THE STORY-TELLER.

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 946, 16 July 1878, Page 2

THE STORY-TELLER.

WIPE IN NAME ONLY. By the author of " Doha Thokne," "Ox Her "Wedding Moen," "Redeemed by Love," "A Woman's ■Wa<'-&c &n. (Continued fi'om last Saturday's issue). CHArTER XXIII. On the morning tha. she Trent away, the Duchess sent for her to her room. She told her all she intended doing as regarded the elaborate and magnificent trousseau, preparing for her. Madaline was overwhelmed. ' You are too good to me,' sh(?

said— < yon spoil me. How am Ito thank you V « Your wedding - dress plain, simple, but rioh, to suit the occasion ' — w ill be sent to St. Mildred's,' said the Duchess—' also a handsome travelling-costuini'; hut, all the rest of the packages can bo sjnt to Beechgrove. You will need them only there/ Madaline kissed the hand extended to her. * I shall never know how to thank you,' she said. A peculiar smile passed over the darkly-beautiful face. ' I think you will,' returned the .Duchess. ' 1 oan imagine what blessings you will some day invoke on my name.' Then she withdrew her hand suddenly from the touch of the pure sweet lips.

' Good-bye Madaline,' she said ; and it was long before the young girl saw the fair face of the Duchess again. Just as she was quitting the room Philippa placed a packet in her hand. 'You will carefully observe the directions given in this V she said ; and Madaline promised to do so. The time at dt. Mildred's soon passed. It was a quiet picturesque village, standing at the foot of a green hill facing the bay. There was little to' be seen, except the shining sea and the blue sky. An old church called St. Mildred's stood on the hill-top. Few strangers i ever visited the little wateringplace. The residents were people who preferred quite and beautiful scenery to everything else, There was an hotel called + he Queen's, where the few strangors that came mostly resided ; and just facing the sea stood a newly-built terrace of houses called Sea View, where other visitors also adjourned. It was just the place for lovers' dreams—a shining sea, golden sands, white cliffs with little nooks and bays, pretty shaded walks on the hill-top. Madaline's great happiness was

delightful to see The fair face grew radiant in its loveliness; the blue eyes shone brightly. Therewas the delight, too, every day of inspecting the parcels that arrived one after the other ; but the greatest pleasure of all was afforded by the weddincr-dress. It was plain, simple, yet, in its way, a work of art—a rich white silk, with little lace or trimming, yet looking so like a wedding-dress that no one could mistake it. There were snowy gloves and shoes; in fact, everything was perfect, selected by no common taste, the gift of no illiberal hand. Was it foolish of her to kiss the white folds while the tears filled her eyes, and to think to herself that she was the- happiest creature under the son ? Was it foolish of her to touch the pretty bridal robes with soft, caressing fingers, as though they were some living thing that she loved —to place them where the sunbeams fell on them, to admire them in eveiy different fold and arrangement ? Then the eventful day came— Lord Arleigh and Madaline were to be married at an early hour. ' Not,' said Lord Arleigh, proudly, ' that there is any need for concealment —why should there be?—but you see, Lady Peters, if it were known .that it was my wedding-day, I have so many friends, so many relatives, that privacy would be impossible for us; therefore, the world has not been enlightened as to when I intend to claim to claim my darling for my own.' ' It is a strange marriage for an Arleigh/ observed Lady Peters—- ' the first of its kind, I am sure. But I think you are right;—your plan is wise.' All the outward show made at the wedding consisted in. the rapid driving of a carriage from the hotel to the church—a carriage containing two ladies—one young, fair, charming as a spring rooming; the other, older, graver, and more sedate.

The young girl wa3 fair and sweet, her golden hair shining through the marriage veil, her blue eyes wet with unshed tears, her face flushed with daintiest rose-leaf bloom.

It wa3 a pleasant spectacle to see the dark, handsome face of her lover as he greeted her, the love that shone in his eyes, the pride of jbis manner, as though he would place her before the whole world and defy it to produce one so graceful or fair. Lady Peter's face softened and her heart beat as she •walked up to the altar ■with them. This was true love. So the grand old words of the marriage-service were pronounced—they were promised to each other for better, for worse, for weal for woe never to part until death parted them —to be each other's world. It was the very morning for a bride. Heaven *uid earth smiled their brightest, the sunshine was golden, the aotnmn flowers bloomed fair the autumn foliage had assumed its rich hues of crimson and of burnished gold, there was a bright li<rbt over the aea and the hill-tops. *Only one little contretemps happened at the wedding.. Madaline jailed at it, Lord Arleigh was too happy even to notice it, but Lady Peters grew pale at the occurrence ; for, according <*>. her old ideas, it augured ill. . Just as Lord Arleigh was putting Mip i-ino- on the finger of his fair ■GSn"bride it slipped and fell to.he LonSd. tye church was m ott ' r

fashioned one, and they were graves and vaults all down the aisle. Away rolled the little golden ring, and when Lord Arleigh stooped down he could not see it. He was for some few minutes searching for it, and then he it—it had rolled into the hollow of a large letter on one of the level gravestones.

Involuntarily he kissed it as ho lifted it from the ground ; it was too cruel for anything belonging to that fair young bride to have been brought into contact with death. Lady Peters noticed the little incident with a shudder, Madaline merely smiled. Then the ceremony was over —Lord Arleigh and Madaline were man and wife. It seemed to him that the whole world around him was transformed.

To be Continued.

When you toish to Furnish your House, obtain a Book Catalogue ftom the City Hall Arcade, which contains valuable information, not only enumerating what can be obtained there but showing the cost of Furnishing a Three, Four, Five, and Six-roonied House; also, Drawingroom separately, and Bachelors' Booms. Just received, some magnificent all-wool Kidderminster Carpets, for Dining and Beriroooia; very"cheap Tapestry, Brussels and -felt Carpets : the largest stock in I Auckland. All kinds of House Furniture, and an immense assortment of Bedsteads in Iron, Brass, Kauri, Cedar, Rimu, Mottled Kauri; with Wardrobes, Drawers, Washstaods, and Tables to match. Diniffg and Drawingrooir. Suites to suit all classes. Several new designs in Linoleum ; Oilcloths, all widths, for Rooms, Halls, Stairs, &c. Any kiud of Furniture made to order. Hotela and Public Buildings Furnished throughout-. Catalogues sent Post Free. Ladies and Gentlemen about to Furnish are invited to stroll through the * Arcade,' where, in addition to House-Furnishing Goods, will be seen Drapery, Clothiog, Millinery, and Fancy Goods, Holioway, Gabltch, and Cranwell, Proprietors, City Hall Arcade, Queen-street Auckland-