Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-11-19

little force, urging ner up before the
supposed clergyman, whom heard say
harshly:
81 am tired of this vacillation. If
you are going to marry this man let
us proceed with the ceremony; if not
let us 60"
At the same time the would be groom
changed his manner from persuasion
to something resembling severity, and
l could see that they were trying to in
fluence the girl to do that which she
felt she ought not to do. In this way
she was induced to stand before the
clergyman, and he began the marriage
service. But he had spoken only few
words when she broke away from
them and ran like a deer down the
aisle. The groom ran after her, but
she had got the start of him, and the
distance was short. She ran into my
arms. Whether it was the shock at
finding a man where she had supposed
there was no one or she believed she
had been headed off in her fight l
know not, but she gave a shrek.
Fear nothing" l said to her. 81
am a friend, a protector"
This treasured her, and she chung
to me.
The would be groom came up and,
looking at me, angrily asked, "Who are
you, and what are you doing here|
"Who l am" l replied, docs not
matter, and what 1 am doing here is
self evident. Just at present l am
keeping this girl from an imposition
I don't know who you are, but l do
know that the man who is playing
parsOn is livery stable keeper from
whom | have occasionally hired a
horse"
Before | had finished the liveryman
disappeared through a door back Of
the pulpit: The other stood, evidently
uncertain what to do. The girl, who
had received from me information
which astCnished her, turned upon the
man from whom she had escaped like
him with bowed head She finished in
tears:
"If l have done wrong it has been
through love of you
Don't you believe that story" l
said to the girl "A man who loves a
woman does not try to draw her into
Il mock marriage"
| saw by the mans appearance, his
manner and his dress that he was
what we call high bred, and it was
plain that he had no intention of mar
rying the girl. But | saw no advan-
tage in discussing the matter further.
"Will you come with me-? l asked
her
COR me?' said the other, with a
pleading look
There was evidence of the mans
power over her, for she hesitated a
moment, then put her arm through
mine and l led her away. Leaving
the man in the church, we stepped out
into the night.
There were the same stars in the
heavens that | had seen but a few
minutes before, but l looked up at
them with a different feeling. Then
there was mingled with the awe I felt
in their solemn grandeur a sense of
my human insignifcance, uselcssness.
Now there was in me the conscious
ness that | had saved a fellow being
from wreck.
There was another feeling. l could
not get rid of an impression that the
spirit of the woman I had seen pass
from life to eternity might have had
something to No with my having pass
ed the church in time to save a soul
though I had failed in saving a life.
"Where shall l take your l asked
the girl
Home"
Instead of going in the direction
would go she turned and walked the
other way. AS we proceeded she gave
me her story in brief. She had been
to the city studying art. There she
had met the man from whom l had
saved her. He had courted her, but
she had suspected him. To get rid of
his influence she had started for home
He had taken the same train and play.
ed his game so well that he persuaded
her to 90 back with him as his wife
The rest l knew.
We were walking over the same road
l had traversed in going to see my
patient. Then l had had companion
a man suffering from anxiety. Now
my companion was girl who had
barely escaped a great evil. Some
where down in me was a glimmerine
sensation that all these happenings
we've parts of a connected story.
looked up again at the stars, wonder
ing if they knew what was but n faint
impression to gle.
The house where lay my last patient
was on the road we were traversing
When we reached it the girl stopped
This is
| gasped.
Home. have come back to my
father and mother"
For the first time in my life shirk
ed professional duty. | should have
prepared this girl for what she was tC
meet. could not bring myself TO dc
So / took her hand. kissed it and witt
a "God bless you" sohbcd rather thar
spoken. turned away.
Expressions of Love.