The Yale expositor., 1894-09-28
PAID IN FULL.

the Marquis OF Kergouet, Of an old and
proud Breton family. The ceremony
was over and the church doors were
flung open, displaying the high altar
decorated with flowers and lights, and
in the garlanded doorway, appeared
the young pair, while the bells pealed
joyously. All nature seemed to be in
festal attire, for the sweet odor Of
spring filed the air, the wild birds sing
ing merrily, and sunbeams fell like a
halo across the foreheads Of the bride
and groom. She was fair and graceful,
and in her white gown and veil seemed
like an angel strayed from heaven; the
bridegroom, noble and gallant, looked
with love unutterable at the fair girl
who leaned upon his arm.
The country people were dressed in
their Sunday clothes, the men wearing
rosettes in their button-holes, the wom-
en- with lilies-of- f-the-valley in their bod
ices, and all waved Towering hawthorn
branches, and made the air ring with
acclamations
Long live Mademoiselle Yolande!
Long live the bride! God bless our
sweet young LADY, they cried, and
from time to time they added: Long
live the marquis"
The church Of Clairville overlooked
the village, being built on n rocky emf
nence, and was approached by steep
winding path and stairway; rich and
poor, noble and simple, dead and liv-
ing, all must enter the church by way
of Paradise Road" The wedding
party, glittering in gold and silver and
velvet, and followed by the cheering
crowd, walked down this rustic path
way to where the carriages were wait
ing, and the bridegroom, pleased by
the enthusiasm of the people and their
evident affection for his bride, said to
her. tenderly:
You see, my love, how dear you are
to these people. They will never for
get you. / fear they owe me a grudge
for stealing their good angel from
them"
The bride smiled and raised her sweet
eyes TO his face for moment, and then
to her father saying:
ut is such n beautiful day, papa;
may we not walk home?'
Certainly. dear, If you wish IT," he
replied, glad of the opportunity Of
pleasing his child, from whom he must
soon be parted; and, accordingly. the
bridal pair, walked through the village
10 the chateau Of Clairville, which was
situated ut the other end while the
dowgers and other persons followed in
their carriages.
Yolande, leaning on her husbands
arm, stopped repeatedly ut the humble
cottages where the poor men and wonl-
en-. whom age or infirmity rendered un-
able to 90 out, We're waiting in their
doorways to see the bride pass. For
each one she had Il word or a smile,
and many trembling hand and weak,
| thin voice was raised TO bless her
The joyous procession now reached q
turn i'm the narrow road and came TO Il
standstill, being met by funeral
| party. 1t was very poor affair; there
| was no coronct cmblaZoncd on the
white pail which covered the corpse Of
n young maiden. and not a flower was
seen there, not Il single blossom, in
| spite Of the warm Spring-time! Behold
the bier a poorly clad man, the only
mourncr, walked slowly, looking, with
his head bent and his face covered by
| his hands. picture of despairing grief.
At sight Of Clairville wedding party.
| the men carrying the bier stopped and
would have turned out of the road but
the mourner raised his head and gaZed
iiercly at the happy throng, who with
their rich gala clothing and smiling
faces seemed To offer insult to sorrow.
Go on" he said. in n hOarSe voice 10
the porters. as If he would have liked
to crush the fine lords and ladies be-
meath his feet. but the men did not stir.
! Then the count stepped forward, say
| Ing gravely:
Respect the dead. friends. Fall back
and let the bier pass.
He was instantly obeyed. and the
| funeral moved on past the gorgeously-
attired throng. who made way rever
emily, the ladies crossing themselves
and the lords removing their hats.
AS the bier passed the bride, she was
filled with pity at the sight OF the
| young. still form under the white pail,
and, taking i sprig Of orange blossoms
out of her bouquet. she laid IL gently
upon the bier. The stern mourner saw
the act and his expression softened Il
| little: then. covering his face again, he
broke into low Sobs.
"Who Is that man. asked Count
| Clairville.
II don't know, my lord replied the
man addressed HE is n stranger.
| He came 10 the inn few days ago
with is sister. She was almost dead.
as any one could see. He seemed to
love her very much. and when she died
he cursed like hereto and shook his
fist ut heaven. This morning | told
him it was too carly to have the funeral
and that he ought to give the cure time
10 change his stole after the wedding,
but he would not listen to me-"
The bridal party moved on. and soon
the merry peals of the church bells
were changed to- a mournful tOlling as
the bier passed under the gay floral
decoration of the door.
"Who is that young LADY, asked the
mourner of n bystander
"rhe bride!" That is Mademoiselle
Yolande de Clairville." was the reply,
and the stranger murmured softly:
May she always be happy
Then he went into the church.
~.
Twenty years passed and the Reign
Of Terror began. In La Ncndee the
war was at it's height. when the con-
vention sent one OF its members 10