Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-06-25
CHATTER XVI

The situation of the party in Mr..
Wharton's dwelling was sufficiently awk-
ward during Caesars absence. The bride
and bridegroom are immemorially priv
LEGGED to be dull, and but few of their
friends seemed disposed to dishonor their
example. The English colonel exhibited
a proper portion OF uneasiness at this I'M
expected interruption of his felicity and
he sat with varying countenance by the
side of Sarah In the midst of this en-
barrassing silence, DIR. Sitgreaves adj
dressed himself to Miss Peyton, by whose
side he had eontrived to procure chair.
Marriage, madam, is pronounced TO be
honorable in the sight of God and man (;
and ii may be said to be reduced, in
the present age, to the laws of nature
and reason. The ancients, in sanctioning
polygamy, lost sight of the provisions of
nature, and condemned thousands to mis-
cry but with the increase OF science
have grown the wise ordinances of so
ciety, which ordain that man should be
the husband OF but one woman"
Wellmere glanced fierce expression of
disgust at the surgeon, while Miss Pey-
ton, with a slight hesitation, as if fearful
of touching on forbidden subjects, re-
piled
II had thought, sir, that we were in
debted to the Christian religion for our
morals on this subject"
True. madam. il is somewhere provid-
ed in the prescriptions of the apostles.
that the sexes should henceforth be on an
equality In this particular. But ip what
degree could polygamy affect holiness of
life? 1t was probably a wise arrange
ment of Paul, who was much of a
scholar, and probably had frequent con-
ferences on this important subject with
Luke, whom we all know to have been
bred to the practice of medicine"
There is no telling how far the discurs-
I've fancy of Sitgreaves might have led
him on this subject, had he not been in
terrupted. But Lawton, who had been
close though silent observer of all that
passed, profted by the hint to ask, abb
ruptly:
Pray. Colonel WeTlmere. in what man
ner is bgamy punished in England?"
The bridegroom started, and his lip
blanched. Recovering himself however,
on the instant, he answered, with a Suav-
ity that became so happy man:
Death las such an offense merits"
he said
Death and dissection" continued the
operator; lit is seldom that the law loses
sight of eventual utility in a malefactor
Bigamy. ia a man, is a heinOus offense."
Wellmere, as if unable 10 listen with
any degree of patience to so ill-timed a
dialogue. sprang from his seat, and paced
the floor in disorder. Plying his situa-
ton. the reverend gentleman. who was
patiently awaiting the return of Cesar.
changed the discourse, and few minutes
brought the black himself. The ring was
handed to Or. Sitgreaves. 4 transient
look of melancholy clouded the brow of
the surgeon. as he stood a moment and
gazed silently on the bauble. while he
sohloQuized as follows:
Poor Anna, gay as innocence aud
youth could make thee was thy heart.
when this eincture was formed to grace
thy nuptialS; but ere the hour HAD come.
God had taken thee TO himself. Years
have passed, my sister but never have |
forgotten the companion of my infancy :"
He advanced 70 Sarah, and, unconscious
OF observation, placing the ring on her
finger. continued: "She for whom il was
intended has long been in her grave. and
the youth who bestowed she gift soon fol
lowed her sainted spirit: take it. madam.
and God grant that it may be an instru-
ment in making you as happy as you de-
serve -
Sarah felt chill at her heart as this
burst Of feeling escaped the surgeon; but
Wellmere Offering his hand she was led
before the divine. and the ceremony be-
gan. The ring had been left, from inad-
vertency and the agitation of the mo-
ment. on the finger where Sitgreayes had
placed it. and the clergyman was about
to proceed. when a figure gliding into the
midst of tho party. at once put a stop to
the ceremony. Ii was tie peddler. His
look was bitter and ironicaL while fin
ger raised toward the dicine, seemed TO
forbid the ceremony to 20 any further.
-sCan Colonel Wellmere waste the pre-
cious moments here, when his wife has
crossed the ocean to meet him? The
nights are long. and the moon bright-a
few hours will take him to the city"
Aghast at the suddenness of this ex-