Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-05-03

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sls..--i day than
.a-mft that While h
H-=fl1 dawned on the
s-1uReWy 81 % September.
L1TikR1 is,a The sun
HIl<1' shone with the
lKH brilliant light of
W. June. and the
~ leaves u the
trees looked az
green as though they wero Just bud
ding. The birds seemed % know that u
WAS gala day. and sang their merriest
songs. Nowhere did they sing more
merrily than among the branches of the
black heart cherry tree that stood guard
over the yillag. rcctory. They must
have known that this was the wedding
day of their Kind friend. the rector's
daughter. who fcd them every morning
with crumbs % brad.
Inside the rectory all was pleasurable
excitement Tho wedding was "a taks
place at 10 O'Clock. and the groom was
10 meet the bride at the altar. The
bridesmaids spent the night at the house.
that they might be with the bride n long
as possible b.fore their inal SEPARATION.
by half past they wer, all dressed and
ready % enter church. Amy never
lookcl swceter and prc,tier than In her
pure white drss and orange blossoms
Tho bishop II the diccess and Dr.. Bay
li-s were In the ,cstry nom. putting on
their robs-. The hands of the clock In
the tower were fast moving around to-
ward, the hour. and the picturesque lii.
tls church was hlle'i with eager friends
Tom Rayliss saw Rush llurlstOne hurry
Ing around 10 the yestry room. which
tho clergymen were Just quitting. and.
belieying that John was with him, hs
gave the signal for the bridal party To
move up the aislc. Tho Organist played
a lively waltz as the procession advanced.
a buzz u admiration pas.ei over the as-
semblcd guests and tho bride stood TO
fore the altar.
At this moment Rush iluTlstone, Wild
% eye and white of cheek. appeared In.
side the chano,l railing. lie Whispered
a few words 20 Dr. Iayliss. and the old
rcctor's checks turned as white n hiA
withou, word be stepped outside the
chancsL
Come homo with the. my daughter.
ho aid. putting his arm around Amy and
leading her down the aisle. while the 9th.
ers came after. followed by murmeI VI
surprise from tho wedding guestA
Tho frightened bride could no, hnd
voice to speak. She knew something ter.
rible had happened. but never for mo-
ment dreamed u the truth Her father
lei her hack To the r-ctory. and. taking
her into hi. study, aid. with broken
voice:
NY child. ask God. help to bear a
terrible blow. John Hurlstone IL dead. :
And the tears ran down his wrnkled
checks and fell upon his gown
Amy SEEMED turned "a stone Her
large blue eyes gazsd In specchlcs. won
der into her fathers face. lie took her
cold hand In his
1T IL true, my dear child-awfully
true Would 10 God your mother had
been spared To comfort you In this great
triall'
Still shs dill not speak. Her lips
seemed 10 move. but there was no sound.
Dr. Hay lis led her 10 q chair. She AT
down and stared at vacancy. lie would
have given all he owned II he could have
sen tears In her eyes; bat they were
dry as stones, and encircled by black
lines tha. seemed to grow larger and
darker a. the moments went by. John
Hurlston.'s two sister. I'm the draw ing
fDJm nal To lie tod of what hal iialF
pened. but he was afraid 10 leave Amy
alone. - he rang the tell and sent for
them Ia come to him. They came. their
young faces as white a. the dresses they
wore. and the old man broke the news
10 them. Their grief was terrible to see.
Rush had told the news to the bisnop,
and he In turn had broken IL 30 the we'd
ding guests. who left the church with
-orrowing hearts, for John Huflstone
vas q great favorite In farmsted. All
day long they stood around the streets
In little groups. discussing the strange
news. and wondering what on earth
could have induced that handsome, gay
young man 10 take his own life. At the
homestead the shutters were bowed. and
lhe bercayed mother lay pro~trate on her
tsd. surrounded by her children. AZ
the rcctory they succeeded In getting
Amy to her rom. hut she would not
take of her wedding dress For hours
she sat In awful silence. or paced the
aaor with monotonous tread. her white
veil aoati.s about her and the orange
blossoms filling the air with perfume.
Rush took the iirst train 10 New York,
to make arrangements for bringing his
brothers body home. II was AL jour.
ney. lie thought % the last evening
spent with John. AMI % his Wild words,
which his death explained but what
did II all mean' What reason had John
IIurlstone. Of all men. to take his own
life, Arrived at his brothers rooms, the
boiy was given over 90 him by the au'
thorities. Then began those heart break
ing but necessary details that have TO be
attended TO after loved ones death. and
then the dead man was ready To 10 re-
moved. Antonio was left In charge Of
the rooms. and Rush went away with
the body.
lie had not been gone long when Le-
oni. accompanied by her mother, came
10 the place. Her grief at finding her
husbands body gone was terrible. In
moving about ths room she came upon
the sheet Of paper containing tho few
words John had written TO her. As her
eyes scanned the tear stained page she
threw berself In her mothers arms and
wept for the arst time since Johns
death. Piteous as was her grief her
mother rejoioed In IL. for the stony a.
Ience OF the hours before had filed her
with alarm.
II was sad homo coming 10 Farm
sted. A few intimate friends met Rush
at the railway station and accompanied
hin, with his brothers body 10 the house.
There it lay In q coffin In the little old
fashioned parlor where many Of Johns
ancestors had lain before. but none after
such death.
Amy Bayliss seemed TO have got con.
troll OF her grief. for when she heard
that the body Of her betrothed was lying
ai his home. she took on her wedding
dress. and. arraying herself In a suit OF
black that abe had worn after her moth.