[From _Grace Truman_ (St. Louis, 1886)]
May roses fling abroad their rich fragrance on the evening air! May
dews glide noiselessly to the newly awakened earth, and lose
themselves in her fresh, green bosom. A soft May moon steals above the
eastern horizon, and gilds with radiant luster the brow of night.
Gentle May zephyrs from their airy home glide over the earth, kissing
the lips of the rose, and the tender cheek of the hedge-row violet.
Young and tender May leaves whisper to each other tales of love, away,
away, in the dark old forests.
And other lips than those of the dancing leaves have whispered tales
of love; and mortal ears have heard its sweet low murmurings; and
mortal hearts have felt its thrilling inspiration, until the soul,
fired beneath its ecstatic power, has tasted of bliss which mortal
tongue can never say.
In the hospitable mansion of Mr. Gray, all is excitement and
expectancy. She to whom their hearts were so closely wedded, the
living, joyous Annie, is tonight to take upon her the marriage vow.
She is to wed the man of her heart's free choice, the object of her
pure unsullied love. She is to stand in the presence of God and many
witnesses, and promise to love and cherish, yea as long as life shall
last, him upon whom she has bestowed her girlhood's fresh full
confidence and affection.
The house is brilliantly lighted throughout, and everything bears the
testimony of free Kentucky hospitality. 'Tis but the twilight
hour--early, yet the guests are fast assembling.
* * * * *
It was a simple yet beautiful and impressive scene--that little group
as it stood, while the aged man of God, in a solemn and touching
manner, united in indissoluble ties the two warm loving hearts before
him. The vailed form of the bride, leaning on the arm of him who was
henceforth to be her earthly stay; the calm dignified form, and
earnest, we might say, almost holy expression of him who was receiving
the precious trust--the bent form, and hoary locks, and tremulous
voice of the minister--all conspired to make the scene one of solemn
beauty and intense interest.
Congratulations followed, and many were the kisses that pressed the
blushing cheek of the happy bride, who, with her vail thrown back from
her brow and the color playing over her bright face "like moonlight
over streams," looked the very embodiment of grace and loveliness.
Fannie calmly waited till the excitement was measurably over; and then
approaching her new cousin, leaning on the arm of Mr. Ray, gave them
each a fervent kiss and her warmest wishes for their future happiness.
* * * * *
The time passed most delightfully to all present. Mr. and Mrs. Gray
moved about among the guests dispensing pleasure and enjoyment
wherever they went. But the bride and bridegroom were the chief
attraction; she, with her naturally exuberant spirits, heightened by
the excitement of the occasion, and yet tempered by her husband's
dignified cheerfulness; and he, with his fine conversational powers
and affable manner, drew around them an admiring crowd wherever they
were. The young ladies and gentlemen promenaded and chatted gayly,
while the more elderly ones grouped themselves together in different
parts of the room for the purpose of social conversation.
* * * * *
Supper was served in liberal, handsome style; and Mr. and Mrs. Gray,
assisted by Mr. and Mrs. Truman, attended to the wants of their guests
in the most obliging and attentive manner. And when the hour arrived
for the company to disperse to their respective homes, each one went
away happy in the thoughts of having passed a most agreeable hour.
Mr. and Mrs. Gray accompanied their daughter to Weston the day after
the wedding, when they met with a most welcome reception from Mr. and
Mrs. Holmes, who had provided an evening entertainment for the bridal
party, and had called together many of their friends.
They remained several days, during which time they saw their daughter
nicely and comfortably ensconced in a neat little brick cottage,
situated in a very pleasant part of the village, and which was
henceforth called "The Parsonage."
Annie, or, we should rather say, Mrs. Lewis, united with the little
church of which her husband was now the almost idolized pastor, on the
Saturday after her marriage. It had been so arranged by Mr. Lewis that
they should be married on Tuesday previous to their church meeting,
that she might thus soon cast her lot among his people. She was
welcomed with warm hearts and affectionate greeting; and when, on the
following morning, her husband led her down into the stream, where but
a few months before he had followed Christ in baptism, they received
her from the liquid grave, a member of the household of faith, a
laborer with them in the vineyard of the Lord.