The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-11-20

when the wedding would take place, /
know not, for every nerve in my body
seemed changed to instrument Of keen
torture. Fortunately, they did not
pass me, but retraced their steps. and
/, bending low with almost breaking
heart. slowly left the pleasant grave
yard, now only valley of dry bones
to me, and walked toward my dwell
ing. too wretched to think deliberate
ly, or feel ali the crushing weight OF
disappointment.
The next day, before sunrise, l was
on my way to a neighboring city. l
was in a strange tumult, that l knew
not but might prove fatal to me. was
ready for almost any desperate deed,
and had, more than once-1 shudder
as / think of it-contemplated self
destruction. But called philosophy,
nay, something higher, holier. to my
aid-religion; and in time l became
soothed. if not comforted; that is, after
l knew May was irrevocably welded.
Two months passed. / deemed my
self sufficiently fortified with good res
olutions to return once more to my
chosen place of residence. 1t was
high noon when drove up the princl-
pal street. A carriage dashed by me
"a light vehicle. In another moment
it had turned, and Frederick, Mays
husband, was abreast. l voluntarily
drew in my horse. My friends face
denoted anguish, intense and concen-
! trated.
| "For Gods sake, DR.. Lane, my early
friend do not stop till you reach DR..
Kendalrs! May lies Extraordinarily
ingm he gasped.
How ashy and pale he was! My
face blanched. felt a singular tremor.
He dashed ahead, neither speaking;
and in fifteen minutes l stood by the
couch Of the young bride. That was
an awful hour. At it's close, 1 pressed
her white eyelids over her
dull, glazed eyes. All, Heaven!
thought l, kneeling with an
aching heart, can such beauty be
dead? And still, for all, there was
triumph in the feeling-triumph until
l beheld the awful grief of the be-
reaved husband-saw the big drops
bead like blood his pale broad fore
head-almost forced him from the in.
animate body to which he hung with
the grasp of despair, clasping her tc
his bosom-kissing the white lips, the
whittier cheeks, even the gold locks that
lay damp and uncurled over her shoul.
ders.
And, when / left that house of mourn
ing, was it not strange, the calmness
felt settling over my spirits? Gould
thisl thought, even in the faintest ira.
Gerry, pass through my mind at such a
time? well. she is not mine; and
neither is she his. l am glad that, as
she could not be mine only, none but
death can claim her now"
l fear, had conscience rightly ap,
piled her touch, she might have read
those scathing words written on the
crimson portals OF my heart.
The next day I went over to be pres.
ent at the funeral service, and still ]
felt that sorrowful happiness. Poor
Frederick was at times raving, Their
stupid with his great grief. The
mourners assembled; the beautiful
dead lay robed in satin in her coffin
already the large parlor was filled
with weeping friends. l took my sta
ton at the head of the corpse. With
unutterable tenderness, yet without 6
tear, gazed upon that heavenly coun
tenance. 1t looked not like sterr
death, but soft and smiling slumber
They were all her young companions
present, village maidens, robed in
white, whose silvery voice joined in 6
simple funeral song. But, oh! how
those voices wavered, trembled, until
tears and sobs choked out their music
and one mournful, heartrending wal
sounded through the room.
At last the hoary-headed man Of
God arose to pray. Never heard I q
petition so mournfully tender, so sim.
pie, SO powerful. How gently he spoke
of her youth and goodness; the circum.
stances under which God was pleased
to call her, just, as it were, standing
on the threshold of her happy life, and
looking toward the rose-colored fut-
ure!
still kept my place at the head OF
the coffin. My eyes, full of tears now,
never once moved from that holy face.
Was it fancy? l thought the dear
features grew dim. Ny sight was
failing, orr bent closer to the corpse;
drew back, wiped my eyes, looked
again. God of mercy! God of compass
sion! What sent wild shock through
my frame!' and struck my brain as with
| q wand Of fire? reeled. fell almost
| upon the coffin. There was a moisture
on the glass-moisture that, when ]
| applied my sleeve, would not come of
moisture upon the inside of the
glass. AS was customary, every face
was bowed toward the earth in prayer.
What must l do? There were fearful
risks to run. My knees trembled and
knocked together; my heart beat
against my side till my body rocked
like q nandulnm The voice of the