The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1892-08-18
THE sPECTER WEDDING
A Curious But ALI Sufficient Cere-
mOny.

mony.
Mr.. Martin Dupont was q justice of
the peace in the little town of MARI
burg. He had been elected to office
at the close of the war of 1912, and had
acted in his present capacity for nearly
nine years. Men of Mr.. Dupcnt's type
were very common in those days, and
even now one does not have to search
far to find one of theseSelf-complacent,
pompous gentlemen, who delight in
winning admiration from their asso-
ciates, who always have at their
tongues end great many stories in
which they play the leading part, but
who are, nevertheless, very supersti-
tious, SO MUCH SO, indeed, that n glimpse
of the moon over the left shoulder, or
bowling dog, has power to make them
melancholy for a week.
Having failed to secure for himself
as large share Of this worlds goods
as he had wished, Mr.. Dupont was fully
resolved that his two children, Henry
and Margaret, should not be lacking in
wealth. As for his son, he very wisely
concluded that good education, added
to his natural abilities, would secure
for him place in the world; and al
ready Henry was showing the wisdom
of the plan, and by his rapid advance
ment in business was more than full
filling his fathers expectations. 1t had
always been Mr.. Dupont's desire that
his daughter should marry some rich
L.,f fun
very foolishly, according to her fathers
idea, with the principal Of the Marl-
burg high school.
Charles Foster had several times
pleaded his suit in vain before Mr..
Dupont. There was no fault in the
young man, Mr.. d. rather grudgingly
admitted, except that all he had to de-
pend upon was his salary, but still no
man should presume to become his SON
in-law who had. not money enough to
support his daughter in better style
than that in which she was then living.
He liked the school-teacher very we'll
as friend, but as son-in-law-that
was quite another matter.
Nevertheless Charles and Margaret
did not despair of their cause, although
Mr.. Dupont was seemingly immovable.
The thought of an elopement was ban
ishcd by them both as being dishonor-
able, and as no other plan seemed
practicable they very wisely resolved
to wait until some kind fate should
come to their aid. This, then, was the
condition of affairs when our story be-
gins.
Mr.. Dupont's duties as justice of the
peace did not confine his law practice
to Marlburg, but very frequently he
was called away to attend yariouf Jaw
suits in neighboring towns and ham
let's; and it so happened that at this
particular time he was engaged in a
case of some considerable importance
in an adjoining town. On account of
the nearness of the place it was Mr..
Dupont's custom to drive his own horse
back and forth and to spend his nights
at home.
10 One night, on account of an unusual
press of business, he was obliged to re-
main beyond his ordinary time of leav-
ing, and after the work was completed
he yielded to the urgent invitation of
his client to chat for few moments. AS
they pulled away at the choice Havanas,
they began to tell each other of various
exciting adventures and wonderful ex-
periences Time slipped away SO rapid
ly that it was after ten o'clock before
Mr., Dupont suddenly remembered that
a seven-mile drive lay between him and
his home. Hastily bidding his friend
good-by, he started for the hotel stable
to get his horse.
The weather had changed while the
two gentlemen had been chatting, and
now the ominous stiffness and the
cloudy sky admonished Mr.. Dupont
that, if he wished TO get home before
the rain began to fall, he must hasten.
Hastily throwing a quarter to the
sleepy hostler, he sprang into his bug
Ky and set out on his homeward way.
The road home was lonely one;
houses were few and far betw cen, and q
woods lined the road on either side, and
adjoining the woods was graveyard.
AS Mr.. Dupont drove on into the dark
ness he began to become nervous, the
weird stories that he had just been
hearing kept flashing through his mind,
a great many wrong deeds of his life
came before him, magnified by the
darkness and solitude, and among other
things he began to wonder II he was
doing just right in refusing his consent
to his daughters marriage. In this
frame of mind he approached the
woods; involuntarily he tried to quick
en- his horses pace, but the dark
ness and the low murmurings of
thurder seemed to have affected the
horse, too, and the sagacious brute
tried constantly to- slackens his pace.
How lonely ii seemed there. no houses,
no living being--notbing but the dead
in the graveyard beyond Suddenly
the horse stopped and sported. Mr..
Dupont saw two white figures suddenly
dart into the road; one stood beside his
no Sc, and the other beckoned him to
descend from his wagon. His hair
rose, and his tongue seemed gluedt TO
his mouth. The silence was terrible.
II those white beings would only speak;