River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-03-24
A LOVER In LICK.
A Bride Declares Her Affection for the
GrOOm's Best Man

the Lindleys and the Grahams, both
earnest, honest and eminently respecti-
BILE families. They possess ed the broad
est meadows and the finest farms in
that portion of the state and are COM
parative wealthy. Leroy Lindley is a
tall, handsome blonde, who has the rep
utatiOn of being sober, upright and con-
scientious in every department of life
Ernest Graham is also a blonde, with
a fine figure and splendid reputation.
Singularly enough, the two young gen
tlemen fell passionately in love with the
same young lady, handsome brunette,
with large hazel eyes and raven hair.
He name is Ella Roper, and she has
relatives residing in st. Louis and other
portions of this state.
The young lady received both very
kindly, and divided her attention
equally between them, while no
thought of rivalry or jealousy ever
seemed to ruffie the bosom of either.
After several years of the most ardent
courtship, during which Leroy Lindley
never told his love, but let conceal
ment, like a worm in the bud, feed on
his damask cheek" until at last the en-
gagement of Ella Roper to Ernest Ora
ham vas whispered about among the
villagers.
Leroy Lindley listened to the rumors,
but kept his secret well, going in and
out among them with q happy face
and a kindly word for all, congratu-
lating Graham upon the happiness in
store for him. Finally, to the astonish-
ment of Mr.. Lindley, he was called
upon to participate in the wedding GER
emonies as first groomsman. With
an aching heart he consented, hoping
and fearing he knew not what.
The preparations for the happy oc-
casion were soon completed, and then
it was decided that the entire bridal
party should visit st. Louis, and have
the ceremony performed in this city,
at the residence of Mr. Graham's cous-
in, on Locust street, between Ninth and
Tenth. So, on Tuesday last q gay
crowd of friends assembled at the depot
i'll Clement to wish the happy ones God
speed. The party was composed of
Mr.. Ernst Graham, Mr.. Leroy Lindley,
Mr.. William L. Mcclellan, a brother
in-law of the prospective bride, Miss
Ella Roper, and Mrs. John l.. Nichols.
The husband of the latter lady is now
a member of the house of representa-
tives of Illinois, and was for many
years an Indian agent.
The train on which the party travel
ed should have arrived ut this city at
6:15 o'clock Tuesday evening, and the
arrangement was that the marriage
should take place at 8 O'Clock the same
evening. A slight accident, however,
delayed the westward bound trains, and
this particular train did not arrive I'M
til 10 o'clock Tuesday night. This, of
course, disarranged the entire pro-
gramme, and the ceremony was post
poned until yesterday noon. What
wonderful parts are played in the his
tory of human lives by the most trifiing
events. For when the morning dawn
ed a change had came over the spirits
and dreams of Miss Roper.
She and Mrs. Nichols mad passed the
night under the hospitable roof of Mr..
Graham's cousin on Locust street, and
now the inevitable hour was drawing
near. The agony of mind endured by
Miss Roper can only be imagined when
it is known that her heart had changed
its beating, and now pulsated in favor
of Graham's friend, Leroy Lindley.
But what was to be done? Mrs. Grundy
would raise storm of scandal, of
course, and it seemed thoughtless in
her never to have discovered ere this
the true state of her feeling. That,
however, could only be regretted it
must certainly be remedied, for nobody
but truly good and pure woman can
have the slightest idea OF what misery
is in store for he1 who marries where
she does not love.
So i. came about that Miss Roper
with true sense and true womanhood,
told Mr.. Graham that every passing
hour was making chasm between
them; that never until that moment
had she realized her intense love for
his friend, Mr.. Lindley. All this she
confessed, with humiliation and in
tears, but with great precision of char
acter. He begged and implored-said
and did all that an honorable man
could do to induce her to change her
mind; but no, it was irrevocably made
up, and Mr.. Graham was omitted from
the new programme of Miss Roper's
heart. Then he went to his grooms-
man and laid the matter before him in
all its sad details. With mingled hope
and fear Leroy listened as only
drowning man can listen who hears
the shouts of approaching assistance.
The better nature of Leroy Lindley
was ever uppermo5t, and he consol ed
Graham by calling it only lovers
quarrel, and counseled them to kiss
and make up.
But Graham knew too well the dis
passionate and decided tones with
which he had been dismissed, and
Lindley failed to arouse the slightest
hope. As last resort it was agreed
that both Mr.. Graham and Mr. Llndley
should go in person to Miss Roper, and
that she should then decide between
them. Thus the two lovers, with
no thought of jealousy or unfriendly
feeling toward each other, went before
the lady, trusting and hopeful. She,
with n true womans instinct, had at
last measured the depth of her affec-
ton and found all for Leroy Lindley,
and $50 deep it could not be sounded,
but, like the Bay of Portugal, with an
unknown bottemkT
Truly and frankly she faced the two
men-told Graham of her respect for
him and her sincere friendship towards
him, but plainly avowed her undying
love for Leroy Lindley, and that she
never loved anybody else, though
sometimes she had misunderstood her
own heart. Then Mr.. Lindley begged,
for the sake of his friend to consider
whether she did not love Ernest Gra-
ham sufficiently to marry him, but she
only shook her head and reavowed her
love for Mr.. Lindley. 1t was the lat
ter's moment OF triumph-the sweet
est, happiest moment he had ever
experienced in the course of his en-
tire thirty-two years of life, for he
gathered the angel of his heart
to himself, and told with
all the fervor and earnestness of which
he was capable the story of his love for
the dear little woman he could now
call his own; now he had watched her
day by day, growing gradually out of
life and into the existence of another:
how his heart strings had nearly burst
asulder when the villagers rumored
the engagement of this lady with MS
own intimate friend All this he told,
in voice choking with happy tears,
and at its conclusion Graham threw his
arms around the neck of Lindley, and
cd