The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1904-12-29

or the hearthStone. The terror which
instantly spread among the guests
shows the hold which superstition has
upon all classes of humanity. Hap.
PLY, however, an unseemly panic was
aver;ed by the necessity which all felt
or preserving some sort of com,,osure
till the ceremony for which they had
assembled had been performed. for
simulti nCouslv with this discovery OF
death IN the library there had come
from above the sound OF the approach.
Ing bridal procession, and cries were
hushc0 and beating hearts restrained
as Miss MoOrc's charming face and
exquisite figure appeared between the
rows OF Towering plants with which
the staircase was lined. No need for
the murmur to go about: spare the
bride Let nothing but cheer surround
her till she Is Jcffrey's wife, The look
OF JOY which irradiatod her countc.
nance and gave n fnlrylke aspect to
her whole exquisite person would have
deferred the most careless and self
conferred person there from casting
shadow across her pathway one min.
ute sooner than necessity demanded.
The richness of the ancestral veil
which covered her features and the
natural timidity which prevents
bride from lifting her eyes from the
floor she truvcrScs saved her from oh.
serving the strange looks by which her
presence was hailed. She was conse-
qucntly enabled TO go through the cere.
mony in happy Inconsistencies Of the
forced restraint which held that surg.
Ing mass together.
But the bridesmaids were not so
happy. Miss futile especially held
herself upright simply by the exercise
OF her will. and, though Respondent In
beauty, suffered so much In her anki.
ETY. for the bride that II was matter
OF small surprise when she tainted at
the conclusion OF the ceremony.
mfr. jeffrey showed more composure.
but the inward excitement under which
he was laborlng made him trip more
than once in his responses, as mnny
the" noted whose minds were not tx.
FL too strongly on flight.
only DR.. Auchlncloss was quite
himself. and by means OF the solem.
nifty with which he invested his words
Kept the hubbub down, which was nj.
ready making itself heard on the OH
skirts of the crowd. But even his In
ruence did not prevail beyond the mo.
mcnt devoted to the benedlction. Once
the sacred words we're said, such II
stampede followed that the bride show.
al ,,ph nlnR .,,I 4 I..ct fAt
Jeffrey to explain to her the cause Of
this astonishing conduct on the part
OF her guests. She bore the disclosure
well, all things considered. and once
she was fully assured that the unhnp.
py man whose sudden death had thus
interrupted the festivities was an In.
truder upon the scene and quite un.
known. not only to herself but to her
newly made husband, she frightened
perceptibly. though. like every one
around her. she seemed anxious to
leave the house, and, indeed, did 80 rs
soon as Miss Tuttle's condition war.
ranted II.
THE fact that the bride went
through the ceremony without her
Dtluul icOh'u uDou manly
as an unfavOrable omen. In her Dnx.
iety not to impose any longer upon the
patience OF her guests. she had de.
scended without 1t.
"As to the deceased, but little Is
known of him. Letters found on his
person prove his name to be w. Pfeif.
fer and his residence Denver. His
Ia, NJ
time so inoppOrtune Is unexplained.
No such name il on the list OF wedding
guests, nor was he recognized MS one
OF Miss Moore's friends either by Mr.
Jeffrey or by such OF her relatives and
acqmaintanccs as had the courage to
enter the library to see him.
with the exception of the discolorch
mark on his temple. showing where
his head had come In contact with
the hearthstone. his body presents an
| appearance of natural robustness,
which makes his sudden end seem all
the more shocking.
His name has been found registered
at the National hotel"
Turning over the files next came
hl''H o'op"'Nb ''o'' avn
yer:
"Thp sudden death in Washington of
Wallace Pfciher, one OF our best
known and most respected citizens, in
deeply deplored by all who knew him
and his unfortunate mother. He Is the
last OF her three sons, all OF whom
have died within the year. The demise
Of Wallace leaves her entirely unprO-
vldcd for II was not known here
that Mr.. Pfeiffer intended to visit
Washington. He was supposed TO go
In quite the opposite direction, having
said TO more than one that he had
business In San Francisco His intru-
sion into the house of Miss Moore
during the celebration of n marriage
In which he could have taken no per-
sonal interest Is explained in the fol
lowing manner by such as knew his
mental peculiarlties: Though mer.
! chant by trade and latterly miner In
the Klondike, he had great interest in
the occult and was II strong believer In
all kinds Of supernatural manifesto
tions. He may have heard OF the un.
In the hotel resdins room
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