Orangeburg times. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, April 03, 1872, Image 1
?2 i?j2r annum;
Voi 1.
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"On we move indissolubly firm; God and nature bid the same?'
TT VV'^^'imi-T_&
ORANGDBVRG, SOUTH CAROLINA? WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1872.
THE ORANGEBURG TIMES i
Ib published every
WEDNESDAY,
at
>R ANGF.BURG, C. II., SOUTH CAROLINA
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MARRIAGE AFTER BURIAL
A True Story. ' \
i1y fkancih h. smith.
CHAPTER I.
A ntoino Latourettc was a merchant in
the gay city of Paris. He was a man of
more than ordinary ability, and had
raised himself from a gamin of Paria to
an opulent and respected position in the
mercantile world.
Antoino had a bosom friend named
Francois Daman?also a merchant and
also rich.
Liitourettc had a beautiful daughter,
whom he called Pauline, and Damaahad
ti son, a noble-hearted and splendid-look
i.ig Vo itli. whom he had n lined An.oiue,
after his lift-long friend.
The two young people had loved each
other almoet from infancy, and wh?n they
were -till very young it waa agreed be
tween their,parents that they should
marry when they had .reached a proper
age.
That time was fast approaching. The
youth Antojnc had reached his twenty'
\ third yean, and Pauline was only three
I yean? Iiis junior. The wedding dey had
/ been fixed-ami all concerned were look
ing forward to the nuptials as a season of i
unalloyed happiness. Rut "the course
of true lovo never did run smooth," and
the loves of Antoine and Pauline were
no exception to the rule.
The merchunt Latourette had one weak
ness which overshadowed all his virtues.
Sprung from the lower order, of Pari
sians himself, he no sooner began to ae
cumulate wealth than the desire seized
I him to become the intimate of those high
above him in the social scale. His low
origin was the one thorn that rankled in
his side, and if he could have wiped out
the rocolleetion of his early days by the
sacrifice of his entire fortune he would
gladly have made that sacrifice and con
m sidercd himself the gainer by the ex
W change. And so it happened that just
on the eve of the marriage of our hero
* and heroine, the Marquis De Laporte
?n member of the old noblesse?wasintro
Brduced to tho proud old merchant. He
' was a roan some sixty years of age, Well
preserved, and of immense wealth. He
was unmarried, and having seen the fair
Pauline, fate decreed that he should fall
k desperately in love.with her, and fate also
I decreed that her father should favor the
I suit of her ancient but high-boru lover.
' In vain did the poor girl plead, with
tears in her eyes, that she should not he
sacrificed?in vain did the young lovor
?her affianced husband?beg and rave
jh by turns?in vain did his life-long friend,
^ Francois Dama?, appeal to his sense of
honor and point out to him the misery
which would too surely follow a union of
the marquis and Pauline. He was deaf
?alike to threats, anathemas and implora
tiona. Tho idea of his daughter forming
I so brilliant an alliance had fairly turned
W his head ondwraped his hotter judgment,
Banct he awcre his daughter should marry
her ancient suitor even though 8he died
the moment thereafter. * v
The merchant's will was all powerful
and the young couple were obliged to
submit.
? Their parting was a painful one?the
young lover was frantic with grief, and
urged his affianced, by every argument
which he could command, to fly with
him. The temptation was a fearful one,
hut her'seusc of duty and the dread of
pnrental anger outweighed nil other con
siderations, and she determined to accept
her fate with what philosophy Bhe could.
And so they separated?tho girl bag
ging her lover not to subject her to temp
tation by remaining near her; and in a
few weeks thereafter she was united to
her ancient lover.
Littlo satisfaction, however, did the
old marquis receive from the ituKoly
union; for scarcely hnd the marriage cer
emony cuded when the bride fell lifeless
to tho floor, and all efforts to recusitate
her proved entirely unavailing.
