Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-05-03

and In full gossip with the sexton, y
good twenty minutes before the bride
arrived. BY and by few other per.
sons strolled In to see the show, instead
Of waiting In the churchyard; for, to
many minds. the bridegroom was much
more interesting than the bride. He,
no more than Patience, liked the ordeal
Of starcs, rs II he were an object at .
waxwork or wild.beast show, II t
were only that stares were meant to b
paid for by joyful bridegroom on bis
wedding-day. However, he would d.
appoint them there why, because one
man was married, should other mea
want to drink beerP He began to wish
he had settled TO be married ut Hun
chester instead OF here. And he fek
certain, too, that the comments being
whispered about him were not compli-
ments. But in this he was wrong. For.
thanks to his money, there was scarce
man there who would not have stood In
his boots, or woman who would not
gladly have stood in those Of his wife
to be.
Then came the parson-n0t the rec
tor, who lived ut Oxford, and edited
Greek plays, and held six other livings.
OF which he had once or twice visited
one or two-but very young and very
nervous lad from Manchester, whom
nobody knew. and who knew nobody at
Merlham. It was sort of relief to Pa
tience to see a stranger behind the altar
rails. She walked up the aisle, pale,
indeed, but more composed than 1t Is
held fitting for a bride to be. Bride
groom. and even parson, were the more
Nf kn hn
curate had been more used to his work
he must have seen at once that what he
was going to celebrate was no true
marriage at all.
As for old Tom Blackthorn, he looked
round him proudly, as II he were mas
ter of all, and was already feeling in
his pockets, for half-crowns to give to
the parish at large. Thev we're not
there at present, but no doubt, as soon
as Patience became Mrs. Marrish, they
would come.
Dearly beloved, we are gathered to-
gether here
Patience Blackthorn would soon be
Patience Marrish now; for better for
worse, for richer for poorer-for richer
and for worse, for choice out of the two
pair of chances. Nobody answered to
the charge that any impcdiment should
be confessed at that eleventh. or, rather,
twelfth hour. Enoch Marrish. so that
everything should 90 smoothly, and
that the clerk should have no claim to
an extra shilling on the score Of looking
after him without occasion, got ready
the magic ring from his waistcoat
pocket while the parson was asking him
whether, forsaking all other. he would
keep with Patience Blackthorn as long
as they both should live. But. If he
wished to dispense with the clerk Off
ces, he should have read up the clerks
duties; and, seeing the brides fingers
move-for she could not keep them
still-he, naturally enough for man
without practice, took this to be the
moment for the ring.
a will" said he, and reached out his
hand for hers.
But plain gold rings. from their
shape, material and size, are slippery
things in themselves, though they hold
people SO tightly. Not for the first
time in the history Of marriage the
ring, as if inspired with an Il wilr' Of
its own, jumped out of his anxious fin
gers and danced merrily over the floor.
Perhaps ring bought and paid for
would have behaved better. But ring
one picks up by the wayside may be ex-
pected to have grain or two Of vaga-
bond in its gold.
Every gem. jewel and piece Of metal
work, such as a ring, or a horseshoe, or
20 forth, and more especially every ring,
has its occult spirit, which may be
angel or may be demon. So much
every student knows; though how he
knows it would take too long to tell. It
must, however, have been neither angel
nor devil. but an imp of mischief, that
inspired this particular ring to plague
and battle its owner for the time being.
The parson, not being used to such IN
terruptions, stopped short at:
1rtience, wilt thou have this
man"
And the clerk made dash with his
foot at the dancing imp, which, how
ever, eluded him, and went rolling on.
..Let'n CO." said the blacksmith's
wife. ''I've seed that trick afore. Here.
Master Marrish; I'll lend ye mine. 'Tis
bit biggish; but Lord, I've known
'em properly married with brass cur
tain-ring before now."
1t seemed the best thing to be done.
Had not Enoch himself wished for brass
instead of goldp He was, indeed, for
tunes favorite; his slightest wish
seemed to fulfill Itself now. And. Of
course, the gold thing would be found
hereafter, with searching. Not even .
church-mouse can eat gold, for all its
! poverty.
And forsaking all other. keep thee
only unto him."
by jingo," cried out a voice from q
dark pew, with too much impulse in II
to respect times and places, "that poor
devil of sergeant couldn't have kicked
the bucket after all! Why-it's hi
ring"
| The nervous curate dropped his booh
with q bang. The clerk was petrified
where he stood; Enoch boiled with rage
at this scandalous interruption. Even
schooIed herself against any surprise,
and, in spite of herself, turned round.
The voice she would have known, il
it had not been for her eyes. For wha'
she saw was not any possible owner oi
the voice from the dark pew. 1t wa,
in another shadow that she saw form
dressed in ragged regimentals; and be.
'ore their wearer could avoid bel
glance, and shrink farther back into thu
shade
Patience the bride, and Stephen thu
corpse, were face to face once more.
He had not been able to return u
Spain without seeing her once more
though 1t was only to watch her becOm
ing the wife Of villain and traitor
So for whole moment they stood, none
needing them in the greater scandal