Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-05-16

[ She well remembered the beatine, ~ ,,e- l heart when. at the bottom of the dean .,,d shady lane. she beheld Cuthbert waitine, for her. and how she had nearly swooned whs,, he hailed the passing coach to Southwark and handed her into 1t
 l Likewise she well remembered how tbav | had emerged into a crowded street. along l which he had hurried her into another str.et where he called hackney carriage. and thsy were driven down interminable streata at which she never glanced, for her white faca was hidden on Cuthbert's shoulder. and sba l had needed all the cordial of bis consta nt ] passionate. reassuring whispers to save her frcn fainting.
 And how at last the carriage stopped be- l fore church-a gloomy, heavy, city edifice l so that it seemed to her that they had to l grepe their way along the avenue of high l pews to the altar railing, where speedily a thin voice read the service that made her the ! wife of the man at her side. The acted portion of it all was a vague memory; her love for the man who had in- | duced her to secretly wed him was only | reality.
 Four o'clock was chiming when she reached | home Long before this had Mrs. Stranp- field grown weary of watching at the win | dow, and with deep anxiety had gone back | to seek the gir; in the town. Polly was sing ing ill the kitchen as she scrubbed the floor. so that Mir. Strangfield in the parlor did not hear Jenny enter, nor her light footstep as she went upstairs.
 At her bedroom door she halted with such a shock of surprise and consternation as the sight of dead man might have produced on her; for all about the window the floor was lit tered with her husbands sacred letters heed luin xvifb kI,o;. bon-bindings among them She well knew whose hand had done this and, recovering herself, entered the room, closed the door and removed her hat, moving softly, and all the while looking at the letters
 This done, she knelt down and gathered to- gether the precious missives, pre- sing them often to her pale lips, and narrowly inspect. ing the carpets for its of the dry forget-me- nots and other fragments of flowers which had fallen from the letters under Strangfeld's d's angry handling of them. Scarcely had she replaced the papers in her desk when she heard her fathers steps on the stairs. He entered lis bedroom, but speedily emerged, being struck, perhaps, to find Jenny's door closed. He turned the handle sharply and ex. claimed:
 aAh, you be here, thena Your mother has
  ticed in treading softly. Where have you beenl"
 "I have been to the schoolhouse to seek my husband" she answered, returning his ste Tn gaze with look of despairing resolution.
 "And you have not found him?"
 "No. father, mol" she replied, with shriek in her voice.
 "If he be your husband, why has he left you2" he said, speaking as judge might in preface to condemning man to death. She shook her head and locked her twitch. ing fingers, no longer meeting his eyes, fo1 the bitterness in them was insupportable.
 He approached the bed and leaned heavily upon the frame of it.
 "Woman! in my heart you are condemned for treachery to me and your mother. Yet have said to myself, in the words of the Preacher, Be not nasty in thy spirit to bt l angryr and now, if you find me so, yor shall rebuke me. Jenny, for what you have this day told your mother, hate my ow1 flesh that you should be part of it. Yet will be mercifuL You shall prove to me tha you sin is not the dishonor of your parents name, nor the destruction of your soul in thu eyes of Almighty God. Do you heed me You shall prove this.
 She made no answer. s... -. <. ....- .az~a Speak," he cried. "Show me how thi | may be done. -- ----- She looked at him with terrified eyes, fo courage that she had could combat he | instinctive fear of him. He waited for hel | reply. .+ ....f "Ten me what am to do, father? indeed, will obey you. I am truly his wife. God who hears me, knows that am not speaking 1 falsely. With this ring he welded me 1 father"
 And with trembling hand she sought il her pocket fer her purse. | May, nay, have no wish to see it. Sucl a matter signifies nothing. Better trick than such tokens cannot fool old eyes. Tel me where you were married"
 "In London, father"
 ''Ay, in London. At what church?" "I do not know the name; it has slippe
 my memory. Or my husband never men
 tioned it," she replied, with an expression o her face that should have told her father t press her no further.
 By whom were you marriedT
 q did not see-I was frightened Tn
 church was dark, and did not lift my eyes and we were but 0 moment signing ou names"
 A look of savage incredulity-the skept cism of man stirred to the most hidden an
 deadly forces of his nature-shot into hi
 face. He gazed at her for some moments
 silence, and then, in a voice that, for tn
 hollowness of it, sounded though it ros
 from under his feet, said:
 "It is as before said-you remember nott
 ing But their wedding is a thing all wome
 remember; and it is strange you should s
 soon forget yours, when your mother wi
 tell you everything that befell on her wee
 ding day, twenty three years ago. Woul
 you know the church if you saw ita"
 "Yes, father, IT think sol do not know
 father"
 Tomorrow you and I will go to London,
 said he. Make up 8 little box of things, fo
 this business may keep US In the morning at seven. we start. Be in readiness" l! ,zII|;[|.G|E{4|zj|| z|||..,|||{ j.; E; Et tMfI HN Se- 11lT&AMEHT5%.1 5%.1SszSMH