Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1902-01-30

and happy was far better than Jack
miserable, respondent and devoid o.
ambition.
The fatal evening came.
Jack had grimly made up his mind
he would by hook or crook witness the
ceremony that was to darken his life
and take from him the girl he had so
long looked upon as his inspiration.
Knowing that fashionable audi
ence would fill the church, and that
admission without card would be
difficult. he made friends with the or
ganist and managed to get an invita-
ton to occupy a seat In the loft.
Mazette insisted on accompanying
him-at first he had been appalled, by
the thought of another witnessing his
mute suffering, but she was so per
sistent, and her sweet presence al
ways served to arouse his better ma
ture, so finally he gave reluctant con-
sent.
When the organ pealed out the we'd
ding march from "Lohengrin," Over
ton shut his teeth hard and waited the
coming of the white procession that
started down the aisle, flower girls
strewing the way with rare blossoms.
Fedora looked like a dream-her ap-
pearance would haunt him to his dying
day.
And Livermore was very handsome
in his dress suit-he appeared very
proud, and had eyes for no one but the
beautiful woman who knelt before the
chancel rail beside him and vowed to
love, honor and obey"
When Overton heard this he seemed
to feel a change come over him-he
knew 1t was false. for loving him,
how could she truthfully promise to
give to her husband the affection 1t i'm
plied?-his faith in womankind was
dead, he believed, forever, and from
that hour he could never believe in the
sex again.
Toward the close of the ceremony
Fedora raised her hitherto downcast
eyes, as II drawn by the subtle power
Of Jacks stern gaze, and looked into
his face.
AS Ii an arrow had pierced her heart
she turned pale and shuddered, nor did
she dare raise her eyes again.
Perhaps she even dreaded lest the
man whom she had so cruelty Tilted.
whose devoted heart she had cast
away after it was OF no further use
to her. as one might WORKOUT glove.
might In his righteous anger do some
thing desperate-such things have
been known ere now in high life.
Altogether those last few minutes of
the ceremony that should have been
the proudest and happiest in her whole
life were the most miserable, and she
endured a small portion of the same
suffering her act had brought upon
Overton.
All was over!
The wedding procession was passing
down the aisle to renewed strains of
joyous music. Perhaps those who
were near enough to notice wondered
why the happy and envied bride
should turn her head and look in a
half eager, half frightened way toward
the altar-they could not know that
iChlOt DC wan dliCady Dtb lhhlh6 W BOdu
her heart, and that the memory of
that white, set, agonized face in the
organ loft would come before her with
reproaches every day Of her life, while
the bitter accusations of a murdered
conscience must many times drive her
to tears when surrounded by all the
beautiful things that generally go to
make the sum total of a fashionable
woman's happiness, and to possess
which she had betrayed her own heart
When Jack went out of the church.
after the butterfly audience had rolled
away in their swell turnouts, he was
taciturn; but his step had an elasticity
Mazette had not noticed for many a
day. He accompanied Mazette to her
home, but declined entering the humble
abode.
(To be continued.)
EVILS OF THE LONDON FOG