The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1883-03-24

| c1r2Of nv
citement natural to the occasion.
How slow yon nre, Julier' exclaimed
MISS Nand, impatientl,. :You We're uayo,
5" i9iig about my lair before!'
But YOU will pardon nv slownesc IN
such an OCCASION as this. la;.avnu.st. .ie. an.
swered the French won.an. IL wisI, laaae-
nioiselle to look her best y
A RADIANT smile Of mingled pride and
! triumph lllnnined the face OF Miss Owing
| Ton as the maid prono,sneea these words
| II ain to be the wife OF General Era,,i,v
| DdMont"' she said--'a KAN whose wealth
I VIII always keep me above want, and WHO
viii hever stint me- In two hours, I shall
De the wife OF the cultured aud renowned
| Cranky Dumont.'' ta -
| julie Maintenon coiled The superb nla;ts
OF hair in a knot at the b3c1s Of Miss Il .ud's
! head. This knot was supported by comb
OF pe'Srls one Of the gifts of the General.
The alabaster forehead Of the bride elect
Was encircled by wreath Of orange-blos-
SONS, the buds of which were also Of large
pearls, while the flowers We're sprinkled with
Gianlonds which represented dew drops.
Inc bridal dress WAS OF white moire-antiaue,
completely covered by ah over-shirt of the
most valuable point Lace. This dress had
cost snail fortune, and had made Il hsav;r
T..
Ire toilette was completed as the clock
struck ten
''Now. mademoiselle" snid the maid.
'yo,s will take some breakfast, hope. rs it
would not do for you to flint Away during
the ceremony"
Yes, Julie" answered Miss Ovineton, II
Shall breakfast with papa this morning, as
il is the last which Shall spend alone with
him"
She descended to Ter fathers room, in
which she found her parent seated. MIR.
Ovlngton was quite able-bodied now. and
free from the excruciating pains which had
coursed through his head for SO many
weeks.
* am quite spry on this important occa-
sion, my dear Maud, said the do;ting father,
as his daugLter entered the room in her
bridal dress, land shall be able to give nv
child away to the man Of her choice, and OF
mine. too. for more noble fellow than
Gr;tnby Dumont never existed. NV dearest
Slrl. how lovely you look this morniucr'
Miss Maud bent over her fathers chair
and embraced him tenderly.
''What shall / do without YOU. Nand?"
said the old man, taking both his daughters
hands IN his own. and gazing, with proud nf-
lection, at her beautiful face. s'What shall
do wheE lose you, dearest? I think that
when We are separated, shall have only
one comfort left"
An.i.what will that be, .asArest fasaer?r !.
"Iour picture, my darling-the portrai.
that was painted by that promising young
artist. who gave you lessons in painting.
Let me see-Suydanl, think, he was called
Why, how you shiver, Maudw exclaimed
Mr. Ovington, suddenly,
"Ihe morning is cold, papar' answered
Maud, carelessly. ttand wedding dress is
not the warmest costume in the world for o
December day."
At this moment loud knocking and ring
ing sounded at the lall door.
Maud hurried to the window.
'lt is the Generals carriage!' she ex-
claimed. s''What can have brought him
here? We were to have met at the church. !"
The color faded from her cheeks, leaving
her deadly pale. She remained near the |
window, as if transixed to the spot upon /
which she stood.
.'lt is his step!' she muttered, as foot |
fall sounded upon the stairs.
General DumOnt entered the room. He /
was paler than his intended bride; his lips I
were set with the rigitlity of determination,
and terrible light shone in his eyes.
''Ovington," he seid, II know that YOU /
will pardon this intrusion. come to ask |
for change in the arrangements"
"a change!"
eyes; the marriage was arranged to be |
solemnized at eleven o'clock.
"It was"
''Suffer me to anticipate the hour It is |
now few minutes past ten. Take Maud |
with you in MY carrinSe drive without n
delay to the church; will follow
you i'll hanson, and the wedding can take
place at half past ten
But why should we make this changer"
asked Mr. Ovington. 'All was settled for
eleven o'clock. The carriages were to he at
tie church at that hour, and our friends
assembled to witness the ceremony"
eve need no friends TO assist at our
union." answered the General, hastily
There is not Il moment to be lost! l tell
You, my dear sir, I have {: most powerful
motive for making this request"
''And will not grant it until know that
motive" replied MIR. Ovington, with deter
'As you will, sir. wished to spare
Yourself and the woman love all unneces-
sary pain; but, since you compel me to
speak, will speak plainly. / told you,
some few weeks ago, that Maud has enemies
secret enemies-who are unscrupulous as
to the means which they employ to assail
her,
Maud Ovinston laughed silvery laugh
as the General said this.
Surely, CRANKY" she said, careless,y,
''you have not been SO foolish as to listen to
hose horrible people again! I cannot for
get how you frightened me before by saying
The most ridiculous and extraordinary
things"
The General looked scrutinizingly at his
promised bride. Innocence and candor
seemed to beam like the light of morning
from her beautiful eyes.
mid, gravely. '.Whoever these enemies are,
and whatever motive they may have, they
"