The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1892-01-20
FOR A FLOWER.

Count ClalfVllle nad Just given In
marriage his only daughter Yolande to
the Marquis of Kergouet of an old and
proud Breton family.
The ceremony was over and the church
doors were flung open, displaying the
high altar decorated with flowers and
lights, and in the garlanded doorway ap.
peared the young pair, while the bells
pealed joyously. All nature seemed to
be in festal attire, for the sweet odors of
spring filled the air, the wild birds were
singing merrily and sunbeams fell like a
halo across the foreheads of the bride
and groom. She was fair and graceful
and in her white gown and veil seemed
like an angel strayed from heaven; the
bridegroom, noble and gallant, looked
with love unutterable at the fair girl who
leaned upon his arm.
The country people were dressed in
their Sunday clothes, the men wearing
rosettes in their buttonholes, the women
with lilies of the valley in their bodices,
and all waved towering hawthorn
branches and made the air ring with ac-
clamations.
'Long live Mademoiselle Yolande |
Long live the bride! God bless our sweet
young ladyi" they cried, and from time
to time they added, "Long live the mar
quisl"
The church of Clairville overlooked
the village, being built on a rocky emil
nence, and was approached by a steep
winding path and stairway; rich and
poor, noble and simple, dead and liv-
ing, all must enter the church by way of
Paradise road" The wedding party,
glittering in gold and silk and velvet,
and followed by the cheering crowd,
walked down this rustic pathway to
where the carriages were waiting, and
the bridegroom, pleased by the enthusi-
asm of the people and their evident af-
fection for his bride, said to her tender
ly;
"You see, my love, how dear you are
to these people. They will never forget
you. fear they owe me grudge for
stealing their good angel from them"
The bride smiled and raised her sweet
eyes to his face for moment, and then
she turned to her father, saying:
"It is such beautiful day, papa, may
We not walk home2"
"Certainly, dear, if you wish it," he
replied, glad of AN opportunity of pleas
ing his child, from whom he must soon
part, and accordingly the bridal pair
and all the young persons of the party
walked through the village to the chateau
of Clairville, which was situated at the
other end, while the dowagers and other
persons followed in their carriages.
Yolande, leaning on her husbands
arm, stopped repeatedly at the humble
cottages where the poor old men and
women whom age or intrmity rendered
unable to go out, were waiting in their
doorways to see the bride pass. For
each one she had word and a smile,
and many trembling hand and weak,
thin voice was raised to bless her.
The joyous procession now reached
turn in the narrow road and came to a
staudstill, being met by afuneral party.
It was very poor affair; there was no
coronet emblazoned on the white pail
which covered the corpse of a young
maiden, and not flower was seen there,
not single blossom, in spite of the
warm springtime. Behind the bier
poorly clad man, the only mourner,
walked slowly, looking, with his head
bent and his face covered by his hands,
picture of despairing grief. At sight
of the Clairville wedding party, the men
carrying the bier stopped and would
have turned out of the road, but the
mourner raised his head and gazed
fiercelY at the happy throng, who with
their rich gala clothing and smiling faces
seemed to offer insult to his sorrow.
"Go onl !" he said, in hoarse voice
to the porters, as if he would have liked
to crush the fine lord and ladies beneath
his feet, but the men did not stir. Then
the count stepped forward, saying
gravely:
'Respect the dead, friends Fall back
and let the bier pass"
He was instantly obeyed, and the
funeral moved on past the gorgeously
attired throng, who made way reverently.
AS the bier passed the bride, she was
filed with pity at sight of the young
still form under the white pail, and
taking sprig of orange blossoms out of
her bouquet, she laid it gently upon the