Year: 1870

my uncle would have had a great


many guests invited, but both Ernest
and myself desired a quiet wedding
Uncle and aunt had selected for nv
trosseau the finest materials that could
be bought My aunt was ambitious,
and although she did not like me, she


wanted people to know thatsI had been
| well cared for. Helen and Laura CIR
nests sister, were to be my bridesmaids.
They, with the assistance of my aunt's
maid, commenced to dress my hair
about half an hour before Ernest was
expected by the afternoon train They
were some time doing this for they
dec Jared my hair was bewitched, for
they could not get it TO stay in It's prop
er place at all. Then they remarked,
laughiugly, that it was because so
many were working at it.


sat there with dressing gown on,
scarcely hearing their gay chatter, with
my thoughts wandering far into the dim
future.


/ They were twining string Of pearls
in my hair, when Laura said


"Surely it is time for Ernest to
come; yes, it is half past twoi the train
should have come at two"


Just then there was a slight commo-
ton in the lower hall.


Il presume that is he and the
two groomsmen now. Come Laura,
we must 60 and dress. We will be
back in time to dress you, Floy." And
they left the room together


Some one knocked at my door, soon
after. Ioponed it, 1t was my nncla
he was pale and much agitated. Put
ting his arm around me, he said:


"Floy, my dear, dear girl, can you
bear bad news?"


A shudder passed over me. My
trembling lips could hardly articulate
the words: "Is Ernest i'll! tell me
quickly"


"My dear child, about a mile from
here, the train met with an accident"
waited to hear no more, but sprang
past him and rushed down stairs. There
was quite crowd in the drawing room.
Laura was moaning and wailing pito.
ously. They all stood aside when they
saw me, and there on the sofa was my
Ernest. One glance at the white, fixed
face told me the worst. He was dead.
The room suddenly grew dark, and |
lost all consciousness of what passed"


Florence Elton paused for time,
overcome by emotion Mamma and
myself were both shedding tears


'!When l awoke 10 consciousness, |
found myself in my own room. Sew
eral ladies were around my bed. They
had been applying remedies to restore
me, and when they saw had opened
my eyes, they left the room with the ex
ception of Helen, who threw her arms
around my neck and bursting into tears
said:


"Oh my poor Floy, how l grieve for
you"


Then memory came back and told
me what had happened Oh, that dread
awakening. l begged Helen to leave
me, and stole quietly down stairs into
the room where he was. He was still
lying on the sofa, where they had first
placed him, A light breeze coming in
through the open window, played with
a lock of hair that lay on bis white brow,
and at frs t ] was almost persuaded that
he was alive. 1t seemed so incredible
that he should be killed, In the glory of
bis early manhood. There was no one
in the room. / was alone with the
dead. sank on the floor. by his side,
and took that lifeless hand in mine.
Alas! never more would it return an
answering clasp. Those cold lips could
not return the passionate kisses press
ed upon them The lids were closed
forever over the eyes that were wont to
beam lovingly upon me. But l will not
dwell on what is so painful to me. l !
could not weep, tears would not come
to assuage the great pain at my heart
Throughout the next few days l acted
like one in a dream. Ernest was buried
in the cemetery near my uncle's man
sion. The night after the funeral was
raying with delirium. My aunt told |
me afterward, that she heard me walk
ing about in my room, which was next
to hers, and becoming uneasy, she open
ed the door, / was standing in the
middle of the room, dressed in my bri-
dal robe, with lamp in my hand. l
murmured something about going to
Ts. IL -