The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-10-06
A WEDDING MARCH.
An Artists Story.

Such was the number and name of a /
picture in the Academy of a certain /
year which shall, for polite and per- /
sonal reasons, be left undesignnted. /
The picture was one of my painting;
and ], Reginald Tracey, had been fortu- /
nate enough TO obtain three very inn
portant ends by its production. First !
ly, it was deemed excellent enough by
the hanging committee to be placed
on the line, and it faced you in a very
prominent manner as you entered
Room No. 5. Secondly, this promi-
nent position secured for my picture
purchaser almost as soon as the eX-
hibitiOn doors opened. But thirdly,
it served the actual purpose for which
painted it, and which led me to
choose my subject. That purpose in
volved just the least bit of romance;
and although the clever critics prais-
ed the picture, and even limited that
''Mr. Tracey had been singuarly for
tunate in his treatment ola somewhat
unusual and difficult theme" etc, not
one Of them guessed that ii was pic
ture with a purpose. As the sequel may
serve to show, that purpose sprang
from and ended in what l am pleased
to call my little romance.
1t was a charming day that on
which l went to Rockhampton TO
sketch the water-meadows and to see
my old friend DR.. James Brooke
jim, l generally called him-who had
settled as a practitioner in that town.
The whole place was stepped in sun
light; and the deep shadows cast by
the old houses in the narrow streets
by the waterside reminded one Of
nothing so much as the blackness of
4 ii. L - IL
where Rembrandt must have learned
the special art that bears the impress
of his genius to-day. The old church
of Rockhampton is fine bit of Nor
man architecture. Rising architects
declare that there are no purer pillars
of that style or better preserved arch
es, with their queer faces squeezed in
10 the corners thereof, and which seem
TO impress the ROckhamptOn juveniles
on Sundays quite as much as the SER
vice. Passing through the church.
yard, l found myself at last at the
church. With little hope Of finding
the door open lifted the latch, when
at once it yielded to my touch. As l
passed within the green baize doors
within the porch, heard the sound
of the organ; so stealing quietly into
the grateful shade and GOODNESS of the
CnuICl. tllSCODCtNl SCll III TIC III
gest pew I could find and listened.
How soothing was the effect Of the
music and surroundings on that glO-
rious day! l could not see the play
er, who was concealed by the curtains
in front of the organ-lOft, but intuit-
lively I guessed it was lady who
played. l imagined that only a WO-
mans delicate touch could have made
that "Kyrie" speak in these tones
and there was more gentleness than
power in the "Stabat Mater" in which
the player glided. Then 1 remember
the "Wedding March" succeeded, and
after half an hours private hearing OF
the masters l quietly slipped ont OF
church, once again into the glad sun
light that played around the grave
stones, and made the world so fair to
see.
After lunching at my hotel, the
Red Lion, l went to see DR.. jim. Ii
appeared that the fair player at the
church was a Miss Spalding, and the
only daughter of well-to-dO and re-
tired merchant, who had settled al
RockhamptOn some Is months before
and jim, l found, had been paying
his addresses to the young lady. Hel
father had married a second time and
had thus given Miss Spalding a step.
mother. The old gentleman, as jim
called him, was an easy going man
kind-hearted in every way, generous
to a fault, and looked kindly enough
on DIR. Jim's suit. But as to Mrs
Spalding, Jim pronounced a decided
ly uufavorable opinion. She was al
ambitious, and, as he expressed il
scheming woman, who thought tina
Nelly should look somewha
higher than DR.. Brooke of Rockhamp
tOn-and that she should at least mar
ry money-with which latter com
modify Jim was, as young doctor o.
course by no means Overburdened
Without actually discOuraging Jim's
attentions, Mrs. Spalding made things
decidedly unpleasant for the lovers
Mr.. Spalding, good easy man, wa
completely under the domination o
his wife. Hence, Jim confessed M
was i'll a somewhat unsettled stat
of mind.
"You see, Regy," said Jim, ''Nell,
will not disobey her parents in any
way. That she cares for me she ha
confessed to me more than once. Blu
when l press her to consent to b,
married at once and to make me hap
Ply, she won't hear to it."
"My dear JIM l reminded, in my
neW-IOund capacity OF guide, cOun
sellor, and friend, ''she is not the frs
girl who has had to struggle between
love and duty, or, at least, what sh
cOnceives TO be her duty
''She is so thoroughly conscientious,
replied jim, chat l fear even to pres
her to take the step which would
make me a happy man for life. Whel
ask her i'll my despair whether sh,
will ever choose between her step
mothers wishes and my love she im
plores me not to tempt her; and so,
added Jim, "here l am, miserable a
need be"
All this interested me exceedingly
She was evidently a girl of sterlin;
worth and with high sense of thu
duty she believed she owed to he
parents wishes. thought over Mas
ter Jim's love affair as lay in bed tina
night and came-tO the conclusion tina
the case was Il difficult one. Yol
cannot always mold human minds (,
your own bent and purpose by simp
ly speaking. Hence, l came to tn
conclusion that Miss Spalding's Low
for my old friend ought to be teste,
and tried in some other way. AS m
experience of human nature goes
there seems nothing like putting love
of all human emotions, to some rigi,
test. But how the test could be APP
piled 10 the case in which had thu
been led to feel a special interest