Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-07
THE MYSTERIOUS WEDDING.
a DANISH STORY.

and studded with hamlets, and connected
with the main land by narrow strip OF
sandy waste. Beyond the only town which
this little peninsula possesses the land runs
INFO the restless waves of the Cattegat, and
presents an awfully wild and sterile an.
pearance. Tho living sands have here OBJ.
liberated every trace of vegetation and
the storms which bow from all points of
the wild ocean are constantly operating a
change OF the tluctuating surface of the
desert, whose hills of sand rise and disap.
pear with constant alienation, restless as
the waves which roar around them. In
travelling through this country | spent up-
wards Of an hour in this district, and never
shall forget the impression which the
scene made upon my mind.
While riding alone through the desolate
region, thunder. storm rose over the ocean
towards the north-the waves roared the
clouds were driven along before the wind :
the sky grew every instant more gloomy,
menacing earth and sea-; the sand be.
gan to move In increasing masses under
my horses feet; u whiriwind arose and
filled the atmosphere with dust the traces
OF the path became invisible; my horse
tloundered deepEr and deeper in the sand,
while sky, earth and ocean seemed min.
gled and blended together, every object
being involved in a c!oud of dust and va
por. | could not discern the slightest trace
of life or vegetation the storm howled
above me; the waves of the sea dashed
mournfully against the shore the thunder
rolled in the distance, aud scarcely could
the lurid lightning. fIsh pierce the heavy
cloud of sand which whirled around me ;
my danger was evident and extreme, when
a sudden shower Of rain laid the sand, and
enabled me to push my way to the little
town. The storm | hal Just encountered
was horrld mingtins II all elements. An
earthquake has been described as the sigh
which troubled Nature heayes from the
depthof her bosom perhaps not more fanci.
fully this chaotic tempest might have typi.
fed the confusion of wildly distracted
mind, to which pleasure and even hope itself
have been long strangers-:he cSeerless de.
sert of the past revealing only remoTse and
grlef-the voice of conscience threatening
like the thunder, while awful anticipations
shed their lurid light over the dark spirit
till at last the long dried.up sources OF
tears open way to their powerful floods,
and bury the anguish of the distracted
soul beneath their waves.
In this desolate country lay, in former
times, village called Roerwig, about a
mile distant from the shore. Tue moving
sands have buried the village, and the in.
habitants-mostly shepherds and fisher
men-have removed their cottages close to
the shore. A single solitary building, the
village church, wDioh is situated upon a
ALI, yet rears its head above the cherries
shifting desert. Tais church was the scene
of the following mysterious transaction.
In an early part of the last century the
venerable cure OF Roerwig was Oae night
seated in his study, absorbed in piorg
meditatiens. It was near midnight. The
rouse lay at the extremity Of the village.
and the simple manners OF the inhabitants
were so little tinged with distrust that
bolts and locks were unknown amongst
them, and every door remained open and
uDguarded.
The night. lamp burned gloomily -.he sui.
len silence of that dark hour was only in.
terrupted by the rushing noise of the sea,
on whose waves the pale moon was re.
filcsed, when the cure heard the door be.
low open, and, presently afterward, the
sound OF mems steps upon the stair. He
was just anticipating a call to administer
the last holy Offices OF religion to some one
of his parishioners on the point of death,
when two foreigners, wrapped up in white
cloaks, stepped hastily into the room. One
of them approached him with politeness
"Sir, !" said he, "you Will have the good
ness to follow us instantly. You must per-
form marriage ceremony the bride and
bridegroom ere already awaiting our arri-
val at the church. This sum, continued
the stranger-exhibitipg to the old man a
purse full of gol3-" will suffi GENTLY re-
compense you for the trouble and alarm our
sudden demand has given you"
The cure stared IN mute terror upon the
strangers, who seemed to have something
fearful, almost CHASTITY, in their looks the
demand was repeated in an earnest and au.
thoritative tone. Whea the cd man had
| recovered from his first surprise, ne began
! mildly to represent that his duty did not
allow him TO perform so solemn an action
without some knowledge of the parties,
and the Intervention of those formal.
ties required by law. The other stranger
hereupon stepped forward in q menacinr
attitude: Sir, said he, "you have your
choice follow us, and take the sum we
now offer you-or remain, and this bullet
goes through your head" He leveled his
pistol at the forehead Of the venerable
man, and waited his answer; wheIeupon
the latter rose, dressed himself, and in.
formed his visitants-gho had hitherto
spoken Danish, but with foreign accent
that he was ready to accom- pany them.
The mysterious strangers now proceeded
silently through the vlll3ge, followed by
the clergyman. It was dark autumn
night, the moon having already set: but
when they emerged from the village, the
old man perceived with terror and astonish.
ment that the distant church was all
Illuminated. Meanwhile his companions.
wrapped up in their white cloaks, stepped
hastily on before him through the barren
sandy plain. On reaching the church they
bound up his eyes; side door opened
with n creaking noise, and he fels himself
violently pushed into crowd of people
all around him he heard a murmuring
of voices, and near him a conversation
carried On in language quite un.
known to him, but which he thought
was Russ "a AS he stood helpless, bliad
folded, pressed upon from every tide, and
in the utmost confusion, he felt himself
seized upon by mans hand and violently
drawn through the crowd. At last il
scented to him as if the people fell back,
the DanGage Was lOOSSneu, anu ne 1OunC
himself stand NJ with one OF the two
strangers before the altar. A row of large
liga tapers. in magnificent candles.Icks,
adorned the altar, and the church itseli
was splendidly illuminated by profusion
Of candles. Ii before, while standing
blipdfolded, the murmur of the surround.
ing crowd had filed his soul with consser.
| nation, not less amazed was he now at the
unbroken silence which reigned throughout
| the church the side passages and all the
| seats were crowded to excess, but the mid
die passage was quite clear, and he per.
ceived In it a newly opened grave, and the
| stone which had covered it leaning against
a bench; around him he only saw male
| figures. but On one of the distant benches
he thought he indistinctly perceived a fe.
| male form. The silence lasted for come
minutes, during which not motion could
| be detected in that vast multitude. Thus,
when a spirit is bent on deeds of darkness
a silent, gloomy brooding OF soul often pre-
cedes the horrid action.
At last . man, whose magnificent
dress distinguished him from al