Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-07-06
A WEDDING.

1t was dreary, foggy day tried to
,ead but could not. l threw the book
away. a card fell out.
Tuesday, November thirteenth, at four
in the afternoon, in the Church of the
Trinity" was engraved upon it, and be
low, written in girlish hand: Come at
least to the wedding, dear aunt. l shall
expect you.
! looked at the clock. 1t was a quarter
before 4, and l had forgotten this we'd
ding, from which did not in the least
wish to stay away, as could not 90 to the
festivities afterward on account of recent
Illness l had just time to change my
dress hastily and to throw myself into a
carriage in order to reach the church in
season.
The fog did not seem so dense, the sky
was less heavy. | was already cheered by
the thought of seeing happy faces. Yes,
Hedwig must look happy-happier than
ever today.
She was the daughter of lifelong
friend, and my favorite from the day that
! had held her in my arms for the first
time and she had looked into my face
with her large blue eyes, l had seen her
grow up a sweet, good charming girl and
the sunbeam of the house in her harmless
playfulness
Then came time when she grew quiet
and pale, and when those same large, dark
blue eyes had a deeper expression, as
though they shed secret tears. She said
nothing, but we knew her carefully guard
ed secret, and yet we could not bring him
to her feet, the man she loved, who stub
bornly kept away. But her troubles came
to an end. 1t proved that he had been too
proud to ask for the hand Of the rich man
daughter before he had obtained certain
position.
Hedwig was very happy had not met
the groom during their tort engagement,
but what l heard of him In the family cir
Gle was well adapted to increase the good
opinion Of him which his proud reserve
had given me.
The carriage stopped. The ceremony
had already begun when l entered the
church and mixed with the inquiSitive
spectators l could see only part of the
splendid wedding guests, but the bridal
couple were in full view.
Hcdwig, with serious, thoughtful ex-
preston on her sweet face and q happ,
look in her hluc eyes looked quite as |
had pictured her, hut the bridegroom did
not please NE quite so well. 1t seemed to
me that he had something intense in his
face and closely knitted brows. something
reckless, searching, III his eyes-in short
not at all the looks Of hai ny man.
To he sure l had a friend who main
tanned that there was no being more mis-
cradle than bridegroom en- his wedding
day. why, he used to say, the poor
fellow simply dwjndles away beside his
hid I..r L..
tiful of her whole life, on which she is re-
ceIyed like a queen He does not only play
a subordinate part but an entirely miser-
able role is the one he has to act, and one
can easily see how uncomfortable he
feels" But my friend was a confirmed
bachelor, and l never believed what he
said about these things, and do not yet be-
lieve him.
The longer I looked at the groom the
less I liked him. His uncasiness seemed
to increase and he heard as little of the
sermon, which was pretty well spun out
by one of our best preachers, as did. His
eyes-I could have sworn it--seemed to
be directed in their uneasy search TO just
where l sat.
And yet I could not possibly be the OBJ
Ject Of his disquiet even if he could have
seen me, which he could not, for l was
hidden in the shadow of pillar, But for
whom were those eyes searching?
began to look at my neighbors Be
side me sat a stout woman with a good
natured face and hat covered with bright
flowers and ribbons, and little way from
us sat young girl, who was dressed pref
tily and with taste, and who had re-
markably fine profile, but nevertheless
gave me the impression that she was
seamstress in her Sunday clothes.
When she turned, found that she was
exceedingly pretty The pew in which she
sat was at right angles with our seat, so
that I could easily look at her pretty face
and the large gray eyes shaded by long
lashes without being observed, particu-
larly as the girls whole attention seemed
TO be riveted on the bridal pair-or per
haps on the bridegroom, and his on her.
The thought went like lightning through
me and would not leave me again.
And now l noticed how pale she was,
and that her lids with their long lashes
were somewhat red The beautiful face
told story, and l seemed to understand
it. She had been crying and for him who
just now was giving his hand to another.
Did he know it? Had she older-perhaps,
too greater-claims on him? And could it
De tntit t1euWlS ldtner inc clever man OF
the world, had not sufficiently searched
the past of his sonin-law? Or were such
things so usual that he did hot attach
much importance to it?
My heart grew heavy, and l thought of
all that might happen if he were indeed
unworthy of my innocent, trusting favor
lite. My Imagination painted the most ter
rife pictures
Would she, when the newly married pair
were leaving the church, step in their path
and thrust her accusation in his facey
Was she going to write letter to Hedwig,
or would she wait until the couple re-
turned from their wedding tour to thrust
the poor wife out of her dream of Eden?
Whatever l had heard or read of such
cases came now into my mind, and the
worst was the story which l had not been
able to finish that very afternoon. And
now II all came back to me and made me
restless and unhappy l lived once more