The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1906-10-17
O~(~~~~S~~~~~~~N
ANBsIlyed Wedding
[original.l

! but It wasn't-had called on the morn
ing Of his wedding for a final word
with his fancee In order to make sure
that nothing had been forgotten. They
were to be married at high noon, and
II wassnow ii O'Clock. Btt the groom
/ was In costume, even to the bouton-
I Mere, and the bride needed only to put
few finishing touches to her toilet.
! After giving and receiving a few
/ final reminders Mr.. Peter, accompanied
by Miss Blossom, his bride to be, wens
/ into the hall and through the front
door, backing himself out in order to
keep up his instructions and his eyes
on his fiancee till the last moment. He
descended the steps In this reverse OF.
der, then turned, and the door closed
at the same moment
Now, In anticipation of a coal strike
Miss Blossoms father was getting ia
his annual supply OF fuel, A coal wag-
on had just driven away, and the
HEAVIER had forgotten to replace the lid
on the coal hole. The consequence wa
that as Mr.. Peter turned and took
step forward he felt himself sink, and
In another moment he was knee deep
In q coal heap.
The only injury he suffered was
scraping the skin of his left arm. lie
looked up and saw that he could al
most reach the round opening above
him, but to do so would require Q
jump. To jump on heap Of coal is
like jumping on a qulcksand
When he was thinking what to do
suddenly the lid was clapped on the
coal hole. Some one passing had seen
the opening in the sidewalk and, sup
posing he was doing a kindly act, p.
on the lid. Mr.. Peter cried out, but too
late. The benefactor-to some one else
than Mr.. Peter-passed on.
From an anticipated wedding cere-
mony In fashionable church, in the
presence of fashionable assembly.
TO coal hole even with the lid of and
sunlight Is not pleasant transition,
but with a closure and darkness Mr.
Peter found 1t narrowing, especially
as he might not get out In time for
the wedding, 1t is singular what
thoughts will pass through the brain
at such a time. Many a person upon
learning Of some calamity has had an
absurdity thrust itself into his brain.
Mfr. Peter was a college bred man
and, being impressed with the readi-
ness with which he had reached his
present position, remembered an adage
of the ancients, easy Is the descent
to hell" This he kept repeating-or.
rather It kent repeating itself without
asking his pArmission--ti he was re,
minded that he had better be devising
some method Of Escape.
But there was no escape. The only
egress was a shute for the coal, but
this was not practicable for Mr.. Pc
ter, because It must be opened from
the outside. In fifty minutes his wed.
| ding would be due. He saw the peo-
pie assembling, the bride and her at
tendants going to the church, then
waiting for him IN the vestlbule; ush.
ers going to the doors and looking IN
the street for him. anxious facesl the
bride troubled and hnany in tears
This Is what Mr. Peter saw In the
coal hole, and II was what occurred,
/ He took no note Of time till clock In
\ a church tower near by struck the
hour of 10. Then he knew that the
wedding party was waiting that pc
4 Rod Of suspense which must lead u
( he knew not what had begun,
At the last stroke Of the. clock he
\ heard a step In the adjoining apart,
ment-donbtles the cellar. Only 4
! board partition separated him from Il.
| He cried our, There was an interval
Of silence then voice;
'What is it2 Who Is itq"
Mr.. Peter dreading lest the person
would take to flight cried Justify for
help. After some delay the coal shute,
which fortunately was above the par,
TALLY filled bin, was opened by a serv
ant, and Mr.. Peter stepped out.
The first thing he did was to look al
his watch. II was I'VE minutes past II
Dashlng mp the stairs. he gained the
bathroom. aud glance In mirror
showed him a dusky face. Plunging II
and his hands into basin of water. he
buttoned his coat as high as possible
over his smudged collar and. descend
ing with lightning speed to the street,
ran toward the church On the way
he passed an erApty cab. which he
hailed. and few minutes later dashed
up 70 the church,
Three ushers were stralnlng theE
eyes up and down for him. Mr. Pc
ter was hustled inside, where he was
greeted by the bride to be with min
CLING OF anger, tears and signs OF re-
lief There was no time for explanG.
tons since the guests had already
been kept too long waiting. Mr.. Pete
took his proper position. with bis su.
, ports, on the opposite side of the vest.
bule. there was a creaking Of the organ
bellows, aud the divided wedding par,
ty, uniting In the center aisle. ad,
Yaneed to the strains OF a wedding
march
MIR, Peters coat being black and hls
/ trOusarS dark rfeay his shirt rnllap -