Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1903-10-21
One Wedding
Trip
By E. n. PORTER
coDyHEAL 80. y DaiIy s.ory Fab. o.

NARN vi
THE express Numbered across the
i long bridge and curved In and ouI
among the green hills like a huge black
snake. The ros and amber lights from
the setting sun were almOst gone and
the shadows In the river we're deepen
ing fast.
Inside the parlOr car the porter wa
busy lighting the lamps. Most Of the
passengers closed their books and
dropped their papers-reading was i'm
possible IN thfs light. that was Of neither
day nor night. One closed his eyes and
slept; another turned her gaze to the
swift-hying trees that were growing %
ahadoWy In outline; others-there were
more Of these-glanced with ill-con-
cealed curiosity at . tall man and hand
some womAn at the farther end Of the
car.
The couple had boarded the train q
Albany, attended By a merry crowd Of
young people who. on leaving. had
pelted them with q shower Of rice and
roses-ths one now lay in tiny drifts q
snow all about them; the other had long
ago filled the car with sweetness.
The man was tall, handsome (accord-
Eng 70 the verdict Of the girl across the
aisle), and attired with a nicely that
was almost f0ppish; but there was {
certain something in his eyes that the
young mstron four seats down on the
other side did not IKE. She also did nol
like the expression she had seen once or
twice On the brides face; and she found
much 10 wish for in the behavior Of
each to the other-the young matron
was romantic, and her own wedding
Journey vas Jet fresh IN her mind.
Mr.. and Mrs. Chandler KnOWltOn
seemed quite obiivious OF the interest
displayed by their fellow travellers. Her
eyes, for the most part. we're fixed on the
distant skyline, now all but invisible
IN the twilight. His shifted from her
face to the red rose with which she Waa
idly toying, and from the rose Ggain to
each exquisite outline Of her graceful,
faultlessly gowned figure. The light
above his head flashed q s%clntillating
CLEAN Of crimson IRE from 3 Jewel on
the brides finger, and sent en- answer
ing CLEAN OF covetOusness to his eyes
and diverted bis thoughts into 3 new
ehannel.
Diamonds. rubies, emeralds; q small
fortune was there, even!-and Mrs.
Knowlton wore few jewels travelling.
At last be had o The prize was his
this rich widow for whom be had
schsmed so long. Annoying creditors
and dunning tailors would cease to trou-
bic, and ioy-killtng, nerve-racking
pinching was 8 thing OF the past.
And Is for the lady herself-the nee
essary accompaniment to all this good
f0rtune-she wa not half bad, though
hardly to be compared for . moment
with his glorious Clarlsse, Of course.
Still. she made q good h~gurehead for his
table and his name, and she was e
beauty in her cold. calm way. Would
she be so cold and calm II she knew Of
Clarisse2 Perhaps not; he had a fancy
her eyes could fash-upon occasion.
Never mind; she was not liable to learn
Of Clarisse-yet awhile, anyway.
The dark outside and the light inside
had been Increasing fast. The man drew
= lon8 breath. picked up his book. and
turned his chair 70 that the light would
fall to hia mind. In ave minutes he was
deep In his novel and oblivious Of all
else.
Mrs. Knowlton turned at her hus-
bands sudden movement. As be sat
now she could Just see the curl Of his
mustache against his cheek. and the
curve OF his ear, delicate and plnky-
white as q girls. A vague horror deep
ened her eyes and g shudder Quivered
through her whole body.
Was she really merried-and to him9
was this weak-faced dandy to take the
place Of her Jack-the noble-hearted
loving husband Of the years that were
gone? How had It happened7-she
could scarcely tell. There wa her own
loneliness, her aunt's tiresome impor-
tunlfies. her aunt had favored this mar
rlage from the first for some reason).
was the emptiness Of life in gem
eral and Of her own existence IN par
ticular, and above all else, there was
the ~unceasing pleading Of the man him
self
Wearled and half dazed from des-
perahon she had yielded. And now she
was here-here. whirling away from
the old life, whirling into M new and
untrled. the portal Of which suddenly
6lied her soul with horror.
How she hated that smooth white
hand resting On the arm Of the chair
81 'front.' How she loathed the sight -