The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-08-25

famed on either cheek, and an unnatur-
al fire had turned the blue of my eyes
into blackness; my lips were scarlet.
Behind me was long vista of light
and flowers, and luxurious beauty
beft re me-oh, God! what lay before
me?
Did / speak? or had some one els,
uttered my name? Nanine! 1t was all
dream, then. Harvey had played
upon me this most cruel jest.
From the library man entered.
stood quietly awaiting him. Then
when he had come quite close, l saw il
was not Harvey Richings, but Dexter
! white
Among all my friends he was the one
who had never breathed to me q word
of love. l had had no brother, but had
| been so blessed, it seemed to me he
would have held the place in my heart
accorded to Dexter.
"You have come to offer me the last
congratulations! l cried, in q mock.
ing voice.
Then 1 saw his face was very white
and stern.
"Oh, you have heard already" con.
linued. "I will save them the neces.
sity of explanation. You know that
tomorrow all the world will know that
| have been jilted?"
eff you will remember, Nanine," he
said then, very quietly, 81 have never
congratulated you on your engagement,
bnt | do now most heartily on its rup-
ture. The man you loved was never
worthy of you, as indeed who could
hone to be?"
"Do You think TO comfort me by con-
dcmnng him?" I answered. "I want
neither comfort nor pity; l can bear
neither. An hour ago stood here
awaiting my husband. Already, in my
heart, had called him so. An hour
ago; and now 1 am n widow who yet
have been no wife. Oh, the shame of
it," cried, aloud. "If but the wedding
might 60 on! If the world might sup
pose it was |, not he, who had done
this cruel thing If might but wear
my bridal dress, which will never now
be wornl For, though l were willing,
what man would marry bride Tilted at
the ALTAR"
81 know one mani can speak for
myself. Nanine, do you mean your
words? Would it make you happier
that the ceremony should go Oh to o-mor-
&c row, With Itbm nothing changed except the
Amazemcnt almost took nv breath.
That my rash words could have beef,
taken seriously had not occurred to me.
lyon you wonld do this for me ?v |
gasped. "You would make so oreo, .
sacrifice?'
lie smiled little, sadly and YEARLY.
"lt is scarcely fitting, dear, 10 tell
you of hopes | once entertained and
long since buried, which tonight have
been resurrected: but if you will trust
yourself TO me, child, if YOU will indeed
marry me Tomorrow, / can at least
give You the protection of my name
from the worlds prying curiosity.
can take you among new scenes and
new faces, | can be husband to Won in
Ike eyes of the world, but brother and
friend only, unless some day Your bur-
lcd heart calls me nearer. What IA,
yon say, dear? What is your decision ~,
wen, The next day we were married.
Wrapped in my own misery as cloud
l thought but of myself.
Through the long night preceding the
ceremony shed 10 tears, and though |
resembled the marble statue rather than
a living woman, when attired i'm INV
wedding robes, they said never had |
been so beautiful.
Dexter had explained all to my father
and gained from him the necessary per-
mission. Had my mother lived, doubt
less she would have demurred.
heard murmur run through the
brilliant assemblage, as, on the tbres.
mold of the altar, Dexter stepped for.
ward to claim my hand. | spoke the
responses clearly aud distinctly; 1 took
bis arm proudly, and proudly walked
down the aisle as his wife. Nv heart
was not broken-it had petrified!
u Not until we had started on the first
stage of our wedding journey did Il
realize all that had happened, all that |
mad done. What had l done? Bymy
own act placed an impossible gulf be-
tween me aud the man had SO madlv
loved-aye, whom loved to. .day. when
now my love was sin.
In the darkness of the night it came
TO me. Had not been so rash, had I
but left him time to explain. 1t might
have been well, even though I had
waited five, ten, fifteen years. with his |
love to comfort me. But did he love
me! Over aud oyer tnrned the
hopeless riddle in my brain. The tears
which had refused TO flow burst forth.
buried my face in my pillows to stifle
my sobs; called his name under my
breath:
Harvey, Harveyp'
"Naninep said voice.
IL was my husband who had softly
entered the room and bent over me.
"Will Il be less hard for you TO bear
child, when | tell you that the man
whose name you call is the husband Of