Great was the grief of the ancient
bridegroom, and deep was the remorso of
the bereaved father, as they followed the
lifeless body of the bride to the grand
mansion which the old marquis had fitted
up for her reception; nnd grand was the
funeral which only throe day.-? afterward
took place.
Among the mourners present nt the
funern 1 was the young lover, Autoiuc
Damn*. His presence was not prohibit
ed; now that the idol of his soul lay cold
tu death, and as ho stood by the side of
the grand coffin, looking down upon the
rigid features of the loved and lost, his
tears fell like ruin, and the bosom of the
strong man swelled with an agony which
ohlj those who have been similarly be
reaved can fully appreciate.
"Farewell, thou wildly-worshiped one!"
he mentally ejaculated; "thou hast enter
ed the realms of eternal light, and left
mo to bewail thy loss, but I will not re
main long away from thee! My soul
shall greet thine in Paradise ere thou hast
been a day buried! Then why should 1
weep 'I "he continued, as be hastily brush
ad the sorrowing drojw from bii eyes and
smiled hopefully. "Is it not better that
I should own thee in heaven, than that
auothcr should claim thee hero ? Away,
thou foolish tear! and rejoice, oh,'my
soul! for thy mate shall soon greet thee
where all is joy, and peace, and eternal
union !"
And so the beautiful dead was laid
away to rest in the grand family mauso
leum, where .slept the ancestors of the
old marquis; and when night hnd fnllan
upon tho scene, the bereaved lover took
his way to the lodge occupied by the old
sexton, who had charge of the grounds,
and knocked gently for admission.
Tho door wn* speedily opened, and the
sexton?a venerable, gray-haired man of
kindly aspect?stood before him.
"How now, my son ?" he said, gently,
as he gazed in some wonder nt the sor
rowing face of the youth; "why dost thou
seek admission into tho lodge of old
Joseph at this unusual hour?"
"Father," replied the youth, in a tone
of great tfarhestriess, "I would ask a favor
of thee."
"If, keeping strictly to the line of duty,
I can do anything to assuage thy grief,
my poor youth, or to assist thee in any
particular, I shall be only too happy to
do it," replied the scxtou, in a tone of
unfeigned sympathy. "So speak freely,
my son, and let me know how I can serve
thee."
"I desire to gain admittance into tho
tomb where my lost love is lying," re
turned Antoinc. "Do me but this favor,
father, and I will bless thee with my
latest breath."
"Your request is as unreasonable as to
grant it is impossible," returned the^ old
sexton, in a tone of sorrow. "Grief bus
turned thy brain, and rendered thee reck
less. Get the to thy homo, and to bed,
my poor boy, or thou i*iL Jjo a.fit sub
ject for the mud-house befove many days
roll by."
"I shall be a fit subject for the grave
ere te-inorrow, if thou dost not grant my
request," returned tbe youth, earnestly.
"Dost thou think, old man, that I can
sleep with this dend weight in my bosom ?
As well migbtcst tbou rocommoil repose
to one undergoing the torture of the rack
I tell thee, father, I mUs?%Strrny love to
night, or I shall be a raving maniac cro
morning! Let mo but look upon her
sweet face once agaiu, and press my lips
to hers, aud I will depart quietly?and
nobody need know that I had the
precious privilege. If thou dost feel for
mo the sympathy which thou dost affect
to feel," he continued, cl Aping hie baud
and fixing upon the old sexton a look of
pitiful entreaty, "I implore thecgrantme
this one tavor!"
"Thou art distracted, my son," replied
the old sexton, mournfully, "but 1 sup
pose no harm will come of granting thy
request, and so thou ?halt U*? gratified.
Come with me." And donning his
coat and hat hu lighted a lantern and the
two set forth in the dark together.
CHAPTERM
Home two months sub-^-ic-nt to the
event* narrated in the first chapter, a
grand ball commemorative of some im
portant evont in French history, took
place in the gny capital. It waa largelv
attended by ?11 the first citizens of Paris
as well as by n lurge number of the no
bility.
