Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1894-07-21
A Bride Of a Day.

MY hrst marriage, said jacques
Ferveuse, Was of but few hours
duration and did not break my be.
trothel to her who afterward became
my true wife. 1t was nevertheless a
legal wedding, and without doubt the
best action of my life. I have par
doned myself for many faults on ac-
count of the happiness that l gave
to her who was my bride for day.
At the time of which | speak
used sometimes to dictate notes on
philosophical work to an old copy
it who lived in the Rue de l'Estra,
padc. 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 corners. I used
to listen to him willingly, for his
voice was charming and his words
well chosen. While he spoke his
daughter, timid blonde, would sit
near US copying papers. I found
her alone two or three times and
could not help remarking that she
seemed greatly agitated in my pres
ence. AS she was quite pretty and
/ saw look of infinite tenderness in
her beautiful eyes when they met
mine, felt some vague inclinstion
toward her, but | quickly stifled it.
Yet | often spoke kindly to her that
she might see l did not think her
displeasing. My gentle words i'm
pressed q soul so profound that
would have shrunk back affrighted
could have guessed its depths.
We had known each other for
some time when I was suddenly call
ed away from the city, and during
my absence 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 tenn
Piles hollow and his eyes red with
weeping. "Sir," said he, 81 trust
you will excuse my coming thus, but
you have always been so good-my
daughter-she-I fear she is about
to die"
"Indeed!' / responded, with more
politeness than emotion.
"She is at the hospital, sir. have
come to ask you-to say to YOU
He interrupted himself, stammer-
ing, incoherent, his eyes full OF en-
treaty, and said abruptly, without
further prelude
"My daughter loves you'll Before
her approaching death / believed you
might be able"-
And without giving me time to
recover from this strange declaration
he commenced story of love which,
though prolix, was SO strange and
pathetic that, when he ended, my
eyes were wet with tears.
"Will you see her 7 1t would make
her so happyl She has but a few
weeks to live.n
Three-quarters of an hour later I
was at the young girls bedside.
Her face shone with that ineffable
beauty with which coming death
sometimes transfgures the features
of the young. At seeing me her
great dark eyes lighted up with a
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
the pathetic romance of poor little
maiden resigned to death-a tale oil
infinite tenderness; how first she had
known she loved me, then her feal
that her love was not returned, then
her illness and her wish to die.
For an hour she talked thus, hel
blonde head lying upon the enov
white pillow, her beautiful eyes gaz
ing into mine. Finally she asked il
trembling voice:
sAnd you did you eyer--cyer?'