The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-03-04


see her daughter busy preparing our
evening meal
The old woman sat down upon the
stone sill. and wiped the perspiratlon
from her brow.
We've run risk, she said; II wed
ha' fingered another half hour tWouid
ha' been the last O. us. No enc ever lives
as once sets eyes upon the bride. One
man was foolhardy enough to try it long
ago; Ae waited and watched to see the
bride come, and he was never heard Of
again, !"
She must be a terrible bride, then"
/ answered, sitting down beside her:
won't YOU tell me about her? Tell me
the story from beginning to end. There
is a story, isn't there..
oh, yes. I've told it hundreds o times
In my day. Listen. and you shall hear It.
It all happened centuries ago, when The
old church yonder was Just building.
A great gentleman come across the
sea from England-Lord Stewart by
name. He lived in a great house down
among the hills below there. and had nc
silver to eat out of, and fine carriages to
ride in and his daughter was the grand
est LADY in the whole country. and the
handsomest, She had a skin like the
snow, and cheeks like primroses, and
eyes like stars, and she wore gowns o.
the finest silk ever Wove.
Well, Lord Stewart meant to marry
her to some great man who was to come
across from England, but the Lady
Beatrice, that was her name, what
should she do but fall in love with 4ne
head architect. who was building the old
church down yonder.
He was a fine young fellow, but he
come O the people, and WASH t over rieh,
and he daren't show himself at Lord
Stewards great house. SO every evening
at twilight the Lady Beatrice she comes
down to the church to meet him, ana
they walks up and down. a salkfng d
their love, till the. midnight stars vert
a shining overhead
Lord Stewart he knows nothing
about it, and he sends 10 England for the
fine gentleman to come over and marry
his daughter. And he comes. and puts
q glittering ring on Lady Beatriee's fin
ger. and the wedding day IS fixed, and the
wedding fnery a making up-White silks
and satins, and Iaces. such as never was
seen afore under the sun.
And Lady Beatrice is afraid to say a
word, but she goes on meeting her lover
Every evening at twilight she goes down
to the church, and If he isn't there she
falls to singing in her soft. sweet voice,
and he hears her, and comes. and they
walk up and down together.
But at last the wedding day comes,
and the wedding feast Is cooked, and all
the grand wedding guests invited. And
the wedding fInery is all in readiness,
and Lord Stewart commands his daugh-
ter to get ready for the marriage. And
she dare not disobey, or open her mouth
to tell him word about the man she
loves. So she sits white and still like
ghost, while they robe her in the white
silks and laees. and jewels, and then
they lead her down the great stairway,
and put her in tae waiting carriage, and
the grand wedding party drives down TO
the new church. They are 20 be married
there, the very first marriage before the
new altar.
A groom gaIons ahead. to bid the
mead architect have the sells in readi-
ness to ring for the wedding. and he goes
up on the dizzy steeple, in a great hurry.
TO see for himself that ali IS right He
has heard nothing of the marriage, and
has no dream that lady Beatrice is to be
the bride.
But presently he looks down, just az
the grand party comes dashing IN. and
he sees Lady Beatrice come walking up
the steps, all in her white silks and laces,
with her white veil flowing to her feet.
and she a leaning on the arm OF the fine
English gentleman. All In minute it
flashes through his mind, WHAT going
to be-that Lady Beatrice has played
him false, and has come to church to be
made another man S bride
He grows blind and sick. and reels
where he stands, and presently he fails
keadlong down from the dizzy sfeeple.
He strikes the fagstones in the court
yard, right at Lady Beatrice s feet, as she
comes sweeping up on her bridegroomsa
arm
She sees him, and knows him, ana
falls on her knees beside him, with an
awful cry The blood stains her white
marriage robes, and the white roses In
her hair fall ont, and lay dabbled In
pool Of red blood.
They raise her up, and carry her OF.
III II