Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-01-13

II ~ NNh'N"s A'aN aNAA
and the girls with tho mos, mothcrly
etnprcs-ement
II have heard II You from Bcttie. IA,
aid poinieily to me, and then glanc.,l
at that wicked young person.
Onvc morr the dark eyes flashed int,
mine Tor a second. and they - magne
tined mo that could scarce resist knock
Ing the bead that contained them Against
that - the rcctor's wife. by hug,
effort. however. mastered the impnlsc
aud left that lady fire. to say
"Do take y cup u coffee, my dears. II
is b., and rrady. You will wait break
fact till after the CEREMONY. but you
rally need Something hot after your
long ride.
Betiie lookcl at Tom Tom. who by
this tune was very white AMI immensely
-ilsinn. only shook his hcal shortly
Then hc drvw the arm Of that blonde
waicrpoui-hcr eyes wcrc running lik'
millrAce Rgain-l.nderly within hi,
own. a. for mc. stood knee dep IN
the snow whcrr ] had alighied. Ny
heal sccmed whirling round. AMI ih.
people near IN. lookcl dim aud misty
Tom iurn~l shortly % me.
You take Bet" be- aid In \ hoars
whisT-r.
Before could recover from the strange
nc.s % the arrangement anil obey. that
wonderful young pcr-on hal slipT-Sl bsF
arm quietly into mine and said. with a
trrmor in her vuic.s
Thanks, dear Mrs Lindsay. bat W.
prefer the marriage hnt, and then we'll
all fccl morc comfortable 90 enjoy your
nice thing,."
Fc,l more comfortablel Could che
fecl mofe comfortable didn't wond.r
.ay lougrr that Toui bad yielded when
she planned the whole affair. such
cuClnc,s wUald oycrcUme any Inan. Dut
I coulln't bat admire her pluck. thou gh'
The rector tucked bis wife unler his
srm and Ill the way over the crisp path
Ne followed into the sils door u the
church. where two candle. blinkei upon
the reading dcsk ami threw the r-,t %
the bulllins into s;lll more dismal dark.
lies.
Just bcfor- We reached the door. Miss
Blythe prs.,,l my arm half nervOusiy,
Ini looked into my facs with more %
Hesitation than shs hal yet shown az
anything
~ ought % explain" che aid softly.
Tom told me how you
looked at that girl. Thers was NO
ne,-l fur sIccch-that look was cnoughl
With a sort of half sob her iao. dropped
IN hcr hands In what ! could Only fecl
was becoming shame.
In the ai.is Tom stopTsd. tuncd a
shasily face 10 the. while his white hTs
moved In a soundle-s effort At speech.
IL. extended s0mcthing In a hand that
shook plainly Mis. blythe bell oui
bcu-it was steady A. that u a practiocd
luclls,--took tho something and prcsssd
4 into my hngvrs.
The rng." she Whispered.
Itook II pas.ively by this time I wa.
completely conquered. a young P'r>on
who conld plan an eloprment, arrange
every detail herself. chose her avowed
lover for sols wi,nc--, and finally wake
tho grnum al midnight, hal power -
siArtlc mc no further
A We approached the chancel let 70
tho brides arm mechanically and rangci
up at Toms right side forbearance
was having mo fast. Ny boastei
sircngth hal all guno long ago. ! Wa
wandering In my mind and weak In my
kn-es I was dead beat. But Tor pure
shame I should have rush"l frOm the
church and wailowel abjcctly In the
snow without. When We all dropped On
our knees could not stangle down the
sob that burst from my heart, and the
bitterness % my spint found vent In
anything bat the utieranoe ~ the prayer
the time and place called for. How long
We knolt have no idea. II might have
ben seconds. u might have bcon hour
somehow found myself again standing
up. clutching the chancsl rail for sup
port. while the tall form q the rector
secme.l miles away. anil his words came
dullsd 10 my ears through q boom In
them like that of angry surf.
could think. hear, feel nothing. j
hai bat one consciousness, that ! was
wrrtche,l-wrctchcdi
Toms ,rrmuloas responses feu mean
irgle~s upon my ear, AMI yet, through
all my aguny. listened with strained
intensity Tor the words In which she was
10 speak herself his.
ThOss word. never came-only soft,
murlnur. a. ~ the spring brcezn. Even
In that suprrme moment u agony felt
q tender. yearnins pride that all the
woman In her was not dead-thst u had
at last becn touched. even In the depths.
by the solemnity Of the sacrifice at which
she held part.
The doctor. hands were laid upon the
welded pair
II was donel
staggered alone into the glazing sun
light on the church yard snow.
A. we dashed down the main street Of
Piketon a, iOa m. that day, our sleigh
bells screamed with rollieking jolity
that brought many face 20 door and
window.
Mrs.. Lindsay. wedding breakfast had