it ?'' but in
stead she caught at the door uhsteadily
and said !:
"oh, Give. Give ?''
'sDo you love me, Pen ?, That is
what came ior-what / will know"
"You haven't any right to ask me.
Give. atter-after all you've said and
done TO make me think YOU didn't care