Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-27

especially when she heard the mockery-
for utter and bitter mo kerry it, wss-oi
the speech Of her uncle, Mr.. Gideon
GrimshaW; and 20 her it WAS almost a
relief to turn and watch Dick, who,
among the iellise, TRIES and fruit, wss
enjoying the fseting present; who already
saw himself, in Imagination, full blown
csdet a. Sandhurst, in the smear point
affected a. that institution; and in sddi-
ton to his marriage favour he had be-
slowed on Biugo more bones than that
quadruped could bury in the garden for
his future dedication.
So after time Melsnie, who had to
don travelling costume, fastened to her
own room-the room in hich she WAS
BOW to fad herself for the last time :;
while the domeslics were collecting the
old slippers and rice 10 throw after the
wheels hat bore & way the welded psir
To her the wedding breakfast had
seemed an intolerab,e phsntasmegora a.
She had herd people talking and making
merry, but their voices he'd seemed
strange and Unfamiliar, even as her own
! husky whispers sounded, sfar of; while
TO swallow anything, even glass OF
wine, was On imp0ssioilily.
! CHAPTER Xxi THE UNFORESEEN.
! Alone-tor little space-at Iastl She
would have it so, and would admit Deith-
er ELUSIVE bridesmaids nor fussy comes
! Tics, like the gushing Mademoiselle Clio
Ghetto.
Terrible thoughts pressed thick aid
! fast upon her. AS mas been writ en- Of q
! young girl similarly ci!cumstaGced, she
knew that the p!acidiIy snd contentment
OF middle age might be hers; but the
smiles Gnd tears, The intense delight, the
fears, the CxultAti0n CT early hopeful
gears, the fresh spontaneous love tina.
! gives itself uncOnsciopsly-she had re-
ncurced them all.
! How confused apd strange were her re-
/ Elections as she sat there in her long veil,
! her blossom wreath and al her bridal
/ bravery.
a welded wife sue might be-usy, Was
but she felt herself still TO be Melanie
Talbot.
The golden hoop OF the third f0ger of
! her left hand told It's OWE tale, ond yet
/ the whole Of the past ceremony and the
present situation would seem more than
ever dream on the morrow.
! The morrow! Little could the new
/ made Lady BraybrOoke fCresee the close
OF this-her wedding day.
! Meisnie YVES more than ever pallid.
| Her very lips were white, and her violet
| blue eyes were go shsdowed that they
seemed almost black. There was some
thiOg strangely solemn, TOO, in her aspect,
as Of one who hsd passed through cruel
and terrible ordeal.
"Oh, uncle, be kind 20 me-" che walled
| in be- loneliness Of h56rt, Wnen he, to her
surprise, entered her room in haste, site r
& hurried knock 3: the door; ODE kind
and help ne "
| He regarded her strangely, 0nd his face
/ wore, for him, en- expression OF deep con-
Germ and dismsy.
What could this mean?
"Oa, UNCLE" she resumed, with eyes
! cast down, ~ f1el myself ike d widow
rather than g wife"
Aud she looked not at her wedding
! hoop, bat Lonsdaie's engagement ring,
whicn had never left her finger since be
plscrd it there perhaps.
"Y0u are widow" said Uncle Grim
shaw, in low husky voice.
"What do you mesn?"
Re hes,tsted Snd, knowing how he mad
c0eTced her, her anger began to rise.
"Loave me for 2 little, uncle" said
she, seven the bridesmaids and C!ochette
have not come TO assist me. The car
riage, suppose, is at the door already;
bus l cannot go away yet with that
man On, no-the future does seem ter
rible now"
at cannot be worse than the present. u
Wss his gloomy reply.
"What do you mean?" she asked again
"COmpose yourself"
"FOr what neXt?h
"To hear what have to say-to tel
yOu-an awful shock"
Her trst thought was Of Lonsdale.
Ws-from-Burmah2" she asked
family.
A rough malediction escaped Mr. Grim
shaw.
"No-Your husband-compose your
self"
"What of him?"
she is dead
"Desd?"
ale dropped down In tls and died ter
minutes ago; and you-you are already
widow"
Melanie, who had risen from the toilet
table, on which she had thrown he
wreath, her veil and some of her diamond
ornaments, fell backward into a chair
and for line AL became blank to her.
Voices after & time reached her.
"Poor girl-poor thing-poor, deo1
Lsdy Braybrooke - hoW sad, nov
awful"
They were the voices of Mrs. Chilling
ton and few other ladies, Of the b;ides-
maids snd EtSchsese, IS theYsan fnssed
about her and impeded eschs ether.
How strsngs ass&as tBe' destiny Q
Melsnie.a. Like she Of whom Gerait
Griffin surg, sue %assnaT,
-,,7reS~Tn ore morning tide,
a vile and W dow,
A maid and bIioe.
After the awful strain, OF the last week!
especially, she felt stunned-strapge
more bewildered tlan ever. Could II ot
tbst she WAS frat sctSsfsy tres? BIZ
Whist : prlce-the life Of e really GOO
man. Aud was it not sin togsthk ths
she was free? ~
Uncle GrimshaW now. tolH her that 50
B15co, with sll his Sppsszarcse efs s. VIC
and animal health, hade mortal tisEie Mt
known to but very few OF his friends
disease OF the hs8rlS t0st the best doctor!
in London had s0fdden him avoid all eX'
element, but the great event CT the Dc,
had proved too much for him; and noV
the last medicSl dictum was sudden tsil'
ure Of the hearts action, otherwise
syncope or fainting. "fhank goodness
il did not happen sooner" added Uncle
Grimshaw, with an eye TO the settlements
Gentle d.. Brendon urged upon he
the usua commonplaces-sb out the mys
tsrious dispensstions Of Providence; thi
death OF good man fully prepared foI