Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-10-17

- what = number ~ epectAxy ~ mi
collected there. There was q positive
crowd OF loungers. beggars. children
and middle-claSs persons of al sorts,
who beheld my arrival with the Ut
most interest and excitement.
In accordance with my instructions
q rich crimson carpet had been laid
down from the very edge of the pare
ment right into the church as far as
the altar: q Silken awning md also
been erected. under which bloomsd a
miniature avenue of palms and tropi-
cal flowers. All eyes were turned upon
me curiously az ! stepped from my
carriage and entered the chapel side
by side with the duke, and mnrmurs
of my vast wealth and generosity We're
audibly whispered as / passed Along.
One old crone, hideously ugly, but
with large, dark, piercing egsa the
fading lamps of a lost beauty, ehnckled
and mumbled as she craned her skinny
throat forward TO observe me more
closely, AYE. aye, The saints knew
he need be rich and generous-poy-
er'uoma. 10 I'LL her mouth. A little red
cruel mouth always ope, that swallows
money like macaroui. and laughs al
the suffering poor All. that Is bad,
bad He need be rich 10 satisfy herr
The Duke di Marina caught these
words and glanced quickly at me-, but
/ affected not TO have heard. Inside
the chapel there were q great number
OF people, but my own invited guests,
not numbering more than twenty or
thirty. were seated in the space appor-
toned TO them near the altar, which
was divided from the mere sight-seers
by means of q silken rope that crossed
the aisle. i exchanged greetings with
most of these persons, and in return
received their congratulations: then i
walked with q firm. deliberate step up
the high altar and there waited. The
magnificent paintings or the walls
round me seemed endowed with mys-
FERROUS life: the grand heads of saints
and martyrs were turned upon me as
though they demanded, Must thou do
this thing? Has thou nc forgivenessg"
And ever my stern soul answered,
NAY: II hereafter i am tortured in
eternal fame for all ages, Vet now
nov while / live, ] will be avenged"
A bleeding Christ suspended ON his
O gazed at me reproachfully with
long enduring eyes of beautiful an
guish-eyes that seemed TO say, 20.
errinC man, that tormenteth myself
with passing passions, shall not thine
own end approach speedily. and what
comfort wilt thou have in thy last
hour"
And inwardly ! answered, 'tNoneI
No shred OF consolation ear ever again
be mine; no joy "a fulfilled revenge!
And this / will possess though the
heavens should crack and the earth
split asunder. For once a wOman's
treachery shah meet with punishment;
for once such strange, uncommon jus
tice shall he done"
And my spirit wrapped itself again
in sombre. meditative silence. The
sunlight fell G~loriously through the
stained windows; the blue, gold, Grim
son and violet shafts of dazzling ra-
dance glirtered in lustrous fiickering
patterns on the snowy Wilderness of
the marble altar, and slowly, softly,
Enthusiastically, as though an angel step
ped forward, the sound of music stole
on the incense laden air. The unseen
o%rsanist played a sublime voluntary
of Palestrino's. and the round harmo-
NOUS notes came falling gently OF one
another like drops from 4 fountain
trickling on flowers.
] thought of the hast wedding day.
when ! stood in this very place, full of
hope, intoxicated with love and joy,
when Guido Ferrari had been by my
side, and had drunk in the poisoned
draught and temptation from the love
illness OF my wife's face and form:
when /. poor fool. would as soon have
thought that God could lie as that
nVrha~ nS rhnCn r-bnna Il .lr-nI .nT.la
play me false, i drew the wedding riCn
from my pocket and looked AT it,: il
was sparklinSly bright and appeared
new. Yet IT was old; il was the very
same ring / had drawn of my wife's
finger the day before; ii had only beep
FURNISHED afresh by a skilled jeweler
and showed no more marks of wear
than if it had been bought that morn
ing.
The great bell of the cathedral
doomed out eleven. and as the last
stroke swung from the tower. the
chapel doors Were flung more widely
open: then came the gentle rustic of
trailing robes. and turning. ] teheld
my wife. She approached, leaning
lightly on the arm of the old Chevalier
SiHneini. who. true to his creeds OF
gallantry, had accepted the post Of pa
ternal protector TO the bride on this oc-
casion; and i could not well wonder AT
the universal admiration that broke in
suppressed murmurs from all assem-
bled, as this most fair masterpiece Of
The devils creation paced slowly and
gracefully up the aisle. She wore a
dress of clinging white velvet made
with the greatest simplicity, a lace
veil, priceless in value and fine rs COS
samer, draped her from head to foot: