The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-02
THE EVENING STORY
The Wedding March.
(By Temple Bailey.)

(By Temple Bailey.)
In the dimness of the little stone
church Hilda practiced the wedding
march Now and then tear
dropped on her fingers, but she went
braveIy on, repeating the hard pas
sages, never resting until the music
seemed to drip from her fingers as
she touched the keys. When the
crash of the last chords came, she
rose, and stood leaning over the choir
rail, looking down into the stiffness
and shadow beneath.
| "Oh, dear" came her little signing
complaint. "Oh, dear" and with
that she dropped down on one of the
cushioned seats and sobbed, tempest
| uously, but silently.
| She raised her head as quick step
sounded in the aisle beneath.
up there, Hilda?" called a mans
voice.
She Strengthened herself and wiped
the tears from her eyes with a
rolled-up wad of wet handkerchief.
Yes
Il heard you outside He looked
up at the girl. 81 heard you practfc-
ing the wedding march. Do you know
I simply can't see myself keeping sLep
to that thing
why not?" Hilda demanded.
He laughed sheepishly. ooh, don't
know-perhaps because the bride
groom always looks like such a fool
II the pride VINO counts, you know.
| tAnd such a BRIDE breathed Hilda-
Then, after a moments silence, she
made her generous effort, Such a
beautiful bride"
Look here" said the man below,
| come down, 1 want to talk to you"
With another furtive wipe of her
eyes, Eilda descended and selected a
pew in the darkest corner of the
church. Kent Cartwright sat down
beside her. Il want to talk to you."
he said. There's something dread
fully wrong, Hilda."
Her heart seemed to stop beating.
What do you mean?''
Just this-a bridegroom ought to
go happily, joyously to his wedding.
I-why, Hilda, I know Margaret's the
I'm a lucky fellow, and yet dread
tomorrow feel that, if there we're
any way on earth to get out of it
without dishonor, without hurting
Margaret, that I'd do it,
Hilda trembled in the silence which
followed the fierce, tense sentences.
''Oh, how did it happen?" she began
finally.
1T was the usual thing" he said
YEARLY she came here in all the
wonder of her city ways-and she
seemed like a being from a different
planet. You know how I went mad
over her-and how I forgot the claims
even of my friendship for you. I didn't
come to see you for weeks, and it's
a wonder you did not break our COM
pact of good fellowship then and there,
but you were so sweet about Mar
garrett
Hilda remembered the agony of those
days when Kent, the friend of her
girlhood. had deserted her for Mar
garet wainwright. OF course, she had
not blamed him.
You were so sweet" he repeated.
Something in his tone startled the
listening girl. You have stage fright,
Kent" she said; its just the ceremony
you are dreading."
Don't" he interrupted her, don't
try to smooth it over. I've done an
awful thing, Hnda Ware-I am going
to marry Margaret Wainwright tomor-
row, yet there's 10 one in the world
love but YOU.
For one moment Hilda's heart leap
ed. 1t seemed to her that all the
years she would so happily because
she had heard Kent Cartwright say.
Il love YOU Then she rose with
quiet dignity. Il don't think you know
what you are saying she said.
and looked down into her pale face.
"Hilda.' he said, sharply. you've been
crying
yes" she said simply, but we
mustn't talk about that. We must
talk about what you are to do to-
You can't break M1rgarets heart"
so 1 must break my own" His
eyes were blazing in his white face.
II had to tell you, Hilda. Oh, it's
all a muddle,'' Kent said. Sometimes
1 think that she doesn't care for me
she seems to care Only for herself
Hilda had thought that. Pretty Mar
garet had lived such a butterfly life,
and Kent had followed bewildered in
her wake. Il suppose I've got to go
on with it, he said heavily.
Hilda knew that the decision lay
in her hands. If she said YES" Kent
know that his feeling was recipro-
Gated, nothing could avert a catastro-
phe
She tried to speak staidly. "Of
she said, you must go on
Tomorrow morning you will feel as
brave as lion. Go, take long walk
and get back to normal"
Come walk with me- he begged.
He held out his hand. "Goodby.
Hilda.''
His voice broke, and, almost totter-
ing, she fled from him up the stairs. |
"Goodby." she called from the organ |
loft, and heard him go out of the |
church.
her agony. Then shc went back to |
her task. With trem bling fingers she |
tried to play, but found that she could /
not. The twilight came, and the
darkness. and still she sat, her head |
on her hands. her hands on the KEYS, |
out upon the silence of the church |
the sound of voices.
TT is safest in here she heard a 4