The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-12-25

rested for single second upon my own.
l was absolutely struck dumb-motion-
less-with one leg over the scraper and
one to the knee in snow drift. The
GOODNESS OF that young woman paralyzed
me. The old gentleman laughed.
You are a woman Of business, Bet"
he said.
Woman Of business! Did ever bride
before run away with lieutenant Of
Boomerangs and then boast her prowess
to the parsons Woman Of brass. he
meant. But he sly added:
1.-The paper Is little irregular after
all, but TIL make it do. There's nothing
wouldn't do for the daughter Of my
dear old friend"
Ph9bus and Cupid! He'd even help
her to an elopement with a penniless
boy! Some brilliant reflections upon
the corruption Of the church popped into
my mind. but before could frame them
into portable shape they were cut off by
the clear, sharp voice Of that inscrutable
bride elect:
And this, Of course, is Miss Bolton,
and this our first and only groomsman. /"
So was / introduced to the Rev. DR..
Lindsay.
1 shook hands very misti,y and uttered
something unintelligible. Then before
the awkward boy from the rectory
stables had persuaded himself to take
the horses heads in charge the doctors
wife appeared on the steps in the neatest
Of morning toilets. She kissed Tom
and the girls with the most motherly
empressement.
81 have heard Of you from Bette" she
said pointedly to me, and then glanced
at that wicked young person.
Once more the dark eyes flashed into
mine for second, and they so magne-
tized me that could scarce resist knock
ing the head that contained them against
that of the rector's wife. By huge
effort, however, mastered the impulse.
and left that lady free to say:
do take cup of coffee. my dears. II
is hot and ready. You will wait break
fast till after the ceremony, but You
really need something hot after you
long ride"
Bette looked at Tom. Tom, who l.,
this time was very white and inmenr
solemn, only shook his head shor
Then he drew the arm of that blcnu
waterspout-here eyes We're running J!
millrace again-tenderly within ~
own. As for me, stood knee deep
the snow where l had alighted. Vi
head seemed whirling round, and
people near me looked dim and MI.
Tom turned shortly to me-
You take Bet" he said in boar.
whisper
Before could recover from the stra',.-
ness OF the arrangement and obey, Il
wonderful young person had slipped j,
arm quietly into mine and said, wi.
tremor in her voice:
Thanks, dear Mrs. Lindsay, but "
prefer the marriage first, and then "
all feel more comfortable to enjoy w
nice things"
Feel more comfortable! Could 81,
feel more comfortable? didn't wont.
any longer that Tom had yielded wae.
''she planned the whole affair" Sue
GOODNESS would overcome any man. BIZ:
| couldn't but admire her pluck, though
The rector tucked his wife under his
arm and led the way over the crisp path.
We followed into the side door of the
church, where two candles blinked upon
the reading desk and threw the rest OF
the building into still more dismal dark.
ness
Just before we reached the door, Miss
Blythe pressed my arm half nervously,
and looked into my face with more OF
hesitation than she had yet shown at
anything.
81 ought to explain" she said softly.
''Tom told me how you
l looked at that girl. There was no
need for speech-that look was enough!
With sort of half sob her face dropped
in her hands in what I could only feel
was becoming shame.
In the aisle Tom stopped. turned a
CHASTITY face to me, while his white lips
moved in soundless effort at speech
He extended something in a hand that
shook plainly. Miss Blythe held out
hers-it was steady as that of practiced
duelist-took the something and pressed
it into my fingers.
Ihe r1ng, she Whispered.
I took it paslvely. By this time was
completely conquered. A young person
who could plan an elopement, arrange
every detail herself. choose her avowed
lover for sole witness, and finally wake
the groom at midnight, had power to
startle me no further.
AS we approached the chancel / let go
the brides arm mechanically and ranged
up at Toms right side. Forbearance
was leaving me fast. Ny boosted
strength had all gone long ago; was
wandering in my mind and weak in my
knees. was dead beat. But for pure
shame should have rushed from the
church and wa1lowed abjectly In the
snow without. When we all dropped on
our knees / could not strangle down the
sob that burst from my heart, and the
bitterness of my spirit found vent in
anything but the utterance OF the prayer
the time and place called for. How long
We knelt have no idea. It might have
been seconds, it might have been hours.
Somehow found myself again standing
up. clutching the chancel rail for sup
port. while the tall form OF the rector
seemed miles away, and his words came
duliod to my ears through a boom in
thea like that Of angry surf
could think, hear, feel nothing.
had but one consciousness. that -
wretched-wretched.
Toms tremulous responses fen I
ingless upon my ear, and yet, thr
all my agony. listened with ST.
intensity 70. the words inrShil
to SPEAK herself his.
murmur, as OF the
in that supreme