The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-08-03
A BRIDE OF a DAY.

A BRIDE OF A DAY.
My first marriage, said Jacques Fer
yeuse, was Of but few hours duration
and did not break my betroth6E 10 her
who afterward became my true wife.
It was nevertheless legal wedding,
and without doubt the best action Of
my life. I have pardoned myself for
many faults ON account of the happiness
that ! gave to her who was my bride for
q day. LIZ
| At the time of which speak / used
sometimes to dictate notes on b philo-
sophical work to an old oopyist 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 o weakness for recounting 10 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, would sit
near as copying papers I 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 q look Uf In
finite tenderness i'm her beautiful eyes
when they met mine. ! felt some vague
inclination toward her, but I sdhickly
stifled it Yet I often spoke kindly To-
her that she might zee did not think
her displeasing. Ny gentle words Inn
pressed Q soul DO profound that ] would
have shrunk back affrighted could I
have guessed its depths.
We had known each other for some
time when was suddenly called away
from the city, and during my absence ]
fell in love and became betrothed. The
very morning of my return 10 Paris
some one knocked at my door, end my
poor old copyist entered Els thin
figure was yet more IieageS his free
pale his temples hollow and his eyes
red with weeping. SIM ~ w 81
trust you will exuuse my coudn hna
but Y0n hare always been 90 gT0l .-sny
daughter she-I fear she isixbs6t 46
die. N. sgs:4A scs Fss 40
s:IndeedP' responded. with more
politeness than emotion.
She Ii at the hospital, mir. I1have
come 20 ask yon--to eay 30 ron
He interrupted himself. stanmexing.
incoharent, his eyes full OF entssAty.
and said abruptly, without further pre-
lude:
NY daughter loves you'll Before her
approaching death i believed you might
Ia AhI0ss--
And without giving me time t0 re-
coyer from this strange declaration he
commenced u story Of love which,
though prOlix. was 80 strange and ~
thetic that, when he ended, my Nyes
were wet with tears sL 4rfa = 41' S1s.s
.Will ron sec her? lit would nAake
her 50 happy She has but . few weeks
to live. se 1
.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
mp with JOY that touched me to oths
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 81 a.1@sfE ~
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 ever
What should say? Should play the
cruel executioner by telling the truth
or mercifully console her with d LIEF
Pity moved me:
II? have loved you longl''
''Is IL true?''
1t is true indeed. =
A look Of joy such as ! win never
SEQ again In this world-the joy Of the
despairing oyerspread her face. end In
that moment, IL loved her not, there
was something very sweet In my soul
an atom Of that boundIess compassion
which In the closest kin 70 love.
I know not what led her during the
following days to doubt me, but one
afternoon she asked:
''But will you ever marry me?''
swore to her that would. Hhe
smiled mp at me with Alteration. She L
prayed aloud, thanking God for hssa
great goodness. One day Twas ID moved
by the depth OF her love for me that j
wished to give her yet more happiness,
IL would cost me 80 little Alasi waa
she not iEremediably condernned2
II am going 10 publish the banns, = ]
cried.
Her 10y was allnost terrible III Its IN
tensity. Her lace shone with marvel
EN& - - ~