Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-02-03
Continued.

reached the altar. and sunk on he
knees beside me in prayer The must
ewelled forth with redoubled grandeur
the priests and acolytes appeared, th
marriage service commenced. AS
placed the ring on the book I glanced
furtiyely at the bride; her fair heaC
was bent demure!y she seemed alb
sorbed in holy meditations The prizes
having performed the ceremony Of
sprinkling il with holy water, / tool
1t back, and set II for the second time
on my wlfe's soft white little hand
set 1t in accordance with the Catholi,
ritual, first on the thumb, then on the
second finger. then on the third and
lastly on the fourth, where / left II in
its old place, wondering as | did so
and murtnured, in Nomine PATHS ct
Fiji ct Spiritus Sanctl, Amenl''
whether she recognized it as the one
che had worn 80 long! But it was
evident she did not; her calm was
unDroken by even so much as a start
or tfemor; she had The self-possesslon
al a perfectly satisfied, beautiful vain
ana utterly heartless woman
Inc actual ceremony OF marriage
was soon over, then followed the
Mass, In which we, the newly welded
pair were compelled in submission TO
the rule of the Church, to receive the
Sacrament shuddered as the ven
cradle priest gave me the Sacred Host
Nhat had | TO do with the inward
purity and peace this memento Of
Christ is supposed 10 leave In our
souls! Methought the Crucned
Image In the chapel regarded me
dresh with those panied eyes and
said, Even 80 dost thou seal thine
own damnation!" Yet she, the true
murderess. the arch liar, received the
Sacrament with the face OF rapt an
gel-the very priest himself seemed
touched by those appraised candid.
glorious eyes. the sweet lips 80 rever-
entity parted, the absolute. reliable
peace that rested on that white brow,
like an aurcole round the head OF a
saint
"if | am damned, then is she thrice
damned" ! said to myself recklessly,
Il daresay hell Is wide enough for MS
to live apart when we get there,
Thus | consoled my conscience, and
turned resolutely away from the
painted appealing faces on the wall
the faces that in their various express
sions of sorrow, resignation, pain, and
death seemed now to be all pcrvaded
by another look, that of astouishment
~astunishment SO | iancied, that such
q man as |. and such a woman as she,
should be found In the width OF the
whole world, and hould be permitted
struck dead for their bllsphemy!
An, good saints, well may you be
to kuoel at Gods altar without being
astonishedl Had you lived in our day
you must have endured worse martyr
doms than the boiling OIL or the
wrenehing racB! What you suffered
was the mere physical pain OF torn
muscles and scorChng flesh, pain that
at it's utmost could NO. last long, but
your souls we're clothed with majesty
and power, and were glorious in the
light Of love. faith, hope, and charity
with all men. We have reversed the
position you occupied, We have partly
learned. and are still learning how
to take care OF our derly beloved
bodies. how to uourisH and clotho
them and guard them from cold and
disease. but our .ouls good saints,
the souls that with you were every
thing these we smlrpb burn and
rack. to|u @ aud dc troy these we
stamp upon tl We crush ont Gods
image the.o' Dm-tbcse we spit and
ieer Il, cruelty ana drownl There is
ihe ference between you tho strong
and Wise OF a fruitful oUdou time. and
Te, the miserable, puny wothIiugs of
a So modern age.
u.d you. sweet ST. Dorothy or fair
ghud-stul Agnes lived n This day.
YOU would have rclt sumethme sharp
or than the ,xccuioner's sword, for
being pure. you would have been
Dubbed she worst Of women o.n@
prayrlm. YOU would hive been called
r,ruy.a.s being flthtul You would
baye been suspe ted of all yilanoss
being loving. YOU would h.NF been
rocked I'D moro bitterly tbw The oI.
dtcgs of pcutius Palate m.,ka Christ;
Int Won won q have been free lEee {.
.r...