Middletown transcript., 1881-07-01
THE HAsTY MARRIAGE.
BY MARIETTA HoLLEY.

so Ethel, ,lmpulslVe, generous-hearted,
and bound, as she thought, by the
strong links of gratitude and pity,
knelt by the dying man, and the words
were spoken that made her wife.
The minister, a friend of the sick man,
left the room, and she still knelt there ;
for the weak clasp of his hands held her.
Ethel Arnold was an orphan, but she
had felt but little of the usual friend
lessness and loneliness of that state, so
guarded and blest had her life been, by
the love and care of this dying man.
He had been her farther's ward, and so
trusted and beloved by Mr.. Arnold,
that he had left her and her large
property in the care and guardianship
of Paul Lindsey. From that time, as
child, girl, and woman, she had always
looked up to him, as her dearest friend
her brother.
But not as a lover. No her lover
the ideal, coming man, who was to
glorify her life-was not at all like
Paul Lindsey. He did not have that
pleasant, thoughtful face, those tender,
gray eyes, nor these straightforward,
manly, honest ways. No, he resembled
more a corsair. He was to be brilliant,
dashing, rather gloomy with dark
secrets in his life, burdens of gloom,
and grief, and, perhaps, remorse, which
her love was to tighten. And he was
to have errors, picturesque sins, which
her silent example was to purify. He
was to be something between ByrOn's
g Lara and an italian brigand.
Ethel had read a great many novels.
He was not to be rich, like Paul, nor,
like him, beloved by all classes, from
the rich to the poor. No she preferred
very poor man, so she could make a
sacrifice Of herself, and be bewailed
over by mercenary friends. And she
rather wished to have him prosecuted
and contemned by the world, so she
could take him to her heart and crown
him, saying, " though the herd have
fed from thee, thy home is still here. :"
Yes, Ethel had read a great many
novels.
As for Paul, she had never thought
of his being anything to her, only the
truest and kindest of friends i; one to
be relied upon, when all others proved
false. A sympathizing friend but
only friend not a lover. No, no,
never that
And now he was dying this good
friend, this brother For the ceremony
made no difference, only few words
said to please a dying man. Her good
brother! her dear brother ! Her tears
fell fast upon his wasted hands, as she
knelt, with her cheek close to his !;
knelt there, while his voice died away
in faint whispers, and fainter, till it
was silent. Till the close clasp about
her hands relaxed, and she thought he
was dead.
But he was not dead he was only
sleeping. A day passed, while this
strange slumber lasted the doctors
came, and shook their heads, and said
he would never awake again but they
were all mistaken. Then came time,
when he reused out of his stupor, when
he said to her
"Ethel, sweet one, l am going to
live-and what then ?''
Said it, with his large, troubled eyes
full Of wistfulness, and care, and sor-
row. And she listened, with her face
hidden in her hands, in an agony of
bewilderment and self-pity. Awhile
ago, the thought of his dying had
seemed to leave the great world empty
and desolate. But, wife, yet not a
wife To be bound by the law, while
her young heart was aching for free
dom! What should she do 4? What
could she do?
But one thing was plain to her. She
must say nothing to excite him, while
his life hung thus upon thread. And
when he said again to her, in his faint
voice, Well, what then, Ethel =?
What then ?'' She nerved her voice
to say, "You mustn't talk any more,
now, Paul when you are stronger,
then we will talk of anything you wish. .
But it was long weeks before they
spoke of this again, for he had a
second relapse, that brought him down,
still nearer, to the grave.
And Ethel watched over him, faith
fully, day after day. If he had been,
indeed, the husband of her young
hearts choice, she could not have
nursed him more faithfully. The house.
keeper, Mrs. Lindsey, shared her
labors, as much as Ethel would per-
NIT T; but she had q habit Of falling
asleep in her chair, and the bare posi-
bility of Paul's being neglected, in any
way-the thought of his wanting any
thing, needing anything gave Ethel such
agony, as might have taught her what
her feelings really were for him, if she
had been wise enough to have under
stood them. But she had not under
stood her true feelings for him. She
thought she loved him only as a dear
friend, a brother.
This housekeeper, Mrs. Lindsey, was
the widow of distant relative of Paul
Lindsey, and when Ethel's father died,
he invited this widow of his cousin,
who was in reduced circumstances, to
come and live at his handsome country.
seat, and make home, where he could
invite his ward, during her vacations.
Mrs. Lindsey had been widow
with one son, at the time Of her second
marriage, and Gerald Black had now
come, for the first time since his
mothers marriage, to visit her. He