The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-08-19
THE SPECTER WEDDING.
A Curious But Insufficient Coro-
mOny.


Mr.. Martin Dupont was Il Justice of
the peace in the little town of Marl-
burg. He had been elected to office
at the close OF the war of 1919, and had
acted in his present capacity for nearly
nine years. Men of Mr.. Dupont's typc
were very common in those days, and
even now one does not have to search
far to find one of these sclf-conplacent,
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 supcrsti-
tious, SO much SO, indeed, that n glimpse
of the moon over the left shoulder, or n
bowling dog, has power to make them
melancholy, for n 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 It had
always been Mr.. Dupont's desire that
his daughter should marry some rich
man, but Margaret had fallen in love,
very foolishly, according to her fathers
idea, with the principal of the MARI
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
ln-iaw who had not money enough TO
support his daughter in better style
than that i'll which she was then living
lie 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
ished by them both as being dishonor-
able, and rs no other plan seemed
practicable they very wisely resolved
to wait until some kind fate should
como to their aid. This, then, was the
condition of affairs when our story be-
gins.
Mr.. Duponts duties as justice of the
peace did not confine his law practice
to Marlburg, but very frequently he
was called away to attend various law
suits in ncighboring towns and ham
lnfc. 1,nD
particular time he was engaged in a
case of some considerable Importance
in an adjoining town. On account of
the ncarness of the place it was Mr..
Dupont's custom to drive his own horse
back and forth and to spend his nights
at home.
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 Iavanas,
they began to tell each other of various
exciting adventures and wonderful ex-
pericnces. 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 admonishcd Mr.. Dupont
that, if he wished to get home before
the rain began to fall, he must hasten.
Hastily throwing quarter to the
sleepy hostlcr, he sprang into his bug
gy and set out on his homcward way.
The road home was lonely one;
houses were few and far bctM cen, and n
few miles out of Marlburg some lonely
woods lined the road on either sido, and
adjoining the woods was n graveyard.
AS MIR. Dupont drove on into the dark
ness lie began to become nervous, the
weird stories that he had just been
hearing kept flashing through his mind,
q great many wrong deeds of his life
came before him, magnified by the
darkness and solitude, and among other
things he began to wonder if 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