Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-02-03

On reaching the outer doors OF the
chapel tiowergirls emptied their full
and fragrant baskets at our feet: and
III return, l babe one of NV servants
distribute bag of coins l had brought
Ior Inc purpose, knowing from former
experience that it would be needed
10 Cread across such a heap of flowers
required some care, many of the bios
SONS clInging to Nina's velvet train
we therefore moved forward slowly.
just as we had almost reached the
carriage, a young girl with large
laughlng eyes set like flashing Jewels
III her soft oval face, threw down in
my path cluster of red roses. A sud
Gen fury of impotent passion nos
sessed me, and [ crushed my heel in
stantly and savagely upon the crimson
blossoms, stamping upon them again
and again SO violently that nv wife
raised her delicate eyebrows in amaze
hent, and the pressing people who
stood round us shrugged their shout
ders, and gazed at one another with
locks of utter bewilderment-whil the
girl who had thrown them shr1nk
back in terror, her face paling as she
murmured 'Santissima MadonnaI mi
ia para!" | bit my lip with vexation.
inWardly cursing the weakness of my
own behavior. [ laughed lightly in
answer to Nina's unspoken, half
alarmed inquiry.
1t is nothing-a mere fancy Of mine
l hate. red roses! They look to me
like human blood in f1ower!"
She shuddered slightly.
What a horrible idea! How can
you think of such a thing?"
| made no response, but assisted her
into the carriage with elaborate care
and courtesy; then entering it my
self, we drove. together back to the
hotel, where the wedding breakfast
awaited us.
This is always feast of general I'M
easiness and embarrassment every
where, even in the sunny, pleasure-lov-
ing south; every one is glad when it
is over, and when the fowery, unmean-
ing speeches and exaggerated compli-
ments are brought to a fitting and
happy conclusion. Among my assem-
bled guests, all of whom belonged to
the best and most distinguished fani-
lies in Naples, there was a pervading
atmosphere of undoubted chilliness:
the women were dull, being rendered
jealous of the brides beauty and the
richness of her white velvets and
jewels; the men were constrained, and
could scarcely force themselves into
even the appearance of cordiality-
they evidently thought that, with such
wealth as mine, | would have done
much better to remain a bachelor. In
truth, Italians, and especially Neapoli-
tans, are by no means enthusiastic con-
corning the suppositiOus joys of mar
riage. They are apt to shake their
heads, and to look upon it as a mis-
fortune rather than a blessing. "L'al-
tare la tomba del amOre,' is a very
common saying with us, and very
commonly believed.
1t was a relief to us all when we
rose from the splendidly appointed Ia
We were to meet again at the ball,
which was fixed to commence at nine
o'clock in the evening. The cream
of the event was to be tasted then
the final toasting of the bride was to
take place then-then there would be
music, mirth and dancing, and all the
splendor of almost royal revelry. |
escorted my wife with formal court
esy to a splendid apartment which had
been prepared for her, for she had, as
she told me, many things to dO-as,
for instance, to take off her bridal
robes, to study every detail of her
wondrous ball costume for the night,
and to superintend her maid in the
packing of her trunks for the next
DAYS Journey. The next day! L
smiled grimly-I wondered how she
would enjoy her trip! Then l kissed
her hand with the most profound re-
spect and left her to repose-to refresh
and prepare herself for the brilliant
festivity of the evening.
Our marriage customs are not as
coarse as those of some countries;
bridegroom in Italy thinks it scarcely
decent to persecute his bride with
either his presence Or his caresses as
soon as the Church has made her his.
On the contrary, if ardent, he restraints
his ardor-he forbears to intrude, he
! strives to keep UP the Illusion, the
! rose-colored light, or rather mist, OF
! love as long as possible, and he has a
wise. instructive dread of becoming
/ oy erfamiliar; we'll knowing that moth
! ing kills romance so swiftly and
surely as the bare blunt prose of close
and constant proximity. And |, ike
other gentlemen of my rank and class,
gave my tWice-wedded wife her lib
, erty-the last hours of liberty she
! would ever know. l left her to busy
herself with the trifles she best loved
trifles of dress and personal adorn
ment. for which many women barter
away their souls peace and honor, anG
divest themselves of the last shred o
right and honest principle merely tc
outshine others of their own sex, AM
SOW broadcast heart-burnings, petit!
envies, mean hatreds and contemplate
spites, where, if they did but choose
there might be widely different har
vest.
1t is easy to understand the feelings
OF Marie Stuart when she arrayed her
self in her best garments for her exc
cution: it was simply the heroism o
supreme vanity, the desire to fascinat