The Iola register., 1891-10-30

| Ferrarf had bean by SIDE, and had drunk
in for the poisoned draught and tempta.
tion from the loveiiness Of my wifs's
face and form; when /. poor fool, would
as soon have thought that God could lie
ss that either Of those whom adored
could play me false, drew the wedding
ring from my pocket and looked at it
1t was sparklingly bright and appeared
new. Yet It was old-it was the very
same ring had drawn OF my wife's
finger the day before; 1t had only been
FURNISHED sfPesh by a skilled jeweller
and showed no more marks Of wear than
If 1t had been bought that morning.
The great bell OF the cathedral doomed
out eleven, and as the last stroke swung
from the tower, the chapel doors were
| flung more widely open-then came
the gentle rustic Of trailing robes, and
turning, behsld my wife. She aP-
preached, leaning lightly on the arm of
the old Chevalier Mancini, who, true to
his creeds Of gallsntry, had accepted
the post of paternal protector to the
bride on this occasion; and l could not
we'll wonder at the universal admiration
that broke In suppressed murmurs from
all assembled, as this most fair master
piece Of the DEVILS crestion paced slowly
and Srscefully up the isle She wore
dress Of efnsing white vel
vet made with the greatest sim
piicity, SIace veil, priceless in value aud
fne as gossamer, draped her from head
to foet-the jewels I had given her
flashed ABOUT her like little seintillsting
peints Of tiGht, In her hair, at her waist.
on her breast and uncovered arfls.
Being, ss she deemed herself, q Wild
ON, she had no bridesmaids; her train
was bald up BY q hscd:ohs boy clad in
the psrpls and gold es...nias Of the ak
tesnth efhtuFy pags-be was the
youngest Son Of the Duke di Marina.
Two tiny girls Of FIVE and six years of
age went before her, strewing white
roses and lilies, and stepping dainty
backward ss though In attendance on
queen; they looked like two fairies who
had slipped out Of q midnight dream, in
their little loose gowns Of gold-celored
plush, with wreaths of meadow daffodils
on their tumbled curly hair. They had
been well-trained by Nina herself,
for on arrival az the altar
they stood demurely, one on each side Of
her, the pretty page occupying his place
behind, and still holding up the end Of
the velvet train with charming air Of
hauteur and self-complacency.
The whole cortege was . picture in its
way, as Nina had meant It to be: she
was fond Of artistic effects. She smiled
lsnguishingiy upon me as she reached
the altar, and sank on her knees beside
me in prayer. The music swelled forth
with redoubled grandeur, the priests and
scolytes appeared, the marriage service
~t,x,
on the book glanced furtively at the
bride her fair head was bent demurely,
she seemed absorbed in holy medita-
tions. The priest having performed the
ceremony OF sprinkling 1t with holy
water, I took IL back. and set 1t for the
second time on my wife's soft white little
hand-set 1t in accordance with the
Catholic ritual, first on the thumb, then
on the second finger, then on the chird,
and lastly on the fourth, where left it
in its old place, wondering as 1 did so,
and murmured. "In Nomine PATHS ct
Fill ct Spiritus Sancti, Amenl' whether
she recognized It as the one she had
worn so longl But IL was evident she
did not;-her calm was unbroken by
even 50 much as q start or tremor; she
had the self-possession of perfectly
satisfied, beautiful, vain, and utterly
heartless woman.
The actual ceremony Of marriage was
soon over; then followed the Mass, in
which we, the newly-wedded pair, were
compelled In submission to the rule Of
the Church, to receive the Sacrament.
shuddered as the venerable priest gave
me the Sacred Host What had to do
with the inward purity and peace this
memento Of Christ is supposed to leave
in our souls2 Methought the Crucified
Image In the chapel regarded me afresh
with those panied eyes, and said, Even
so dost thou seal thine own damna-
ton" Yet she, the true murderess, the
arch liar, received the Sacrament with
the face Of rspt angel-the very priest
himself seemed touched by those up
raised, candid, glorious eyes, the sweet
lips SO reverently parted. the absolute,
reliable peace that rested on that white
brow, like an aureole round the head Of
q sainti
"If ] am damned then is she thrice
dsmnedr" said to myself recklessly.
81 dare say hell Is wide enough for US
to live apart when we get there"
Thus I consoled my conscience, and
turned resolutely away from the painted
appealing faces on the wall-the faces
that in their various expressions OF sor-
row, resignation, pain and death seemed
now to be ell pervaded by another look,
that Of astonishment-astonis so
/ fancied. that such man as
/, and such woman as she,
could be found in the width OF
the wide world, and should
be permitted to kneel at Gods altar
without being struck dead for their
blaspheny!
All, good Saints. we'll may you be as
tonished Had you lived in our day you
must have endured worse martyrdoms
than the boiling oil or the wrenching
rack What you suffered was the mere
physical pain Of torn muscles and scorch-
ing flesh, pain that at its worst could
not last long; but your souls were
clothed with majesty and power, and
were glorious In the light Of love, faith,
hope, and charity with all men. We
have reversed the position you occupied.
We have partly learned, and are still
learning, how to take care OF our dearly
beloved bodies how TO nourish and
ciothe them and guard them from cold
and disease, but our souls, good Saints,
the souls that with you were everything
these we Ismirch, burn and rack, tor
ture and destroy-these we stamp upon
till we crush out Gods image therefrom
these we spit and jeer at, cruelty and
drown! There is the difference
between you, the strong and wise OF
fruitful olden time, and we, the misera-
BE, puny weaklings of sterile modern
age.
Had Won sweat St norothy. or fair
child-ssint Agnes, lived in this day, you
would have felt something sharper than
the executioner's sword; for being pure.