Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1894-07-10
A BRIDE OF A DAY.

Ny first marriage, said Jacques Fer
veuse, was of but a few hours duration
and did not break my beHothel to her
who afterward became my true wife.
1t. was nevertheless a legal wedding,
and without doubt the best action of
my life. 1 have pardoned myself for
many faults on account of the happiness
that gave to her who was my bride for
q day.
At the time of which speak used
sometimes to dictate notes ON philo-
sophical work to an old copyist who
lived in the Rue de 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, a tirnid blond, ), ould sit
near us copying papers. found her
alone two or three times and could not
help remarking that she seemed greatly
agitated in my presence. AS she was
quite pretty and / saw look of in
finite tenderness in her beautiful eyes
when they met mine, 1 felt some vague
inclination toward her, but / quickly
stifed it. Yet often spoke kindly to
her that she might see did not think
her displeasing. My gentle words i'm
pressed a soul so profound that would
have shrunk back affrighted could I
have guessed its depths.
We had known each other for some
time when 1 was suddenly called away
from the city, and during my absence 1
foil II, love oI,sl I0aOa,,,o 1,ak rla
very morning of my return to Paris
poor old copyist entered. His thin
figure was yet more meager, his face
pale, his temples 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"
''Indeedp' I responded, with more
politeness than emotion.
"She is at the hospital, sir. I have
come to ask you-to say to you -
He interrupted himself, stammering,
incoherent, his eyes full of entreaty,
and said abruptly, without further pre-
lude:
''My daughter loves you'll Before her
approaching death believed you might
be ablen-
And without giving me time to re-
cover from this strange declaration he
commenced story of love which,
though prolix, was so strange and pa
thetic that, when he ended, my oyes
were wet with tears.
''Win you see her? 1t would make
her SO happyl She 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 the 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; the pathetic ro-
nance of poor little maiden resigned
to death-a tale of infinite tenderness;
how first she had known she loved 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 in trembling
voice:
"And you- Did you ever-ever2''
What should say? Should play the
cruel executioner by telling the truth
or mercifully console her with lie?
Pity moved me:
81? have loved you longi"
lis it true?''
'fIt is true indeed {"
A look OF joy such as will never
see again in this world-the joy of tho
despairing overspread her face, and in
that moment, if loved her not, there
was something very sweet in my soul
an atom of that boundless compassion
which is the closest kin to love.
know not what led her during the
following days to doubt me, but one
afternoon she asked:
But will you ever marry mes"
swore to her that l would. She
smiled up at me with alteration. She
prayed aloud, thanking God for his
great goodness One day I was so moved
by the depth of her love for me that
wished to give her yet more happiness
it would cost me so little. Alasl was
she not irremeIliably condemned7
ssI am going to publish the banns, .
cried.
Her joy was almost terrible in its in
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