The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1905-02-15


Of 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
averted by the necessity which all felt
Of preserving some sort of composure
| till the ceremony for which they had
assembled had been performed, for
simultaneously with this discovery of
death in the library there had come
from above the sound of the approach
Ing bridal procession, and cries We're
hushed and beating hearts restrained
MS Miss Moore's charming face and
exquisite figure appeared between the
rows of Towering plants with which
the staircase was lined No need for
!he murmur to go about: Spare the
bride! Let nothing but cheer surround
her till she is Jeffreys wife. The look
of joy which irradiated her counte-
nance and gave a fairylike aspect to
her whole exquisite person would have
deferred the most careless and self
centered person there from casting a
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 a.
bride from lifting her eyes from the,
floor she traverses saved her from OBJ
serving the strange looks by which her
presence was hailed. She was conse
quently enabled to go through the cere-
mony in happy unconsciousness 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 resplendent in
beauty, suffered so much in her anN-
ETY. for the bride that it was Il matter
of small surprise when she tainted at
the conclusion of the ceremony.
"Mr Jeffrey showed more composure.
but the inward excitement under Which
he was laboring made him trip more
than once in his responses, as many
there noted whose minds were not fix
ed too strongly on fight.
"Only DIR. Auchincloss WAS quite
himself. and by means of the solein-
nifty with which he invested his words
kept the llubbub down. which was :tl-
ready making itself heard on the ont
skirts of the crowd. Bat even his in
fuenee did not prevail beyond the mo-
ment devoted to the benediction. Once
the sacred words We're said. such II
stampede followed that the bride show
ed much alarm, and it was left for Nil
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 unhap-
DIV 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 so as
soon as Miss Tuttle's condition war
ranted it.
'"rhe fact that the bride went
through the ceremony without her
bridal bouquet is looked upon by many
as an unfavorable omen. In her anX-
patience of her guests, she had de-
seconded without it,.
"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
presence in Miss NIoore's house at a
time so inopportune is unexplained
No such name is on the list of wedding
guests, nor was he recognized as one
Of Miss Moores friends either by Mr.
Jeffrey or by such of her relatives and
acquaintances as had the courage to
enter the library to see him.
"With the exception of the discolored
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.
,, Ills name has been found registered
at the National hotel.'
Turning over the files next came
upon the following dispatch from Den
yer:
1.-THE sudden death in Washington Of
,, Wallace Pfeiffer, one Of our best
known and most respected citizens, is
deeply deplored by all who knew hin
and his unfortunate mother. He is thu
last Of her three sons, all of whom
have died within the year. The demise
Of Wallace leaves her entirely unpro
v1ded for. 1t was not known herr
that Mr. Pfeiffer intended to visi
Washington. He was supposed to g
in quite the opposite direction, having
said to more than one that he hat
business in San Francisco. His intru
sion into the house of Miss Moore
during the celebration of a marriage
in which he could have taken no per
sonal interest is explained in the fol
lowing manner by such as knew hi
mental peculiarities: Though a mer
chant by trade and latterly q miner IL