The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-04-04
THE CHOSTLY
BRIDEGROOM
BY JAMES ALLEN.

waited at the station in a fever o
\ impatien Wantman had not come
on the 2;30 train, and the wedding
4 was to be al four o'clock
\ y have been unexpectedly de
I tanned" he had telegraphed from Mil
\ waukee al noon. But life or death,
I viii be there liz ti.1e.
I III tho 1925 was on time, and he
I came on that train we would barely
I have time to reach the church at the
stroke Of four. He would be com
PEELED to appear, dusty and travel
stained, before his bride and her
friends Perhaps he would come in a
special. could only wait and hope.
Life or death, ! will be there IN
time. he had said, and Wantman
never lied
went into the telephone booth ana
called up the house. "Wantman has
been detained, but he says he will be
at the church on time. ] am waiting
for the last train
what shall we do?" demanded
Helen father
Il think you are safe in waiting at
the church" | said Il don't know
what else can be done. He said he
would be here In time, and unless ne
sends word to the contrary We must
depend upon him. II he Is alive ne
either viii be here OF send word.
After that had no further message.
waited. waited, waited.
The train was late, OF course. When
waS II ever on time when you we're
waiting for ita
II was ;55 when it came, and
Wantman was not on board.
leaped into the carriage and drove
madly to the church, where ] knew
the bridal party would BIO waiting.
Poor Helen.
[ met Beaumont at the door.
"He did not come, | cried.
20. yes. he came at the stroke OF
four" said Beaumont lyon have
missed him somehow. The ceremony
must be over by this time, And say"
he drew me to one side and spoke
in whispers something awful must
have happened to Wantman He vas
white as ghost aud he did not speak
nor look to right or left II made me
shiver just 10 see him Look, there
they come now"
AS the bridal party left the church
/ saw that Wantman indeed was as
white as a ghost His eyes turned
toward me for one heeting moment,
but there was no speculation I'M them.
They were like the wide staring eyes
of d man who just has died.
Helen clung 10 his arm She seemed
terrified. bur she was nor weeping.
Al they disappeared In the carriage,
BY some fiendish mischance or else
as the result OF some hideons joke,
the organ pealed forth funeral
march.
A shudder passed over the throng
OF guests. | could hear some OF the
women weeping Historically
With a curse that could not
restrain leaped into carriage by
Beaumont's side and we were driven
-ranidly to the house. We reached
the door ahead of the, brides carriage.
and as the door was thrown open the
vehicle in which the couple had rid
den seemed 10 be empty
Wantman was not there.
Helen was huddled on the floor, I'M
conscious, a pitifui thing.
Her father took her in his arms
and carried her into the house.
As we gathered at the door, silent,
aghast the driver was swearing that
his vehicle had not been stopped, and
that the carriage door had not been
opened between the church and the
house
What hideous mystery was before
us? We We're soon to know, for a
messenger came with telegram, and
I opened it and read
"Wantman was killed In runaway
at - o'clock rs he drove to the sta
ton at Milwaukee,
Subsequent investigations proved
that the message was torvect.
There could be no posdble doubt
or dispute Of the fact He had been
driving madly to the station in cab
there had been a collision, and the
lifeless Wantman had been taken
from the wrecked vehicle. His body
had been taken in charge by the po-
lice. and in the delay that was caused
by identification and addresses, word
was not sent to US until half past four
O'Clock
At the time of the ceremony, when
wantman appeared in the church be-
side his waiting bride, before scores
of people who knew him and won
dered at his spectral appearance and
inanimate respouses-at this time
Wantman was lying dead in Milwau-
kee.
II is unbelieyable-I myself cannot
believe II.
But these arc the facts.
Wantman was killed In Milwaukee
at noon.
He was married in Chicago at four
O'Clock in the afternoon.
Alive or dead. viii be there in