Among the latter was the old Marquis
De Lap?rtc, who bad not yet ceased to
mourn for his fair bride, and who had at
tended the ball more to get away from
his somber thoughts than from any other
motive.
The dance progressed. "Wit and re
partee was heard on every sido from the,
most brilliant representatives of Parisian
society, and the enjoyment was at its
height, when suddenly tho Marquis De
Laporte, who sat conversing with a friend
started as though he had received an
electric shock; and seizing his compan
ion's arm asked excitedly :
"Count, who is that lady hanging on
the arm of young Damns? Do you know
her?"
His friend fixed his eyes upon the
lady to whom his attention had been
called, and after a careful scrutiny re
plied :
"Her countenance is very familiar to
me, my dear marquis, and but that I
know the thing is impossible I would
swear she was Pauline La ton rette, your
recently deceased wife!"
"I would not trust my own eyes," re
turned tho marquis, with no less excite
ment than before, "for my imagination
conjures up her face in every woman.
I look at, and 1 did not know but I might,
be mistaken. She is certainly singularly
like my dead darling! I must be introduced
to her. T could not sleep to-night other
wise." And rising from his seat he ap
proached tho couple.
"Good evening, Monsieur Damas," he
said, as he reached them?"it is some
weoks since T.saw you last, and I am re
joiced to sec that yon arc looking much
better than you did. Have you been
traveling?"
"Not far," retorted young Damas, who
looked much embarrassed, "I have been
a little tray into the country?that ii all!"
''Andkliere I suppose you made the
acquaintance of your fair companion, ch?"
asked tho marquis, as he fixed a search-'
jng gaxe upon the young Ja,dy, , who, ?al-;
though she tried hard to preserve' her
soif-control, trembled in ovcry joint.
"Come, Antoine,-introdnce ??!^-??
"This is Mademoiecllo Duval, a cousin
of mine," returned young Daman, unhes
itatingly?then turning to the lady, he
added: "Cousin Antoinette, this is the
Marquis Dc Laporte, an old friend."
The lady bowed gracefully, but flush
ed crimson as she did so, and the old
marquis, after regarding her in silence
for some time, .said:
"You will pardon me, mademoiselle *
but you bear to close a resemblance to
my dead wife that 1 cannot help regar
ding you with more scrutiny than strict
etiquette would porhaps warrant."
"I feel flattered to betohl by so distin
guished a person as the Marquis Do La
perte that 1 resemble his wife," relumed
the lady, smiling; "but is not resemblance
purely imaginary on your part?"
"Imaginary!" exclaimed the marquis,
excitedly; "far from it! There is no im
agination about it! Why, the voice itself
is that of my lost Paultue, and, as I live,
you have a mole on the neck in the exact
place and of the same appearance that
she had! This is wonderful! Pardon me
mademoiselle, but you will gratify me
greatly, by giving ma the particulars of
)our birth and parentage."
"I would do so cheerfully marquis,"
returned the lad}*, now greatly embar
rassed, "but 1-I-J-" >
Here Antoiuc Damns came to her as
sistance.
"Pardon me, marquis," he said, in a
whisper so low that the lady did not hear
him; "Mademoisolle Duval is my .af
fianced wife. You have already deprived
me of one w ife and you shall not deprive
me of abother if I can help it! Come,
cousin Antoinette, let us join the dance;
Adieu, marquis!" and placing the lady's
arm within his own the couple walked
away.
For a moment the old marquis stood
rooted to the spot and indulged in a long
revery.
He aroused himself at last; exclaiming
as he did so:
"Mon Dien ! but this is very strange!
The figure, face and voice cxactty the
snme, and the mark on the neck nlso!
What does it all mean? I must investi
gate ! If she is in the coffin where I left
here of courso she cannot be hero! If
she is not in her coffin then ehe is here
beyond a doubt !" And leaving the ball
room at once he bent Iub steps in the
direction of the sexton's lodge.
Three hours later he returned to tho
ball-room. i
His faco was ghastly white and a look
of Btcrn determination shot from his pierc
ing black eyes, as looking eagerly
around ho observed young Damas and
his partner whirling around in the galop.
