The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-06-03

Inc prelueSt wedding the village
had ever SEEM" the people said after
ward. The pews were packed and a
subdued buzz of comment played
about Haydens ears as he waited.
He had not allowed himself much
time to kill; but, supported by his
best man, he took his place about five
minutes before the bride was expect
ed. He determined to throw off use
less self-reproaches and do his best in
the future.
The brightly colored crowd was an
undist1nguishable whole to him; but
at the end of the aisle was a shaft Of
brilliant light; it streamed through
the porch, and into and through it
walked a double line Of beauty.
They came on in the sunshine and
halted till the end of the lines was in
side the door, then they widened the
space between them and lined the
lower half of the little aisle.
The smile on Hayden's face snapped
off as suddenly as if struck by
hand; his features became stiff and
ashen-colored; a roar seemed to be
filling the church and hurting his
brain, the building itself heaved about
him.
But the figure on which his eye had
first smilingly rested stood motionless.
She stood nearest to him, as first
bridesmaid, her back slightly turned;
dropping hat almost hid her fea-
lures, but she was dark-haired and
splendidly poised, and her gown was
of lilac with a pink band about the
hem! Lilac, among the white gowns
beside her!
Then he felt hand grip his arm
firmly. Keep up, old man, she's COM
ing" some one said.
Then a hush, then a stir filed the
church, and between the waiting
bridesmaids, shutting from his sight
that terrifying form, came Sybll to-
ward him; and chilled, horror-1lled,
as one in dream, he stepped to meet
her.
Tell her, 1 say, tell her" was in
his ears as the marriage service began.
A strange VOW mingled with Hay
denis marriage vows. Tell herr" II
will" 81 will" 81 VOW it,"
There was no lilac gown among the
bridesmaids surrounding her when he
took her away. He could see no one
like Kate Moon.
But he told Sybil all the story as
they drove toward their new life;
and she listened with flushed, averted
cheek.
But when he had finished, and q
moments silence like a concrete block
of despair had followed, she turned to
him and wept upon his shoulder. And
How you must both have sufferedr
were her first sobbing words.
But because she was frightened by
the new suffering the telling of the
tale had cost him, she did not say thai
she had known the story all along, ant
that the silence had been as an aveng
ing ghost between them.
One day, long after, when Hayde1
and his wife strolled into the OLE
church, he noticed a curious thing.
Sybil had walked toward the chance
, while Hayden halted by the door, ant
| as Sne $1,000 moment IN the aisle III
? saw her white gown turn to lilac In tn
, sunlight, and a band of rose-color fel
across the hem.
For moment the blood flushed int
, his face, and all the miserable pas
rose before him.
Then, as he looked, Sybil moved fol
ward and her gown was white again
: and again as she moved 1t wa
splashed with color.
Then in swift enlightenment b
: looked up at the famous windowe
story of Joseph and he understood.
1T was all for the best, though" b
said to himself at last, and in unuttel
able relief he followed his wife an
!, stood again beside her before tn
= altar.-Utica Globe.