The national leader., 1889-02-16

u
| Of French merchant, with whom the
Havana house had large dealings.
They were not only engaged lovers,
but the wedding had been fixed to come
off OH the third day from the evening
on which met them.
Owing to the misfortune the young
man had met with, and the fears for
the future thus engendered, the we'd
ding was postponed for an indefinite
time.
AS l not only felt much curiosity
about the result. but deep, Sympathe-
tic interest in Philip FlorenZa himself,
made it point to drop in on him
whenever l chanced to be in the vicinity
Of his business office.
He was a fine, generous, kind, noble
| fellow, every inch gentleman; and,
having taken a liking to each other
from the start, we grew to be fairly in
innate.
He was greatly depressed at first, and
the indefinite postponment of the we'd
ding was a heavy blow to him.
''Ah, my friend,'' he more than once
sighed, sit is hald to find that Though
ones kindness of heart, peril, disaster
and perhaps horrid death should be
sent to afflict the doer of goodp'
| could not but agree with him that
it was hard, very, very hard; but did
my best to console him with the fact
that out of what appeared the darkest
evil the brightest good had often come.
AS the days and weeks and months
rolled on, and the now long-healed
wound showed no trace OF virus, he
grew more and more hopeful. and grad
ually regalned the cheerful spirits he
had lost.
Although the nuptials had been post
poned, his lady love still remained true
to him, and with him looked hopefully
forward to the day when their cruel
probation should be over, and her pa.
rents should once more consent to a
union which she would gladly have had
consummated months ago.
One day, when 1 entere1 the young
Cuban's place Of business. he fairly
bounded up to me, grasped my hand
and shook it with the lervid gladness of
| one meeting a dear friend after an alb
Sence OF years.
"Give me joy" he cried, ''give me
joyl Evil has done it's worst, and good
has triumphed, just as you predicted it
would! Again | am e-gloriouSly
freel have had consultation of the
| best physicians In the city, and they
have pronounced me sound, and free
from all taint of canine poison. And
the happy welding is liked for week
from this, at the mansion Of the brides
parents. You Will receive an invita-
ton, and 1 want you to be present.
There will only be few select friends
| invited. We shall leave the same even
ing for the steamer that will take US to
Havana on our wedding tour. is it
not glorious, my friend?"
heartily shook his hand, and hearth
| ly congratulated him.
Suddenly strange, sinking feeling
came over me.
"Why, you are trembllngl" he ex-
claimed, in surprise.
'Yes, | have a slight Chill" an
swered. 81 tear have taken cold"
He turned little pale; but if he
thought of anything different than we
had been saying he did not mention it.
l was at the wedding.
There was not large gathering; but
so far as dress, taste, beauty and gen
eral surroundings were concerned, 1t
was brilliant affair.
To my surprise, 1 found the bride
groom much depressed in spirits and in
clined to he moody and morose.
The marriage ceremony was duly per-
formed by the bishop, however, without
any marked incident, and the warm,
congratulations Of friends followed i'll
due order.
After refreshments had been served,
the bride and groom proceeded to take
leave of the friends that were TO remain
behind.
Three carriages were waiting at the
door, and just as the bridal group was
ready to descend to them, we were all
startled, frightened, horri1ed and
thrown into dire confusion by one of
the most terrible events of which it Is
possible to conceive.
Philip Florenza had the arm of his
beautiful and happy bride. and was in
the act of moving toward the door,
when he suddenly uttered strange,
unearthly sound, almost yell. more
like the howling of a wounded and
frightened dog than anything human.
Then, like a flash, and with the fero-
city of maddened tiger, he turned
upon his beautiful bride. growing and
barking tore half her garments from
her person, threw her down, and bit
and tore her cheeks and forehead till
the red blood streamed forth IN every
direction.
The scene Of horror that followed
beggars description, and l hope l may
never see another like 1t.
Women screamed, shrieked and faint
ed; and men shouted, beloved and
plunged forward to secure the mao VIC
tim of hydrophobia.
1t was hard struggle, and one OF
quite as much danger as attacking
loose, savage, wild beast.
Foaming at the mouth, kicking, bit
ing, striking, tearing, growing and
barking, as if his whole human nature
had been turned into CANNES, poor
Philip Florenza could not be secured
till he had nearly murdered his darling
BRIDE and bitten several of his friends.
Fortunately l escaped without a
bleeding wound, though for a long
time | could show the prints of the
| ,,oodr,oo,. .o.th in NV ChOuldpr where