The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1881-11-09
TIE WEDDING MARCH.

TIE WEDDING MARCH.
ono. 329-A Wedding March" Such
was the number and name Of picture
in the Academy of certain year which
shall, for polite aud personal reasons, he
left undesignatcd. The picture was one of
my painting and |, Reginald Tracy, had
been fortunate enough to attain three
very important ends by its production.
Firstly, it was deemed excellent enough
by the Hanging Committee to be placed
on the line, and it faced you i'll u very
prominent manner as you entered Roo Il
No. ). Secondly, this prominent po-
sition secured for my picture a large
share of attention which resulted III its
finding purchaser almost rs soon as the
Exhibition doors opened. But thirdly,
it served the actual purpose for which |
painted it, and whichlcd me to choose my
subject. That purpose involved Just the
least Lit of romance; and although the
clever critics praised the picture, and
even hintsd that, Mr.. Tracy had been
singulurly fortunate in his treatment Of
Il somewhat unusual and difficult theme,
etc, not one Of them SO much ns guessed
that it was picture with purpose.
As the sequel may serve to show, that
purpose sprang from and ended III what
am pleased to call my little romance.
1t was a charming day, that on which
/ went to ROckhampton to sketch the
water meadows, and 10 see my old friend
DR.. James Brooke-Jim, generally
called him-Who had settled as II pructi-
toner in that town The whole place
was stepped III sunIight and the deep
shadows cast by the old houses in the
narrow streets by the wutcrsidr reminded
one OF nothing SO much as the blaclSness
Of the shades in some old Dutch town,
whore Rembrandt must have learned tie
special art that bears the impress OF his
genius to-day. The old church Of Rock
hampton is fine hit OF Norman archi-
lecture Rising architects declare that
there are no purcr pillars of that style,
or better preserved arches, with thor
Qu,cr faces squeezed into the corners
llcrrOi and which seem TO impress the
koclihamptOn Juveniles ON Sundays
quite rs much as the service. Passing
through the chuchyard, ! found myself
at last at the church. With little hope
Of finding the door open | lifted the
latch. when ut once if yielded to my
touch. As | passed within the green
baizc doors within the porch, heard
the sound Of the organ so stealing
quietly into the grateful shade and cool
ness of the church, | ensconccd myself
in the biggest pew could iiud and lis
tened. fow soothing was the effect OF
the music and surroundings on that glO-
rious day could not see the player
who was concealed by the curtains III
front Of the Orgam-lott, but intuitlvely |
guessed it was n lady who played. |
Imagined that only II woman's delicate
touch could have made that "Kyrie
speak i'll these tones and there was
more gentleness than power in the Sta
hat Mater into Which the player glided.
Then | remember the Wedding
March succeeded ; and after half an
hours private hearing Of the masters, |
quietly slipped out Of church, once again
into the glad sunlight that played around
the graycstones, and made the world so
fair to ss
After lunching ut my hotel, the Red
Lion, I went to see DIR. jim. 1t ap-
peared that the fair player of tho
church was n Miss Spalding, and the
only daughter of a well-to.do and retired
merchant who had settled Mt Rockhamp-
ton some eighteen months before and
I r.,,,l hnl hnap, liu all.
dresses to the Young lady. Her father
had married for the second time and had
thus given Miss Spaiding step
mother. The old gentleman, ms Jim
called him, was an easy-going man
kind-hcarted in every way, generous to-
fault and looked kindly enough on DR..
Jim's suit. But as to Mrs. Spaldng, Jim
pronounced n decidedly unfavorable
opinion. She was M ambitious, and as
he expressed it, schcming woman, who
thought that Nelly should look some
what higher than DR.. Brooke Of Rock
hampton and that she should at least
marry mUnpy-with which latter COM
modify Jim was, as n young doctor OF
course, by no means over-burdened.
Without actually discouraGing .Iim's at
tcntions, Mrs. Spalding made things de-
cidcdly unpleasant for the lovers. Mr..
'pllding, good, easy man, was com
pletcly under the dominion of his wife.
Hence. jim confessed, he was in some-
what unsettled state Of mind.
you see. ReQy," said jim, Nelly
will not disobey her parent in any way,
That she cares for me she has confessed
TO me more than once. But when |
press her to consent to he married at
once, and TO make me happy, she won't
hear of it"
"My dear JIM" ] responded, in my
new-found capacity of guide, counsellor
and friend. "she is not the first girl who
has had to struggle between love and
duty or at least what she conceives to
be her duty" .,
"Sne is so thoroughly conscientious, "
replied jim. "that fear even to press
her to take the step which would make
me happy man for life. When l ask
her in my despair whether she will ever
choose between her step-mother's wishes
and my love, she implores me not to
temp, her and so," added jim, hers
a!a miserable "a need be,"