St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-06-02

weeping with her bridesmaids, while
her fance began to fear some serious
accident had detained his friend.
"Outside, the cold was intense and
the storm ragged with increasing fury.
it was one of the worst known for
years Inside, as midnight drew near
gloom settled over us all, which it
was impossible to dispel. All thought
of going on with the wedding was
aband oned, and we began to organize
parties to search for Guy.
Suddenly we heard loud whinny.
We sprang to the great door and flung
it open, and Saadi walked into the hall.
on his back, shapeless mass covered
with ice and snow, was Guy. Lifting
him off, the men laid him upon the sofa,
and began taking off the stiffened
wrappings Sally and chung together,
too much frightened for tears, as we
looked at Guys still, white face.
LAS they opened lis coat to see if his
heart still beat, q little package fell to
the floor But he was not dead, and
after little was quite himself again,
though stiff and lame. AS soon as he
could stand, he felt in his breast for the
fallen package, then, seeing it,
snatched it from the floor and present
ed it to me.
"You can fancy my feelings, girls,
for it held these;" and opening the
box, grandmamma showed q pair OF
tiny, rose-colored slippers.
''As he knelt to put them on, the
guests stared in amazed silence, then
there was a storm of questions.
Eyes, he had ridden to T for
them, and would have been back in
time, but lost his way in the storm on
the return, went miles from the right
road, and on regaining it had only
strength to clasp his arms about Saadis
neck and bid him go home.
"Just here Saadi created diversion
by walking up to the bride with the ev.
ident intention of rubbing his wet nose
on her shoulder. He was petted and
spoiled to his hearts content, and to
my certain knowledge act half the
brides cake; for Sally thought nothing
too good for him. Guy kept us wait
ing but a short time longer, and at
midnight the ceremony was at lastper-
formed.
Il danced the first dance with Guy,
who made brave effort to keep time
with the fine new slippers. but was
forced to succumb to WEAKNESS and
watch the others. The next day he
was taken ill, and was for weeks dam
gerously low with the fever caused from
exposure on that awful ride.
81 never could endure the sight Of
those slippers, and only wore them
once more. A year later, at the re-
quest of the man who had risked his
life to bring them to me, wore them
the day we were married.
There was chorus of thanks as
grandmamma stopped. Then the girls,
Selling upon her, begged that she
would let them dress her in the gown
..just once more After an instant's
hesitation she consented, and as the
cleaning brocade draped the erect and
shapely figure, they could almost fancy
that her soft curls were only white
with powder, and that the fire of youth
still glowed in her undimmed eyes.
Dolly bent to place a slipper on one
pretty foot, but it was taken out of her
hand, and grandpapa, who had entered
unperceived, knelt before the little
lady with smile.
'Fairy's slippers?' he said, softly:
How well l remember the first time,
dear AS put this on, tear fell on
my hand, another on the slipper-see,
girls, here is the stain!'
But the girls. laughing incredulously,
bore off their captive The light passed
from point to point, and glimmered on
the rafters, trunk and cradle as the
mps were borne down stairs. The
last rays flashed in the eyes of the por-
traits, the uncounted audience. Then
the door was closed, and the garnet,
warm and dusky, sweet with the breath
of herbs, gathering in the memories of
many lives, was left in silence.-M.
ANan Watson, in Denaorest's Monthly.
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