Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-07-27
A BRIDE OF A DAY.

A BRIDE OF A DAY.
My first marriage, said Jacques Fer
veuse, was Of but few hours duration
and did not break my betrothel 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 pardoned myself for
many faults on account of the happiness
that gave to her who was my bride for
a day.
At the time of which speak used
| sometimes to dictate notes on a 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 a weakness for recounting to all
corners. used to listen to him willing
~, for his voice was charming and his
words well chosen. While he spoke
his daughter, timid blond, would 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 I saw a look Of in
finite tenderness in her beautiful eyes
when they met mine, felt some vague
inclination toward her, but I quickly
stif1ed it. Yet often spoke kindly to
her that she might see did not think
her displeasing. My gentle words i'm
pressed soul so profound that I would
have shruuk 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 I
fell in love and became betrothed. The
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-If fear she is about to
die.7'
Indeed" 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! Before her
approaching death believed you might
be able''-- 4
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
thetio that, when he ended, my eyes
were wet with tears.
twill you see her? It would make
her so happy She has but few weeks
to live. "
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 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 TO-
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-ever?"
What should say? Should play the
cruel executioner by telling the truth
or mercifully console her with lie?
Fifty moved me:
"I? I have loved you longp'
"Is it true?"
''It is true indeed"
A look of joy such as will never
see again i'll this world-the joy of the
despairing her face, and in
that moment, il I 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 me?"
swore to her that I would, She
smiled up at me with alteration. She
prayed aloud, thanking God for his
great goodness. One day was so moved
by the depth of her love for me that
wished to give her yet mere happiness,
it would cost me so little. Alas! was
she not irremediably condemned?
II am going to publish the banns,"
2ried,
Her joy was almost terrible in it's in
tensity. Her face shone with marvel
Gus sp]endor, and while she drew down
my face to hers, while she laughed and
cried in reciting to me i'll broken words
the prayer of her love, while she spoke
to me as fervent devotees to God, I
felt that I had given to one human bes
ing the equivalent Of lifetime OF hap
piness.
will not tell you how I arranged to
obtain the consent of my guardian. |
did not ask that of my fiancee-I knew
she would pardon me afterward. The
banns were published, and ! made all
preparations for a regular marriage
During the weeks which followed she
lived in ecstasy. Her malady seemed
relenting. A miraculous beauty seemed
to shine about her like an aureole. She
dazzled me; she filled my heart with
sad love, like that Of mothers for frail,
beautiful children who cannot live. I
had her placed in special room at the
hospital, where she received the care OF
the best physicians and had sister OF