Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-09-05
Married in Haste.

Was ever night so full of hours-wer
ever hours so full of dreary minutes
that seemed to crawl after each othe
through its dead. cold gloom?
Yet it was, by my own consent, Il
be my wedding day tomorrow.
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 cocl
in the farm yard give a dismal hoo
preparatory to his first crow to tn,
new day.
And, utterly tired out, | droI
asleep.
One-two-three- four-five--siz
-seven-eight beats out of the tai
old clock on the stair head outside
my door, aud / jump wildly to my
feet.
AT 9 o'clock, them" he had said.
had only one hour-only one
hour to be Norah Glennie.
BY the time that clock struck 10
should be Norah Mapleson-a wife, a
true wife to true husband.
| rearrange my dress with a fever
ish haste.
| only stop to drink cup of milk
ere | leave the house, only just in
time TO catch the train as it passes
our country station.
/ am in time.
Once more my hands are clasped
in his.
We say no word only hurry
through the sleepy streets till we en-
ter the dingy office where, by some
strange method, we are made man
and wife. All is dream to me.
l wonder vaguely where are my
bridesmaids, where are my father and
mother? Bah why of course they
are dead long, long ago. | have on
ly my uncle, and he is lying bedrid-
den at Norlington farm.
How could he be here? The only
thing that seems real to me is the
shining ring Oh my finger,
looked at in IA kind of fear as
draw my old kid glove over it before
leaving the house into which Norah
Glennie had gone few minutes ago
and out of which now a white, startled
woman was issuing-Norah Mapleson.
Don't be so distressed, my darling!
Don't look so or | cannot bear Ill"
draw deep breath | stretch
out my hand, a little wildly, ] sup
posed, for he takes it firmly in his
and lays il on his arm as he hurries
through the streets back again in the
direction of the railway station.
Once more we are in the train.
"Mine-nine forever | do not
fear the future now is all my hus-
band says, but there is a world of
love in his eyes.
Poor William In weeks time
he will be on the ocean and we will
have parted for many months--per-
haps years. He lets me rest quietly
in his arms during the very short
journey back again to Norli' gton.
! get out of the train alone, as he is
going on some business two stations
further on then he will come back
for the rest of the week to the farm.
Before you go into his room, wife,
darling, you will take it off," and he
touched my finger, on which the
bright new wedding ring glitters.
81 cannot" l say, shuddering. 1T
is unlucky to remove wedding ringl"
But, my darling, his sharp eyes
will"
The train goes on, and am alone.
] see his face look at me from the
window, alarmed and anxious but
nod reassuringly aud he smiles.
1t causes no remark that have
been out so early this morning. for
everything lately is so upset by rea-
son of my uncle's illness and William 9
near departure.
Then, again, there is only old Bet
ty in the kitchen; and perhaps she
scarcely knows ! have been out and
if the nurse who has been in TO attend
my uncle knows, she, doubtless, thinks
] have been into town on some house.
hold GRAND.
About my ring, must hide it !;
but ] cannot take il of. hurry up
into my room, and hurriedly turn
over the contents of an old musty
dressing case that had been my
fathers. Where can it be? That
old garnet ring with the queer under
grove in it that feel sure will let
this thin wedding ring slip into it
and so keep my secret from prying
eyes.