The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1888-12-21

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out the adieu [ could not trust my
lips to utter"
low moan was the only answer,
end he continued:
"You are married onthe morrow"
EYES," sobbed the girl. "Oh, Ber-
tram, what n trial it will be to stand
at yonder altar, and take upon me
the VOWS that will doom me to a liv-
ing DEATH"
"Think of me-" rejoined the organ
list. "Your royal father requests me
to play at your wedding, and l have
promised to be here. If | were your
equal l could be the bridegroom in
stead of the organist; but apoor mu-
sician must give you up"
"Itis rending body and s~oulasunder
to part with YOU" said the girl.
"To-night may tell you this-tell
how much / loved you, but in a few
hours it will be always a sin. Go, so,
and God bless you.
She waved him from her as if she
would Danish him while she had the
power to do SO, and he-how was it
with him. He rose to leave her, then
came back, held her to his heart
in a long embrace, and with a half
smothered farewell left her.
The nextmorning dawned in cloud
less splendor. and at an earlier hour,
the cathedral was thrown open, and
the sexton began to prepare for the
brilliant wedding. Flame colored
flowers nodded by the wayside, from
the trees, and lay in light heaps upon
the ground, and theripe wheat waved
like q golden sea, and berries dropped
in red an purple clusters v rocks
along the Rhine.
At length the palace gates were
opened, and the royal party ap-
peared, escorting the Princess Eliza
beth to the cathedral where the mar
rage was solemnized. Itwas O brave
pageant; tar brighter than the I'M
twined blossoms and foliage were the
tufts of plumes which 1oated from
stately heads, and festal robes that
streamed over the housings of superb
steeds. But the Princess, mounted
on a SNOW white palfrey and clad in
snow white velvet, looked pale and
sad; and when on nearing the church,
she heard a gush of organ music,
which, though jubliant in sound,
struck on her ear like a funeral knell,
she trembled and would have fallen
to the ground had not q page
supported her. A few more
moments afterward, she entered the
cathedral. There, with his retinue,
stood the royal bridegroom, whom
she had never before seen. But her
eyes roved from him to the organ
loft, where she expected to see the
mysterious organist. He was gone,
and she was obliged to return the
graceful bow Of the king to whoms she
was betrothed from motives ofpolicy.
Mechanically she knelt at the altar
mechanically listened to the services
and made the responses. Then her
husband drew her to him in q con-
vulsive embrace, and whispered:
"E6zabethl my queen! look upE"
Trembling in every limb, she obey
ed. Why did those dark eyes thrill
her so? Why did that smile bring a
glow to her cheek? All, though the
king wore the royal purple, and
many a jeweled order glittered on his
breast. he seemed the same humble
person who had been employed to
teach her organ music, and had
taught her the lore of love.
"Elizabeth," murmured the mon
arch, "Bertram Hoffman the organ
list, and King Oscar are n For
give my stratagem. l wished to
marry you, but l would not you
to the altar an unwilling bride. Your
father was in the secret"
While tears of JOY rained from her
eyes, the new made queen returned
her husbands fond kiss, and for once
two hearts were made happy by a
royal marriage.