Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-05-19
A LAGGARD IN LOVE.

For many of that church assembly there
was only II person in the gathering brid,
al party-not the bride, nor yet the groom,
only III attendant-and his name was Jack
Wyndom. 1t was generally understood
that he was a disappointed lover, and his
relations a gratefully rejoicing company.
For the latter Harriet Wagner's momen.
tarily impending marriage to Ben Ellis
would avert a possible misalliance with
the Wyndom name and to save that family
a necessary financial prop in the person Of
Jack himself. At least this was the sup.
position which had taken such strong hold
IN the congregation that it almost made
itself felt In the silence.
The night was that VIGOROUSLY evasivs
cold one of July, and it was passing over
Jack Wyndom with an aching conclusive.
ness that the strange something so con.
stantly predicted for such an atmospheric
condition had come to him. Moving up
the church he suffered that same sense OF
oppression endured by mourners following
the dead to the altar.
In the position assigned him, sidewise
to the people, his commanding form and
strong, young profile, clear against tha
bank Of palms, offered a fair mark for
many curious eyes, but the young mans
inward gasping Of himself concerned not
them, only the ceremony about to proceed.
Tho groom stood already before the
chancel. There was a futter of tulle and
chiffon, and the blond bride was also in
her place. Then Jack knew the dread be.
hind him had advanced and stood there in
the form Of his old sweetheart beside his
prosperous rival.
Those two together. How pitilessly they
emphasized the loss before him.
The clergyman's muttered service and
the intermezzo, like sobbing of a dove,
agitated the waiting man almost beyond
with peculiar distinctness:
"Will you, Harriet, take Benjamin for
your lawful husbanda"
"Hc is in my place. He is in my place"
rushed oven Jack with a great, useless
throb of rebellion. His finely turned
mouth lifted slightly with the indrawn
look Of suspense SO painful to see in the
face of youth, and his eyes bent with i'm.
ploring anxiety into the face of the bride.
1t was plain what the answer would be,
and it came, careless and clear:
II will!' !
The echoing treble notes struck him like
. blow. The minister's stern question
went on. "To love, honor and obey''-
p,,k tho,So xuoc y,o f,,,thov pon1 IN 1;cton II
was done-done.
Standing there SO still, only Jacks heart
moved. An obligingly convenient win
dow across the way fastened his eyes in q
blurred gaze, and that moment his whole
sentence concentrated in the one over.
whelming realization:
"She has gone from mo for life."
Then he was conscious OF the dissolving
party. Some girls hand on his arm, and
Jack Wyndom passed down the aisle with
head erect, his handsome face whittier than
usual.
II was a fool to come" he felt harshly,
"but," vaguely in his distress, lone must
not show the white feather"
stately sister, Katherine, all his clan Of
fashionable relatives, present in their sud
den generous responsiveness. He knew
them and their concessions. Now in theiI
safety, bland, affable, needing only the
propitious moment to break into smiles
Of good wishes for the bride. Not three
weeks ago no silence was icy enough, nc
gravity disappearing enough for even
mention of her name. 1t was this attitude
of his family that weighed on him more
than he knew. Now the sight Of them re-
called all his old dutiful struggles. Wheth'
or he had a right to impose another and
unwelcome addition on the household,
when it would materially lessen his large
contributions to Its support, that had been
the question. With the inevitable 1onciu
sion, If Katherine would only marry, then
he would be free.
"Now," he thought. keeping step to the
music, II have tarried too long"
"You have done her wrong, you have
done her wrong" reiterated conscience,
land Harriet has judged you"
Yes, she had Judged him, answered his
old question definitely to herself, "She
could not spend her life waiting on a mere
possibility"
Here Jack and his fair companion step.
ped out into the open air. He had forgot
ten all about her in his lonely absorption.
"Oh, Mr.. Wyndom, wasn't the bride
oharminga" chirped the girl before they
were we'll out Of the church.
To his surprise the ready answer, "Yes,
they all are" tripped easily from bis
tongue. He had cooled suddenly. All his
real self seemed shut in, but his voice wa
answering the bridesmaid. Luckily she
was a stranger to the town and to his love
He felt no embarrassment with her, only
q sense Of being inolosed in a metal GLOBE
with some n striking wild, nerve split
ting blows on the outside, regardless Of
his presence.
They rode along quickly enough to thu
house and reception. There was Harriet
animated and to others the least bit hard
but to her ola lover something small
sweet, inexpressibly lovable. He looket
away. A feeling Of her personal nearnes
to him possessed him. The heavy looking
man beside her made his heart quake, ant
be had not even greeted him yet.
Only to get away as soon as possible
that was the idea. Then he remembered
his seat at the brides table. He stopped 1
moment, but there was no way out Of 1t
He had to stay.
"Play 1t all out, +" he thought with til,
first dash Of bitterness his sweet nature
had yet betrayed, and he did play 1t out.
At last the guests departed, and Jacl
rolled fast through the darkness. Once ir
his room he tore off his coat and wedding
gloves and fell on the window lounge II
complete abandonment. The drenohinG
moonlight and cool night air touched
lightly his aching head, buried in his arm
on the window ledge.
"Alonel Alone for the rest Of my lifel'
was all his mind could frame. He saw
Harriet's dear little figure 60 plainly. Will
: sharp sigh Jack involuntarily stretches
out his arms to close her In, but o gush o
miaarah1n c-Onacinlaaneaa fnld him hA WOllll