Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-04-12
CHAPTER XVIII


, ing with taperng spire. AS she en-
, tered she seemed TO bring with her The
fragrance OF the lines and the wild
: flowers
At first it seemed as though The
, church were filled with a gray, soft
, gloom and then. Ethel saw great
stained-glass window, a very marvel Of
richness and color. The sun was shin
ing full upon 1t, and great patches OF
purple and crimson of orange and
> blue, Of violet and green, lay on the
floor, on the carved oaken seats. on
chaneel and nave.
There were figures of triumphant
saints on the window-saints with
palm branches and golden crowns. In
after-years she found each one inn
pressed upon her memory.
! There was a silence-a stillness-a
holy calm that seemed to be breathed
from heaven; il was broken only by
the song Of the birds outside and the
msuing Of the leaves in the wind
Ethel knelt down. her heart beating
fast witch emotion What she had said
was perfectly true; she had not reflect
ed upon the solemn aspect of marriage
and 1t came to her like a shock
Revenge upon Helen Digby! No such
thoughts could live in that holy calm;
they fled from her, leaving the one fact
bare that she was about to become
Laurie Nugents wife
, Even then, late as il was, she would
have abandoned her project, she would
have given up all idea of revenge and
Of marriage Something Of this Laurie
Nugent must have read in her face, for
> he grasped her hand whispering;
!, 1T is too late now we must go on
!. with L, my queen"
: She looked at the pictured faces OF
/, the saints with golden crowns A wild
idea took possession Of her to cry out
TO some one to save her. that she had
been entrapped, oyer-persuaded; that
she did not love the man she was going
% marry and again the keen instinct
= Of his passionate love told Laurie Nh
+, gent The nature OF her thoughts
You are filed with nervous fancies,
= my dear Ethel Hark! The very birds
seem to Sing more ioyfuly because 1t
) s our wedding-day.'
While he was saying the words a
white-hared minister entered, and
, Laurie Nugent and Ethel went up to
the altar together the altar that was
beneath the great eastern window,
from which the strange, mystical lights
were falling
. Two witnesses were there but Laurie
Nuaent never even saw them; tRey
were servants from the reCtory, whom
the rector had told to be present
Laurie Nugent never saw them, for
his whole attention was engrossed by
n his young bride
For the first time he noticed he.
ii dress a soft, shining violet silk, and
Just where she stood and the lgiht froa
tine stained-glass window fell fun upon
Il her one great dash Of purple lay At
i her feet, a bar of crimson quiyered on
- her dress and on the beautiful head
y there shone a glow Of gold, Her lovely
Is tlce was pale witch emotion. yet Il
\. shone like a fair flower amid the mysti
y. cal lights fairer than the pictured
III faces Of saints and in her hand sht
sJill held the dewy passion-howers.
No artist ever dreamed OF a picture
,e more fair Laurie Nugent's eye,
fingered upon her, and then the solemn
beautiful marriage service commenced
% Wilt thou have this man 10 be III!
welded husband ?"
4. As she gave one glance at the colder
crowns Of the saints, and one at tn
.. white-haired minister whose head wa
ge So reyerenHy bent the Impulse agar
IA seized her 20 cry out, but Laurie M
gent looked az her. ana held her han,
i tightly. aud She said the words tina
IN made her his Wife
+, She bsnt her head when the recto
4, altered the blessing, and at that mo
Fl Wanl 4 sudden CLEAN of the sun thre,
Is j crimson light over the bowed head
dl.ng The young husbands heart wiz
+. deaad
#. Come away from that window
Ethel he said p cannot bear 10 Sc
On you b. The midst 81 those changin
Il. lights
BIT she oheyed him and then in a fe'
minutes the ceremony was ended. II
he '.t her knee1ng there. while he cav
ii. tile rector such a fee as astougshed hin
aa3 one ,o each q the witnesses.
81 Hr went into The yestry and n