The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-07-12
A MISSING BRIDE.

One day in April good many years ago
the inhabitants OF Cedar Grove were bust
~ preparing for the wedding of Georgia
Blake and Edgar Geland, vtlich was to
take place that evening at O'Clock Geor-
gia was an attractive girl and Edgar tall,
awkward boy, whose good qualities made
up for the lack Of good locks Both We're
great fayoritesat tho Grove, and the people
looked upon tho match as an ideal one.
The Grove had not celebrated marriage
for nearly 1e months, and the fact Of lat
last" having G. wedding aroused much en-
thusiasm thsrs and in the vicinity among
all, old and young, who looked forward to
the event Of the evening with keen de-
light. By z o'clock tho room was crowd
ed, by s scarcely standing room for the
guests. Those from the Grove were there
in full force, and the surrounding bayous
were represented by a goodiy number. All
were merry and chatting gayly, though
trife inpatient for the coming OF tho
bride. But when the littls cricket clock
On the manteapiece struck silence reigned,
and all eyes We're turned and riveted on
the door thoYugh which the couple were 10
enter, and there they gazed full one hour,
for the clock struck 10 before the latch on
the door made any sound. Then it raised
and the door opened-on1y to admit the
tear stained face Of Mrs. Lawrence, who in
an excited, sob broken voice told tho guests
that Georgia could not be found.
She had left home early in the afternoon
for the purpose of gathering water lilies
and other wild flowers and had not yet
come back. Her long stay did not create
any uneasines5 until sunset, when
straightway man was sent to hurry her
home, and he had just returned, bringing
with him only her hat, which he found on
the edge Of tho water. One can hardly
imagine anything that would have given
the people so sudden q shock as this. The
women wcpt, tho men locked out of the
windows and doors, simply at vacuity,
for it was black without, then put on
their hats and instituted a search at once,
which was joined in earnestly by every
man present.
The search continued all night, many in
their excitement going over the same
ground, until daylight convinced them
that there ct least, were no more traces
of her than thcse which had already been
found-her hat and a few tracks in the
soft sand near by. And thus was spent
the night that was to have been one of rev.
elry
Bayous were crossed. and the searchers
went here, there and everywhere, to places
where there was and wasn't the least
probability Of tracing her. But all In
vain. Then, one by one worn out and
sad, lcath to give up, yet believing further
steps as fruitless as the first proved, the
searchers-men and women-went home,
now sllrer than ever that Georgia had been
drowned and had gone on with the tide,
1ch 1aly
then to the gulf
There was one, however, who would not,
could not give up-yet. That was Edgar
Geland. He went from place to place,
looking, praying, hoping that he might
yet find some trace of her, for as yet he
could not believe she was drowned. Weeks
went by, and his long wearying steps, his
eager, watchful eyes for anything that
would bring him tidings and his listening
ear for any sound by which he might be
guided were all in vain. Hope was dead.
In his despair he gave his ho1ne-ths
one which was to have been hers also--to
the old couple who had sheltered Georgia
for so many years, and then, having no
more interest there, the boy, crushed in
heart and spirit, left the Grove determined
never to return.
Up to that time all had gone well at the
Grove, but this sad affair had cast 6 gloom
over the place, tho shadow of which was
deep and threatened to be dis1nally long.
But one morning, just as the sun reached
up to the tree tops over Spanishs lake. =
schooner came in sight and cast anchor at
the mouth of Cedar bayou-which was too
small for SO large a craft-and yawl was
seen to glide away from the side of the
vessel, coming straight to the Grove. This
was something that had never happened
before, and the people were curious to
know what it meant, SO curious, in fact,
that many had gone down to the shore
and stood there shading their eyes ana
watching to see who were the three in the
yawl. How little they dreamed that thu
small figure in the bow-so that she might
be the first one cut-was Georgia Blake.
She it was, though, and few minutes
more she whom they had nourned as dead
for all these months stood before them
safe and well.
In few words she told her story:
On the afternoon of her disappearance
not being able to find as many flowers as
she wanted, she set out in an old skiff, ore
that had long since been useless. She
knew it was risky, but eager for the aows-
ers she bailed out the boat and started
OIL, padding and steering, all at the same
time, with a little board which she found
on the shore She had done that many a
time before, but not in such askif. How
ever, she reached the spot where the lilies
grew thickcst. Wild with enthusiasm
over their beauty, she gathered SO long as
one was in sight, and then, with a sigh Of
content and pleasure, she looked down at
the heap of beauties at her feet and found
they were floating. And no wonder-there
was foot of water in the skiff and it was
coming in faster and faster
She picked up the little board which
had served as a paddle and began to bail
But she could not guide the boat and bail,
too, and while she got trife ahead of the
water the boat got ahead of her. 1t Sc
lccted, with the aid Of the tide and wind,
its own course and driftcd farther and
farther away from Cedar Grove. She look
ed around, hoping some boat1nan might
come in sight, bat not SO. Her face grew
red from the exertion, two big salt tears
trickled over her lashes, her arms ached
and her heart beat with fright. But she
hailed on-al that she could possibly do.