The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-08-09
A BRIDE OF A DAY.

My first marriage, said Jacques Fer
veuse, was of but few hours duration
and did not break my betrothel to her
who afterward became my true wife.
1t was nevertheless a legal wedding,
and without doubt the best action of
my life. have pardoned myself for
many faults on account of the happiness
that l gave to her who was my bride for
day.
At tho time of which I speak / used
sometimes to dictate notes on a philo-
sophical work to an old copyist who
lived in the Rue dc l'Estrapade. He
was one Of the best men in the world,
but had been brought to poverty by an
unusual series of misfortunes which he
had weakness for recounting to all
comers. / used to listen to him willing
ly, for his voice was charming and his
words well chosen. While he spoke
his daughter, timid blond, ould sit
near us copying papers. I found her
alone two or three times and could not
help remarling that she seemed greatly
agitated in my presence. As she was
quite pretty and I saw look of in
finite tenderness in her beautiful eyes
when they met mine, felt some vague
inclination toward her, but / quickly
stified it. Yet often spoke kindly to
her that she might see did not think
her displeasing My gentle words inn
pressed soul SO profound that would
have shrunk back affrighted could I
have guessed its depths.
We had known each other for some
N tUrt,a II \ L., Ill
from the city, and during my absence l
fell in love and became betrothed. The
very morning of my return to Paris
some one knocked at my door, and my
poor old copyist entered. His thin
figure was yet more meager, his face
pale, his temples hollow and his eyes
red with weeping. 'tSir," said he, ~
trust you will excuse my coming thus,
but you have always been so good-my
daughter-she-I fear sho is about to
die. "
''Indeedl' 1 responded, with moro
politeness than emotion.
"She is at the hospital, sir. l have
come to ask you-to say to you"--
Ho interrupted himself, stanlmering,
incoherent, his eyes full of entreaty,
and said abruptly, without further pre-
lude:
MY daughter loves you! Before her
approaching death believed you might
be able''--
And without giving me time to re-
cover from this strange declaration he
commenced q story of love which,
though prolix, was SO strange and pa
tl,..tt ,t ,,,Ix.
We're wet with tears.
''Will you see herp 1t would mako
her so happyl Sho has but few weeks
to live"
Three-quarters of an hour later was
at the young girls bedside. Her face
shone with that ineffable beauty with
which coming death sometimes trans
figures the features Of tho young. At
seeing me her great dark eyes lighted
up with joy that touched me to the
heart.
Almost at once she guessed that her
father had revealed her girlish secret,
and she commenced to tell me the sad,
sweet story Of her love; tho pathetic TO-
nance Of poor little maiden resigned
to death-a tale Of infinite tenderness;
how first she had known she laved me
then her fear that her love was not re-
turned, then her illness and her wish to
die.
For an hour she talked thus, her
blond head lying upon the snow white
pillow, her beautiful eyes gazing into
mine. Finally she asked i'll trembling
voice:
And YOU Did you eyer-ever?"
What should | say? Should l play the
cruel executioner by telling the truth
or mercifnlly console her with lie?
Pity moved Inc:
Il? have loved you long!"
"Is it true?''
ut is true indeed. "
A look of joy such as 1 will never
see again i'll this world-the joy o. the
espairing-oyerspre her face, and in
that moment if l loved her not, there
was something very sweet in my soul
All atom of that boundlass compassion
which is the closest kin to love.
l know not what led her during the
following days to doubt me, but one
afternoon she asked:
But will you ever marry me?"
I sHore to her that | would. She
smiled up st me with alteration. She 4
prayed aloud, thanking God for his
great goodness. One day was somoyed
by the depth of her love for me that
wished to siyo her yet more happiness,
it would cost me so little. Alas! was
she not irremediably condemned?
] am going to publish the banns, "
cried.
Her joy was almost terrible in its in
tensity. Her face shone with II marvel
Gus splendor, and while she drew down
my face to hers, while she laughed and
cried in reciting to me in broken words
the prayer of her love, while she spoke
to me as fervent deyotees to God,
felt that l had given to one human be-
ing the equivalent Of lifetime OF hap
piness.