Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-05-16
MARRIED In HASTE.

The night before my wedding day. Was
ever night so full of hours were evel
hours so full of dreary minutes, thai
seemed to crawl after each other through
its dead, cold gloom
Yet it was, by my own consent, to be my
wedding day tomorrow. I had said it
had not only said it, but had said should
never repent.
As the early dawn breaks through the
gloom of night, hear the old cock in the
faym-yard give a dismal hoot preparatory
10 the first crow of the new day.
And, utterly tired out, fall asleep.
O-three-four-five -six-seven
eight beats of the tall old clock on the
stair-head outside my door, and jumped
wildly to my feet.
At 8 o'clock, then, he said.
had only one hOur-only one hour to be
NOrah Glennie.
At the time that clock struck 10 should
be NOrah Mapleson-a wife 4 true wife to
q true husband
rearranged my dress with feverish
haste.
only stop to drink cup of milk ere
leave the house, only just in time to catch
kltS COtAllA4 II i4IA II passes Otti COUNTY
station.
am in time.
Once more my hands are clasped in his
We say no words only hurry through
the sleepy streets till we enter the dingy
Office, where, by some strange method, we
are made man and wife All Is q dream TO
me.
/ wonder vaguely where are my brides
maids, where are my father and mother?
Bah! Why, of course, they are dead, long,
long ago. l have only my uncle, and he is
lying bedridden at Norlington farm.
How could he be here? The only thing
that seems real to me is the shining ring
on my finger.
l look at it in a kind of fear as l draw
my old kid glove over it before leaving the
house into which Norah Gennie had gone
few minutes ago, and out of which now
white, startled woman was issging-Norah
dapleson.
Don't be so distressed my darling
Don't look so, or l cannot bear it -
draw deep breath. l stretch out my
hand a little wildly, l suppose, for he takes
it firmly in his, and lays il on his arm as
be hurries me through the streets back
again in the direction of the railway sta
ton
Once more we are in the train.
Mine-mine forever do not fear
die future now - is all my husband says
but there is world of love in his eyes.
Poor William In a weeks time he will
be on the ocean, and we will have parted
Tor many months-perhaps years.
He let me rest quietly i'll his arms dur
ing the very short journey back again to
N0rlington l get ont of the train alone, as
ne is going on some business two stations
further on; then he will come back for the
rest of the week 10 the farm.
Before you 60 into his room, wife,
darling, you will take it otf?"-and he
touches my finger, on which the bright
new wedding ring gliters.
I cannot" ! say, shuddcring. 1t IS
ualucky to remove a wedding ring
But, my darling, his sharp eyes will
The train goes on, and l am alone
see his face looking at me from the win
dow alarmed and anxious; but | nod re-
aSsuringly and he smiles.
It causes no remark that | have been out
20 early this morning, for everything lately
IS So upset by reason of ncle's illness and
Williams near departure.
Then, again, there Is only Old Betty in
the kitchen; and perhaps she scarcely
knows | have been out; and, if the nurse
VINO has been called in 10 attend my uncle
knows, she doubtless thinks I have been
sutO town on some household erTand.
About my ring, | must hide it; but can
rot take it off. ! hurry up into my room,
and hurriedly turn over the contents Of an
cid mustY drcssing-caSe that had been my
fathers Where can it be? That old gar
net ring. with the queer Undergone in it,
that feel sure viii let this thin wedding
ring into it, and 50 keep my secret from
prying eyes.
All = with hot, trembling fingers ! find ii;
# does exactly as ! thought ii would do.
With that broad old ring always on
need fear no discovery. None but myself
would ever know that under it lay another
the tiny cirlet of gold binding me stronger
than iron bands would do 70 my dear
ioye
During the day my old uncle is taken
much worse, and he viii let no one be near
him but me William comes III and out Of
the room, but ! am tied to it all the day,
till toward evening uncle fails into i deep
sleep, and l can safely leave him with his
nurse. 1t was q rambling Old house, Nor
ington farm, and il had been my only
home now for nearly seven years, all of
which time William MaplesOn had lived As
my uncles steward and helper under the
same roof
1t had been a hard, self denying life for
him perhaps: but for me--or rather for
his love for me-he would never have
borne i. Till latterly the hard Old man
had never discovered our love, and when
ae had, there was no more peace for Us
under his roof.
He had ragged and stormed, declaring
hat no niece of his should marry William
Napieson on pain of disinheritance
Mine WAS always a weak, tmid nature.
Perhaps some women II was no longer a
young girl; my thjructh birthday had
come and gone would have actively re-
Sentcd his tyranny, and asserted her indi-
Wdual rights; ! could not. | was in his
power tor when my parents died he had
taken me in pcnnilcss girl and had from
thaL time given me- il his particular hard
way, all that / needed in lfe-not hut
what some would have felt that they fully
earned such keep.
scarcely ever looked at it in that way.
had been weak and helpless. alone in
the world, not very strong in health. when
ne had come 10 my fathers funeral and. |
after paying all expenses had simply said
Now 90 and pack your kit. You must
come with me to Norlngton farm Can't
say, ! m sure. what old Betty will say brr
there's nothing else, rs | see To be done
Remember, my girl. It's not a ladv's life | !
am Offering you; but | suppose YOU are not
too fine a lady 10 know hat work means" /
If | had been then, all was corrected by |
row. During these seven years | have
worked hard and lived hard
Yet there are those who say old Peter
Glennic is worth half million of money.
My golden week of happiness Is gone,
but, although William is gone / am
strangely content.
I do not regret the step have taken
Since the morning after my marriage, my
uncle had been better and quieter. Old
Mr.. Baines. the lawyer had been with him
= full hour that morning, and old Jenkins
had been called into his room to sign his
name to some document, together with the
hired nurse.
Hes a miserable old man, she said 20
me that same day. 81 suppose its his will
we signed What a grudge he seems to
have against marriage He growls contin-
uall in his sleep about fools getting mar