Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-07-07
SHOT AT THE ALTAR.

i
! could not touch it until his daughter,
Millicent, was married to Horace La
sale. Millicent, whose mother had
passed away when she was young, was
a timid, shrinking sort of a girl, with
| none of the brilliant resources of her
haf-sister, Helen Gordon, who soon at
tracted the interest of Mr.. Lasalle.
Probably Horace at first was merely
drawn by admira ton of the lively wit
and piquant manners of the southern
belle, who generally aimed to engross
at least a temporary worship of all
| the eligible gentlemen in her vicinity.
| Of these, at present, Horace stood de-
cidedly in the foremost rank, besides
being regarded as the property of
another, which with Helen was merely
an additional inducement to attempt
his capture. She secretly hated her
country sister for having so early
secured the richest purse in the neigh
borhood; and she resolved to spare no
pains in order at once to cure Mill
cents betrothed of his infatuation, and
add another, and the most important
to he1 list Of conquests.
She succeeded so far as to torture
her innocent rival, and give rise to a
number of gossiping reports; but she
saw clearly that the inner citadel of
Horace's heart was still his own, and
that she was as far as ever from the
attainment of her ultimate design.
Her mother, in whom she entirely
confded, entered into her plans, and
stood ready to promote them to the
utmost of her power, and the two to-
gether now concocted series Of STRAIT
agemS which proved only too success
full.
They began by skillfully insinua ting
into the mind Of her betrothed doubts
respecting Millicent's fdelity-repre'
senting that she seemed to be in CORES
pondence with some unknown admirer,
and was in the habit of absenting
herself sometimes in suspicious man.
ner. They directed his attention, more
| over, to her paleness and silence, her
fits of mental abstractio varied by
words Of nervous agitation, as signs
to which he ought not to remain in
different.
Finally, one day, he received from
an anonymous source a package of let
tiers in Millicents familiar hand writ
ing, which seemed to furnish proof
positive Of her want of faith. They
were notes, evidently Intercepted, con-
tanning the warmest expressions of
fondness for the person addressed (who
| was, apparently of inferior station,
I'M p0 cd
ment by which she was at present
bound, and from which she saw no
means of escape.
All this tailed but too closely with
many indications which Horace had
been taught to discern in Millicent's
changed demeanor toward him.
He had already begun to doubt If
she really loved him; if she were not
in eality the. victim, like her mother,
to a scheme Of family policy, in franz
ing which the question of her inclina,
tions had never been considered.
Had he not been seriously warned
against contracting a union which
might infuse into his children's blood
| the faint of insanity?
| 1t must be so! He would release
her at once, and take measures that
she should not, by accepting that re
lease, suffer any loss of fortune.
| AS for himself-and here arose be
fore his mind the image of Helen Cor
don, glowing with health, queenly in
beauty, supreme in intellect and &C
complishments. He acted at once.
| The Episcopal church at Was
crowded by brilliant and fashionable
congregation. They were awaiting the
arrival of wedding party.
1t was the month which was to have
witnessed Mnlicent's own marriage
but in this days proceedings she was
20 bear no part. Stricken many weeks
ago with sudden sickness, she was
said to be now lying helpless in the
apartments occupied by her mother al
the time of her death.
1t was whispered that the hereditary
curse Of her family had fallen on bel
in an aggravated form, and that it was
necessary to keep her under severe re
straint.
! But, excepting those in immediate
charge of the hapless girl, none knew
accurately the character or degree OF
her malady.
The organ pealed forth a joyous
strain as the procession entered the
porch, and advanced through the
hushed and admiring throng up thu
broad aisle to the chancel At it's head
the objects on which all eyes were
fixed were Horace Lasa1le and Heller
Gordon
The latter stepped proundly to he
station, flushed, it seemed, as mucf
with triumph as with maiden modesty
and hardly bending her stately heat
beneath the gaze of the crowd.
The bridegroom, it was remarked
looked less elated. His expression wa
strangely careworn, and his look down
cast, as though for the moment hi.
thoughts were elsewhere.
Aroused by the opening words O.
the officiating clergyman, he took tn
brides hand in his and the ceremon.
proceeded.
He was in the act Of placing tn
ring on her finger when a slight dis
turbance arose in the side aisle, near {
pillar on a line with the bridal group
The groom cast a careless glance II
the direction Of the stir, when sudden
ly his countenance changed, and, wit
a cry of alarm, he sprang forward. I
was too late! A sharp report ram
through the edifce, and Helen Gordon
, fell p1ostrate on the steps Of the chan
cel-shot through the heart!
L IL