The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-11-16

saw the illuminated church before him
and heard the murmuring of the crowd
he was forced to believe its reality. Tt
learn the issue he hid himself in the cor
ner OF the building, and while listening
there he heard the murmuring within
grow louder and louder-then it seemed
as If fierce alteration arose, in which
he thought he could recognize the rough
voice of the bridegroom commanding
sllence-a long pause--a shot fell-the
shrek OF q female voice was heard, which
was succeeded by another pause-then
followed sound of labor, which lasted
about a quarter of an hour-the candles
were extinguished-the murmur arose
again the door was flung open, and q
multitude of persons rushed out of the
church ana ran towards the sea.
The old priest now arose from his hid
ing place, ana FASTENED back to the vii
lage, where he awoke his neighbors and
friends, and related to them his incredi-
bic and marvellous adventure; but every
thing which had hitherto fallen out
amongst these simple people had been
so calm and tranquil--so much meas
ured by the laws of daily routine, that
they were seized with very different
terror, they believed that some unfortu-
nate accident had deranged the intellects
OF their beloved pastor, and it was not
without difficulty that he prevailed on
some of them to follow him to the
church, provided with picks and spades.
Meanwhile the morning had dawned
the sun arose, and when the priest and
his companions assembled the hill toward
the church, they saw man ofwar stand
ing off from the shore under full sail
toward the north. So surprising q sight
in this remote district made his compan-
ions already hesitate to reject his story
as improbable, and still more when they
saw that the side door of the church had
been violently burst open. They entered
full of expectation, and the priest showed
them the grave which he had seen open
ed in the night time; it was easily per-
ceived that the stone had been lifted up
and replaced again; they put their imple-
ments in motion, and soon came to new,
richly adorned coffin; the old man de-
scended with almost youthful impotence
into the grave, and others followed him,
the cover was taken of, and the priest
found all his awful forebodings confirm
ed. In the coffin lay the murdered bride
"a bullet had pierced her right breast
to the heart-the magnificent diadem she
had worn had disappeared; but the dis
tracted expression of deep grief had van
ished from her countenance, and heav-
emily calm seemed spread over her fea-
lures as she lay there like an angel. The
old man threw himself down on the
coffin, and wept and prayed aloud for |
The soul Of the murdered, while mute |
and horror seized his COM
panions.
The clergyman found himself obliged |
TO make this event instantly known, with !
Ill its circumstances, to his superior, the |
Bishop of Zealand; meanwhile, until he |
got further instructions from Copen.
hagen, he bound all his friends to secre-
~ by an oath. Shortly afterward per-
'on of high rank suddenly arrived from
he capital; he inq uired into all the cir
visited the grave, commend
ID the silence which had been hitherto
observed, and stated that the whole event
ng at the same time with q severe pun
shment any person who should dare to
peak of it.
After the death of the priest writing
vas found in the parochial register mar
ating this event. Some believed that it
night have some secret connection with
he violent political changes which oc-
urred in Russia after the death OF Cath
rine and Peter j; but to resolve the
eep riddle OF this mysterious affair will
yer be difficult, if not impossible task.
i Henry Steffens.