The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-07-07

thrown over Mr. Rignold's face, he called
out again, sThre, told you so!
rHEO's LOVE.
Isabel managed to get through with the
ceremony sery creditably indeed. She had
succeeded IN looking queenly and elegant,
and Mr.Va Verst had shown all his price
in his handsome eyes when he looked at
her.
She had not trembled nor appeared in
the least nervous, but, as her first brides
maid said, behaved as though she were in
the habit Of getting married every dav.
After the ceremony, she had gone through
the tedious reception, and stood, yet ser
ious grave, yet pleasant while her dear
five hundred friends kissed her, and took
her hand, and congratulated her her fem
mime friends who, in their secret souls, were
envious of her good luck in having secured
the handsome. stately man beside her, who
filled his position and did the honors as a
prince of the blood royal might have done
whose name was a power in social, finan-
scended from his high estate to WOO lovely
Isabel Lisle
And now they were married and a."
Ceremony, reception and breakfast were
over. and well over, and Mrs. Van Verst
had retired to her dressing-ro to change
her toilet of white satin and lace, pearls
and diamonds, and white roses, for the
charming travelling costume of ecru silk
and Persian embroidered garnet cashmere.
just little to the surprise of the viva
cious girls who were supposed to be indis-
pensable on the momentous occasion, Isa-
bel told them she really very much pre-
ferred attending upon herself; and, as Isa-
bel usually had her own way, Mabel and
Maud left her, with loving, saucy little
protest.
And she laughed, and turned them out,
and then
trailing bridal robes, un,nerciful of the
rare and costly white roses she crushed so
ruth!essly, this bride ofan hour, when she
had locked her door and dashed down the
curtains, flung herself on her knees beside
the lounge, in perfect ecstacy of grief
knelt there, shivering and praying.
She could not cry; it seemed as if all her
tears had forever left her eyes to curdle
around her heart" She did not even make
the slightest sound, but, oh! the awful, un-
speakable, pent-up agony she suffered, un
til she wondered she did not die then and
the1e-until she prayed God to let her die
as she was, or else remove the burden
And the why and wherefore was, that
since the night and hour eighteen months
before, when she and Theo Edmerton had
parted in proud, indignant coldness-they
two who had worshiped each other as even
fond lovers not often worship-Isabel Lisle
had never spent one happy moment. Not
once had she heard of him or from HIM He
had disappeared as thoroughly from society
as though he were dead, and so how could
she have known that in his pique, and
stubbornness, and unyielding pride, he had
put the ocean, foreign countries, deserts,
between them!
All she knew was, ne made no sign; all
displeasure as to give her no opportunity in
her penitent relenting, to be recorciled.
And now, this fair, bright day she was Hor-
ace Van Verst's wife.
Some one raped softly on the door,
bringing Isabel to her senses. HAD it bee
a minute or an hour since she knelt there,
shivering, writhing with longing pain and
utter abandonment Of despair.
Maud st. Willis cheerful voice called
out:
"a belated wedding present, Belle,-a
check for 81 900 for government bond,
dare say. seeing it is contained in an en-
velOpe. Can t L come ln?
Not quite yet, dear. I'll take the par
GEL please"
She unlocked the door and received it:
then with the first sob of pain that had
passed her lips yet, she sank faint and
weak upon the nearest chair, as she recoQ-
niZed Theo. Edmertons handwriting
She did not once open it: she conld not.
for the cold trembling of her hands. She
sat there, hel heart seeming to stop it's
its beating, until q girlish voice, as some
body passed the door, speaking about tho
time of trains, reused her again into sort
of desperate defiance to herself.
And then she tore open the envelope and
read this:
Without any doubt you will be SURPRISED
to receive my most elaborate congratula.
tons on the suspicious event that has given
to your husband the sincere, undivided
love of your heart, and bestows upon your
self the title that means, in your case, that
your affections are so surely, so sincerely
placed upon gentleman so worthy
Then the vein of ice -boun d sarcasm sud
denly ceased-even the correct, elegant
handwriting changed into hurried, half
.ilegible scrawl:
Isabel, what have you done? Ny God!
what have you done? Could YOU not have
hopes, my happiness. my faith and trust in
woman. You have killed me-killed me!
May God forgive you. and, if ever / prayed,
pray now that may forget ever loved
yes, that love you more madly than ever"
Such letter-such despair, and suoh
hopeless bitterness, such anguish of mis-
cry, such pain of anger-and Mrs. Van
verst crushed it in her hand till the paper
was mass of broken fragments.
ariu forget him will not 20 to nv
husband with such thoughts in my heart!
My God, win be true-I must be true,
oh, make me-make me true to him, and
don't let nae swerve. Heaven help met"
And with hands clasped and lovely eyes
uplifted, she stood one moment. until a low
ing Father laid His blessing Of endurance
and patience, and earnest resolution
and consciousness of His own strength and
presence, upon her heart, that was sick un-
to despair.
Half an hour later she looked up into her
husbands face, as they sat alone in the
coach that was conveying them to the de-
pot-such good. grand face, that accom-
panied the character, no woman could
come IN contact with, and fail 10 thorough
~ revere and admire And sudden little
thrill Of humble content warmed in her
eyes and quivered into peaceful smile, as