The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-07-09
A MISSING BRIDE.

One day In April good many years nec
lhc inhabitants of Cedar Grove were bust.
ly preparing for the wedding of Georgia
Blake and Edgar Gcland, which was to
take place that evening at 0 o'clock. Geor.
gia was an attractive girl and Edgar a tall,
awkward b whose good qualities made
up for tho h Of good looks. Both were
great favorite at the Grove and tho people
looked upon thu match as az deal one.
The Grove had not celebrate !" marriage
for nearly 10 months, and the fact of ''at
last" having wedding aroused much en-
thuslosm there and in the vicinity among
all, old and young who looked forward to
tho event of the evening with keen do
light BY o'clock the room was crowd
od, by scarcely standing room for the
guests. Those from the Grove were there
in full force, and tho surrounding bayous
were represented by goodly number. All
were merry and chatting gayly, though q
triie impatient for tho coming of the
bride. But when the little cricket clock
on the mantclpicce struck silence reigncd,
and all eyes were turned and riveted on
the door thorugh which the couple were to
enter, and there they gazed full one hour,
for the clock struck 10 before the latch on
the door made any sound. Then Ii raised
and tho door opencd-only to admit the
tear stained face of Mrs Lawrence, who in
an excited, sob broken voice told the guests
that Georgia could not be found.
She had left homo early in tho afternoon
for tho puprose of gathering water lilies
and other wild flowers and had not yet
come back. Her long stay did not create
any uneasiness until sunset when
straightway II man was sent to hurry her
nd l,o k,I I~x.t..
with him only her hat, which he found on
the edge OF tho water One can hardly
imagine anything that would have given
the people so sudden a shock as this. The
women wept, the men looked out of the
windows and doors, simply at vacuity,
for 1t was black without, then put on
their hats and instituted n search at once,
which was Joined in earnestly by every
man present
The search continued all night, many In
their excitement going over the same
ground, until daylight convinced them
that there, at least, were no more traces
of her than thosa which had already been
found-her hat and few tracks in the
soft sand near by. And thus was spent
the night that was to have been one of rev.
elry.
Bayous We're crossed, and tho searchcrs
Wth, htiti ill'lo uDu cFCry WntTt, TO places
where there was md wasn't the least
probability of tracing her. But all in
vain. Then, one by one, worn out and
sul, loath to give up, yet believing further
steps MS fruitless as the first proved, tho
scarchers-mcn and women-went home,
now surer than ever that Georgia had been
drowned and had gone ON with the tide,
down Cedar bayou, over Spanish lake, out
then to the gulf.
There was one, however, who would not,
could not give up-yct. That was Edgar
Gcland He Went from piace to place,
looking, praying, hoping that he might
yet find some trace OF her. for as yet he
could not believe she was drowned. Weeks
went by, and his long wcarying steps, his
eager, watchful eyes for anything that
would bring him tidings and his listening
car for any sound by which he might be
guided were all in vain. Hope was dead.
In his despair he gave his home-the
one which was TO have been hers also-to
the old couple who had sheltered Georgia
for so many years, and then, having no
mora interest there, the boy, crushed in
heart and spirit, left the Grove determined
never TO return.
Up to that time all had gono we'll at the
Grove, but this sad affair had cast gloom
over the place, the shadow of which was
deep and threatened to be dismally long
But one morning, just as the sun reached
up To the trgn tops over Spanish lake, a
schooner came in sight and cast anchor at
tho mouth of Cedar bayou--which was too
small for so large n craft-and yawl was
seen to glide away from the side of tho
vessel coming straight to the Grove. This
was something that had never happened
before, and the people were curious to
know what 1t meant, so curious, in fact,
that many had gone down to the shore
and stood there shading their eyes and
watching to SEC who were the three in the
yawl. How little they dreamed that the
small figure in the bow-so that she might
be the first one out-was Georgia Blake.
She 1t was, though and few minutes
moro she whom they had mourned as dead
for all these months stood before them
safe and we'll.
In few words she told her story:
On the afternoon of her disappearance,
not being able to find as many flowers as
she wanted, she set out in an old skiff, one
that had long since been useless. She
knew it was risky, but cager for the flow
ers she bailed out the boat and started
off, padding and steering, nll at the same
time, with little board which she found
on the shore. She had done that many a
bub lbt III Stltu u Skill HOW
ever, she reached the spot where the lilies
grew thickest Wild with enthusiasm
over their beauty, she gathered so long as
one was in sight, and then, with sigh of
content and pleasure, sho looked down at
tho heap of beauties at her feet and found
they were floating. And no wonder-thcre
was foot of water in the skitf and IL was
coming In faster and faster
She picked up tho little board which
had served as u paddle and began to bail.
But she could not guide the boat and ball,
too, and while she got a trifle ahead of the
water the boat got ahead of her. 1t Sc
lcctcd, with tho aid of the tide and wind,
its own course and driftcd farther and
farther away from Cedar Grove. She look
ed around, hoping some bontman might
come in sight, but not SO. Her face grew
red from the exertion, two big salt tears
trickled over her lashcs, her arms achcd,
and her heart beat with fright. But she
bailed on-all that sho could possibly do.
Broken NsANUi Icas against the old trcach-
erous boat rocked it and dashed tho water
In ms fast as she tossed it out. Then, to
her dismay, sho saw the skin was going
toward the lake. Once on this body of wa
ter and sho could do nothing with that
craft Tho nearer to the lake the rougher
was tho water, and soon tho waves beat in
at such rats that the skiff filled, careened
over to one side, bobbcd and rocked and
driftcd on.
She had D all hopc of being saved
when in tUr.'.ng around the point at tho
mouth Of tho lake she saw a large growth
of rushes. II sho could run tho boat into
them and the wind did not rise, 1t would
stay there lodged until morning at least
She made the attempt, struggled with all
her strength, but the skiff was too nearly
sunk, too far down in tho water, to lie
mado to glide over this thick bed of high,
tough rushes. But she reached out and
held tightly to the stalks.
This was very good-so long as her
strength lasted 1t held tho skiff much
moro steady and made her feel safer. But
what situation TO be inl Soon after sun
.s.i,s lse,.sa.saa ss,,itss ehilisL NJ