The Brookhaven leader., 1883-09-06
"TILL DEATH Us DO PART"

Till death lis do part" rang out the
low, clear voice of the officiating minis
ter throughout the quiet church. And
Till death us do part spoke the man
who knelt before him; and It'll death
us do part in her turn repeated the
woman.
Thus they plighted their troth in the
face of the world and before Heaven,
that man and woman, Humphrey Car
bonel and Emma Crane. They had
promised to love and cherish and honor
each other, and he to comfort her and
she to obey him in sickness and in
health, for better for worse, for richer
for poorer, until death did them part
May breezes stole softly in through
the open porch; May violets filled the
air with perfume; May birds were sing
ing; May dews yet sparkled on the
ieweled grass. 1t was true bridal
morning; and, amid the almost Sabbath
stiffness and the spring-tide loneliness,
the VOWS were exchanged that made
them one.
Until death! The lover-husband
glanced down upon the tmid girl
whose hand lay in his, feeling suddenly
Why should the thought have come to
him? He clasped the trembling hand
closer, as if he felt already the chilling
of those warm pulses. Even in the
midst of the solemn service, his imagin-
alton travelled forward to a day when
those solemn promises would have been
fulfilled, and death had ended all--her
death. 1t did not occur to Captain
Carbonel to think that it might be his
own.
The Young girl, happy and smiling in
her bridal robes. never once thought of
death at all How should she? And
how still less, how-could either of
them call up a picture of something
worse than death to break the marriage
vow?
A young couple they, Supremacy
happy on that May morning. Sun
shine. and glistcning dew, and opening
flowers, and the Joyous song of birds
they do not put forth notions of winter
chill and gloom. No, nor portend it.
"What God hath joined together, let
not man put asundern
The tremulOus voice of the clergy
man, for he was agitated, pronounced
tItO-C "OIuS NtIN SOltIllulN. Inc Slllllc
upon the bridegroom's lip echoed but
that of his heart. Who should have
power to put asunder two who loved so
well? And Emma? She thought only
of the strong, manly form by her side.
1t was the old, old story of the oak and
the vine. The present happiness was
perfect, and the future would be like
unto it; nay. much more abundant.
So reason we in our blindness, in the
inexperienced youth of our early morn
ing, when the glamour of hope is upon
us, and all looks radiant. Later, stand
ing before the calm-faced teacher.
whose name is Life, we learn that nc
earthly existence is perfect; that the
sunniest life hath shadows, and that
the sweet spring-time, the brightest
summer, must give place to faded
flowers, to dying leaves.
You cannot have Emma unless you
retire altogether from the army, or get
put upon half-pay," had said Emma
Cranes stern old guardian to Captain
Car0onel; for she had neither father
nor mother, brother nor sister. AnC
Humphrey Carbonel, tired perhaps o
soldiers idle life, for all the worlC
AdfO OOOh az pOesSO III
and likely to remain so, got put upor
half-pay.
Sure never did a couple begin life un
der more promising auspices! They
had pretty homestead of their own
it was Emma's, not his-amid small
colony of other pretty homesteads, anC
they had between them a handsome
competency. and there was pleasant so
ciety around; and life was as delightful
as a morning dream.
A child was born to them, but i
died. That brought sorrow. No othel
child came, and time went on. AnC
here some lines that met with in a pc
riodical in youthful days occur to me
don't know whose they are. If
knew then l have forgotten:
"Alas, that early love should fly,
! That friendships self should fade and die;
And glad hearts pine with cankering fears
| And starry eyes grow dim with tears!
| For years are sad and withered things,
| And sorrow fingers. and joy has wings;
And falSehoOd steals into sunny bowers,
| And Times dull footstep treads on flowers.
And the waters of life flow deep and fast,
| And they bear to the sorrowful grave at last.
Why should the lines be put in here