The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-03-03

lowed her across the green cOpse, |
through the moaning pine-ridge and up
to the low doorway of her little hut.
There was light within, and we could
see her daughter busy preparing our
evening meal.
The old woman sat down upon the
stone SILL and wiped the perspiration
from her brow.
We've run risk" she said; 'if we'd
ha' fingered another half hour 'twould
ha' been the last O. us. No one ever lives
as once sets eyes upon the bride. One
man was foolhardy enough to try 1t long
ago; he waited and watched to see the
bride come, and he was never heard of
again."
She must be terrible bride, then"
I answered, sitting down beside her;
won't you tell me about her? Tell me
the story from beginning to end. There
is story, isn't there?"
"Oh, yes, I've told it hundreds O. times
in my day. Listen, and you shall hear it.
1t 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 great house dowr
among the hills below there, and had no
end O. servants, and dishes O. gold and
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
snow, and cheeks like primroses, and
eyes like stars. and she wore gowns O.
the finest silk ever wove.
We'll, 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 the
head architect, who was building the old
church down yonder.
He was fine young fellow, but he
come O. the people, and wasn't over rich,
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, and
they walks up and down, a talking O
shining overhead.
Lord Stewart he knows nothing
about it, and he sends to England for the
fine gentleman to come over and marry
! his daughter. And he comes, and puts
a glittering ring on Lady Beatrice's fin.
ger, and the wedding day is fixed, and the
wedding finery making up-white silks
seen afore under the sun.
"And Lady Beatrice is afraid to say
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, sW eet 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 fnery 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 a word about the man she
loves. So she sits white and still like a
| ghost, while they robe her in the white
silks and laces. and jewels, and then
they lead her down the great stairway,
and put her in the waiting carriage, and
the grand wedding party drives down to
the new church. They are to be married
there. the very first marriage before the
new altar.
"A groom eallops ahead, to bid the
head architect have the bells 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 all 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 as
the grand party comes dashing up. and
he sees Lady Beatrice come walking I'D
the steps, all in her white silks and laces.
with her white veil flowing to her feet.
and she leaning on the arm of the fine
English gentleman. All in a minute it
flashes through his mind, what is a going
to be-that Lady Beatrice has PLAYED
him false, and has come to church to be
made another mans BRIDE
He grows blind and sick, and reels
where he stands, and presently he falls
headlong down from the dizzy steeple,
He strikes the fagstones in the court
yard. right at Lady Beatrice's feet, as She
comes sweeping up on her bridegroom's
arm.
She sees him, and knows him. and
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 out, and lay dabbled in q
pool of red blood.
They raise her up, and carry her off.
but the wedding does not go on, for the
poor lady lies in swoon, and that night
she dies, a calling on her dead lovers
name
THE next day, when the men came to
wash away the bloodstans from the
iagstones where the poor architect fell.
they find that Lady Beatrices bridal
roses have taken root, and are growing
betwixt the t1agstones in the courtyard.
| and instead of being white thev ,ro