Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1895-02-09
Ten Minut6S TO TWGlvG.
By II. G. MOLELLAND.

plateau, SFIltiN IDlll1 ana SIQ'itpU VIII
groups of superb trees-oak. hickory.
maple and sweet gum. 1t was sheltered
by hills and carpeted with short gras.
which showed green even in December
Near the center, amid a clump of oaks.
stood aquaint, picturesque stone church.
with pointed windows and ivy covered
walls. 1t was inClosed by a stone fence.
and the space inside was evidently used
for burying ground. Under the trees.
outside the lnClosdre, n spring guShed
forth, near which were racks for horses
and place where the animals might
drink. Royal noticed several vehicles.
spring wagons mostly, standing about
and horses, dozen orsO, some tied to the
racks and some to swinging limbs, ac-
cording as their dispositions were sedate
or nervous.
SpOtswoOd drove round to side gate
and negro came and took the horse.
He looked smiling and important, and
bowed affably to Royal, half extending
his hand, which Royal grasped and cor.
daily shook, not knowing him, of course,
but assembling
MANY folks inside, Uncle jeff" the
boy questioned, indicating at the same
moment by gesture to his companion
the spot where Miss Royal had been
buried
''TOl'rb BILE smart, sir; de bOdy's fullin'
up, an dars a right smart sprinklin' i'll
de gallry. Oar come mo- folks now.
Dey been practisin' de music over, sir,
an hit SCUM mighty pretty an con-
solin'."
This last was addressed to Royal who
dumbly felt that before he should get
through with the affair he might be in
need Of consolation.
In the vestry they were received by
two gentlemen who were introduced by
Spotswood as his brother Tom and the
Rev Carter Braxton Both men shook
hands with Royal with enthusiasm, and
Tom Brandon helped him off with his
overcoat, remarking that he looked
trifie off color, but on the whole filter
than they had expected"
Royal, who felt that twenty-four sleep
less hours, two sketchy and insufficient
meals and tremendous strain of anx-
iety and excitement lay between his pres
ent self and the man who boarded the
train 50 unanimously the day before,
did not wonder that he should look his
part at least sufficiently to pass muster.
With the climax 50 close upon him
strange, still, all powerful excitement
seized on Royal and thrilled through
every nerve and tissue like an electric
current. His pulses quivered, his heart
beat thick and rapidly and the blood rose
L. t. ;oI 30
like man in dream, and was conscious
OF a vague sense of confused identity.
As he stood before the mirror, placed in
a corner for clerical convenience, he
caught himself dimly questioning his
own existence as apart from the existence
of that other John Royal, dimly seeking
to identity his own features with those
of the man from whose sick bed he had
come = fe and circumstance for the
time became unreal to him, and he &C.
cepted the sequence of events as imper
sonally as 3 somnambulist could have
done. Individual will seemed, as it We're,
in abeyance, neld under and dominated
by force with which it was powerless
to cope. He seemed himself, and YET
other than himself, more than himself.
The minister in his robes stood. booI
in hand, within the chancel rail; the
wedding march burst forth with joyous
invitation; a group OF black coated men
and maidens all in white came up the
aisles, crossed each other and ranged
themselves about the chancel. And
Royal, still like man in dream, ad
vanced from the vestry door with Tom
P,onlpY1 of hiS Si1n on1 Vn1 from
the hands of white haired gentleman
the lace enveloped figure of his unknown
bride. Her hand lay on his arm, the
folds of her shining robe brushed against
him, the lace which covered her drOOp-
ing head almost touched his shoulder,
but he did not look at her nor manifest
by so much as the culver of a muscle
consciousness Of her proximity. His in.
dividuality seemed lost, merged in that
of the man whose part he had assumed.
His imagination was strained, his pulses
beat with excitement, but his brain was
clear, his perceptions preternaturally
acute. He could hear the snap of q
watchcase somewhere among the au.
dience, and the stamping of the horses
outside distinctly through the rhythm of
the music. The interest of the spec!a,
tors thrilled him, but failed to renew
recognition of being other than he
seemed.
Then, amid the hush which followed
the cessation of the music, came the
minister's solemn statement of the pur,
pose for which the people were there as.
sembled, and his impressive charge tc
them that if any man knew aught which