Rushing toward them like a maniac,
he seized the lady firmly by the wrist,
pulled her rudely away from her partner,
and exclaimed in a voice so boisterous as
to attract tho attention of all upon the
floor, as he fixed a look of burning hatred
upon young Damns:
"Villain! Your heart's blood shall
wash out the stain which you have put
upon my honor ! And you, Madame le
Marquisse DeLaporte, will go home with
me!"
At once all was confusing. The dance
was stopped and eager listeners gathered
around to hear what further might follow.
"This lady," continued tho marquis,
"is my wife ! Her death was feigned to
deceive me bo . that sho ndghi Sly to iho
arms of her lover! Tiny had. tin as
sistance of an?,0hl ??jcrviioi' oV mffio'th
whom I placed the uOno#: eonlidenc-,
but the villain nasjiald'tbr his tivacherv
with his life !" -*-*p\l$ *:p t-5 ?T'
' "Mbn DieuT You did "nT^l^Trre
ftobii^ tkefainie^ ?ft^ with
a look of horror. ? *
* "Yes, villain 1" returned tbe'iuaixuis,'
foaming with rage, "and the ?aiin* .-word
which let out his life shall he .-dieathed' in
your bosom!"
As ho spoke he drew his sw?>rd and*
rushed upon the youth, hut the next im?
ment he staggered and fell at full leugih
upon the floor in afitof apoplexy.
They picked him up and culled as
sistance at once, but the iloctor arrival .
too late to be of any s?irvic \ 'fliVoh!
man's soul had taken its flight.
That night Antoine and his much-loved
Pauline (for she it wa<?, ns the r -a ler
must already*have surmised I mad;.- tucir
appearance at the house of Am?m?
Latourette, when the youth state 1 that h
hdd mourned Paulino sb dead, a d had
gained permission from the old s ?ton to
visit her corpse in the mau.-ol tun?tli.it
while gazing on her rigid teattt -she di?*"
covered signs of life, and with the iM.*'*-t
ance of the sexton succeeded in resusttat'
ing her?that then, looking upon her ft*
doubly his, he had taken her to an ob
scure quarter in Paris, deter mind if pos
sible to procure a divorce for h? r, and"
marry her himself?that he had attended
the ball not supposing that the marquis
would be there, and the rWt The
rcadet knows.
The old merchant no longer withhold
his consent to the union of the loving
jmir, and they were accordingly uniti iK
amid much rejoicing, receiving the goodi
wishes and congratulations of "troops
of friends," who showered Messing* lipo la
the head of the bride who hml ue?-tU
"married after burial."
A young lady once married a man by
the name of Dust against, the wishes of
her parents. After a short time, they
lived unhappily together, and she saturu
ed to her father'a house; hut he pciusvd ?
to receive her, saying ;
"Dust thou art and unto Dust the u?.
?halt return." And she got up and.,
"dusted."
The N. Y. Evening Post tolls ita that
"old sailors are never so much at sea as
when they are on shore." Upon with Ti
the Louisville Courier Journal reroarl a>
that "in this they arc somewhat like hen
pecked husbands who aro never so much
at home as when they arc abroad."
John Bunyan was once asked a ques
tion about heaven which ho could not
answer, because the matter was not re
vealed in the Scriptures,.and he there
upon advised the inquirer to live a holy
life and go and see.
The rate of taxation in North Carolina
for the coming year is less than four
mills on the dollar, or 361 con s on eve y
hundred dollars' worth of property. This
tax is lovicd by ? Legislature overwhelm
ingly Democratic, and is in striking con
trast with the Republican administration
of affairs in South Carolina.
Life is divided into three terms; that
which was, which isy wbtoh will be. Lot
us learn from the past to profit by the
present, and from the present to live
hotter for the future.
"Tom, who did you say our friend B.
married?" "Well, he married forty
thousand dollars?I forgot her other
name."