The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1893-08-24
THE LOST Bride.
BY MATT LAMAR.

There was great crowd in the hall.
r,s,ybody was talking in a high key,
I .'d he orchestra in the back parlor was
hidy convulsing itself in the throes OF a
ptpOuni. a., h,
ss y was a symphony in lavender. She
y, not conventional girl, perhaps, but
| h me matter of wedding garments she
hlftlt bound to follow precedent, and
Se looked so irrcsistibly charming that
mNdy who saw her could. believe for the
r0me0t that going away" gown
IbuId be anything but lavender.
Thg made way for her on the stairs,
nj for the groom, with tan-colored
croat on his arm, behind her The
women began kissing the. bride, who sub
ttd with flushed cheeks and dancing
a One or two eldel.ly men near the
S,ame in for kiss, 100. The groom
uAaking hands with everybody, the
rr men all yelling "Good-by, old
. isT' as if the groom were so instead
dA,
Matime it was almost impossible to
nthe front door open in the crush; and
Yaat last they got the couple out on
tatep twenty handluis OF rice hailed
Em the retreating fl CURES. A fresh
dorus Of giggling and shouts of Good
+ y, and the coach door slammed and the
Rltterson wedding had begun to be a
Satter Of history.
They reached the station at 10:45.
hffteen minutes they were rolling away
hadawing- car, The bride could
tfllfeel the sting of tlae rice on her neck
avery pretty neck, cncircled by a mar
ny ribbon OF lavender velvet. When
he groom took off Ais silk hat several
White grains fell toy the floor, and the
groom coyertly scan ned the cars to see
whether the tell-tale sign had been de-
.scted.
Charming innocence! As if rice grains
were required to advertise the obviously
lTtmarried cond ition of this radiant
pirl
Most Of the carllad been made up as a
Aeper and only three human beings
1N were visible N 'hnmade-up sections.
llese charitably feigned to regard the
new passengers as in no wise exception
y aud dld not APP ,car to be taking very
much notice of them.
when the train conductor and after
IA the Pullmap conductor had been
a'una to collect, the tickets, and the
|, groom had for tn c first time performed
wal interesting ihnction of introducing
" 'Ae world, as it were, himself and
wy, Tue pair tlded to settle back in the
y ssa seat and appear indifferent. But
y. ~ ufiae had 500 things she wished to
!! anu 50 they got to talking in a low
~as, W.. until pre- iently the white jacketed
F,ser I. came along.
'Ae sight Of this functionary startled
w groom In aal ineXplicable way.
llaSe up the section, sir?" said the
| tatr' aa with what might be called an in
u.- N'A"'
N-no,' said the groom, trying not
appear startled, 'we are only going
lar asPittsDon. ="
lae porter looked for a moment as if
usapproved of Pittston or of some
Ds ~ eiSe and went back into his den.
toi hali All hour their low talk kept
nt sOrt OF harmony with the solemn
ID ,%qv w. oil whee.s. Her gloved hand
,s s.. iallen into the nearest of his. The
,''suie ne gave it contained the essence
alii!ghty embrace. There was nobody
'ther. ~ '"''i' 'o'y oio'o w.
,s.DS suddenly the groom sat upright and
Iat ssu at the inside pocket OF his sack
ufsat tam Scott" he gasped; 81 forgot
IteSal pn - the baggageman about that
.,O oharlie!" She said no more, but
,no was world of distress in the
. y shall telegraph for it in the morn
:, ne said.
ou l,' to0 0harlie," she protested, "don't
ithont h ,ho mat we can't go anywhere
SI;eep gloom began to settle about
On. 1I me me train slowed up at a sta
an to ,a,Il Will get off and get the station
bv " ~ selegraph back and we can have
S. 4 me ne midnight train.n
''u not object in words, but she