CHAPTER XLIV. MARRIAGE BELLS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 365, 4 May 1889, Page 6

CHAPTER XLIV. MARRIAGE BELLS.

Tiiuui: was snow everywhere. Snow hiding the gravel-paths, and ieducing the flower-bed.s to one uniform level ; snow piled up inch-high on the stately dark-green boughs of the cedartree ; snow tumbling off the shining lauielleaves in little loosened patches ; sno^v on the house-tops, eaves, and window-sills ; and snow falling softly and continuously, in dense irregular flakes, to the ground. Dulcio Shepperton, looking out on the bleak, ice-bound land, rejoiced that on this her wedding-day naturehad sympathetically decked herself in sombre tints in unison with her own feelings ; for had the sun shone, it would have- teemed like a bitter mockery. A short, dreary drive to the parish chui-cb, a ru 4 h for shelter under the porch, a gathering of pink and blue biidesoiaidt, a procession up the aisle, two hundred pairs of cuiious eyes all fixed at the same moment upon her downca&b countenance, and then she found herself standing beside the holy altar with Dennis Denver. The little church with its quaintly latticed windows and carved oak chancel, was filled to overflowing with smartly dressed people all whispering and fidgeting, and rustling and craning to catch sight of the bride. Meanwhile, the organ played sweet dreamy music fa thousand times too beautiful, Dulcie thought, for so harrowing an occasion), the village choir sang a specially prepaied anthem and then the clergyman commenced reading the marriage ceremony in a low impressive voice. 'I, Dulcibel Agnes,' she repeated, mechanically, • take thee Dennis, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to' love,' faltering unconsciously as she pronounced the word, v cheiisb, and obey, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance, and thereto I give thee my troth.' Oh, the solemn, solemn words ! How much misery and how many heart-aches are they not iesponMble for, binding as they do incongruous spirits together in one long torture, from which there is no escape except through ?in or death ! Peop ] c get married lightly, without due consideration, never sufficiently weighing the sacrcdnesb of matrimony ; and their friends come and chatter and spy and examine each other's garments as if the whole thing were an excellentspectacle and a very good jest. They eat, they drink, they make merry, and lose sight of the gravity of the situation — of the almoso impossible bonds two human beings assume. Were the formula changed, were it put thus, foi instance : 'we will strive to jog along to the best of our mutual ability,' there might exist more chance of such promises being fulfilled : but.asitis,no wonderso many failures occur, ending in dismal tragedies and, for the woman, wretchedness. Suddenly the cold touch of the weddingring being slipped over her finger recalled Dnlcie to life. It was no dream, then, but a horrible reality, and she Avas married — with no possibility of freedom, unless through Death— death either for her or for him — and at the thought of him her pulses quickened insensibly. But now the organ pealed out loud and biiumphant, flooding the lictle church with joyous waves of melody as it rolled forth the ' Wedding March,' while the bride and bridegroom, accompanied by their most immediate relations, disappeared vithin the vestry to sign their names in the register. Then they marched down the aisle arm-in-arm and stepped into the happy husband's superb equipage, horses and men being decorated with orange blossoms and white satin favours, as befitting so auspicious an occasion. Dulcie glanced at the clock. It wanted still a few minutes to twelve. The whole ceremony had occupied little over half an hour, and yet in that short time, her fate had been irrevocably sealed. (To be continued.)