dead before them, and Mr. Hooper in his black veil behind.

'Why do you look back?' said ore in the proces sion to his partner.

'I had a fancy,' replied she,' that the minister and the maiden's spirit were walking hand in hand.'

‘And so had I, at the same moment,' said the other. That night, the handsomest couple in Milford village were to be joined in wedlock. Though reckoned a melancholy man, Mr. Hooper had a placid cheerfulness for such occasions, which often excited a sympathetic smile, where livelier merriment would have been thrown away. There was no quality of his disposition which made him more beloved than this. The company at the wedding awaited his arrival with impatience, trusting that the strange awe, which had gathered over him throughout the day, would now be dispelled. But such was not the result. When Mr. Hooper came, the first thing that their eyes rested on was the same horrible black veil, which had added deeper gloom to the funeral, and could portend nothing but evil to the wedding. Such was its immediate effect on the guests, that a cloud seemed to have rolled duskily from beneath the black crape, and dimmed the light of the candles. The bridal pair stood up before the minister. But the bride's cold fingers quivered in the tremulous hand of the bridegroom, and her deathlike paleness caused a whisper, that the maiden who had been buried a few hours before, was come from her grave to be married. If ever another wedding were so dismal, it was that famous one, where they to'led the wedding knell.

After performing the ceremony, Mr. Hooper raised a glass of wine to his lips, wishing happiness to the new-married couple, in a strain of mild pleasantry that ought to have brightened the features of the guests, like a cheerful gleam from the hearth. At that instant, catching a glimpse of his figure in the looking glass, the black veil involved his own spirit in the horror with which it overwhelmed all others. His frame shuddered his lips grew white-he spilt the untasted wine upon the carpet — and rushed forth into the darkness. For the Earth, too, had on. her Black Veil.

The next day, the whole village of Milford talked
of little else than Parson Hooper's black veil. That,
and the mystery concealed behind it, supplied a topic
for discussion between acquaintances meeting in the
street, and good women gossiping at their open
windows. It was the first item of news that the
tavern keeper told to his guests. The children bab
bled of it on their way to school. One imitative
Sttle imp covered his face with an old black hand-
kerchief, thereby so affrighting his playmates that the
panic seized himself, and he well nigh lost his vits by
his own waggery.

It was remarkable that, of all the busybodies and
impertinent people in the parish, not one venture to
put the plain question to Mr. Hooper, wherefore he
did this thing.
Hitherto, whenever there appeared
the slightest call for such interference, he had never
lacked advisers, nor shown himself averse to be
guided by their judgment. If he erred at ali, it was
painful a degree of self-distrust, that even the

by so

mildest censure would lead him to consider an in different action as a crime. Yet, though so well acquainted witi. this amiable weakness, no individual among his parishioners chose to make the black veil a subject of friendly remonstrance. There was a feeling of dread, neither plainly confessed nor carefully concealed, which caused each to shift the responsibility upon another, till at length it was found expedient to send a deputation of the church, in order to deal with Mr. Hooper about the mystery, before it should grow into a scandal. Never did an embassy so ill discharge its duties. The minister received them with friendly courtesy, but became silent, after they were seated, leaving to his visitors the whole burden of introducing their important business. The topic, it might be supposed, was obvious enough. There was the black veil, swathed round Mr. Hooper's forehead, and concealing every feature above his placid mouth, on which, at times, they could perceive the glimmering of a melancholy smile. But that piece of crape, to their imagination, seemed to hang down before his heart, the symbol of a fearful secret between him and them. Were the veil but cast aside, they might speak freely of it, but not till then. Thus they sat a considerable time, speechless, confused, and shrinking uneasily from Mr. Hooper's eye, which they felt to be fixed upon them with an invisible glance. Finally, the deputies returned abashed to their constituents, pronouncing the matter too weighty to be handled, except by a council of the churcnes if, indeed, it might not require a general synod.

But there was one person in the village, unappalled

by the awe with which the black veil had impressed all beside herself. When the deputies returned with out an explanation, or even venturing to demand one, she, with the calm energy of her character, determined to chase away the strange cloud that appeared to be settling round Mr. Hooper, every moment more darkly than before. As his plighted wife, it should be her privilege to know what the black veil concealed. At the minister's first visit. therefore, she entered upon the subject, with a direct simplicity, which made the task easier both for him and her. After he had seated himself, she fixed her eyes steadfastly upon the veil, but could discern nothing of the dreadful gloom that had so overawed the multitude: it was but a double fold of crape, hanging down from his forehead to his mouth, and slightly stirring with his breath.

'No,' said she aloud, and smiling, there is nothing terrible in this piece of crape, except that it hides a face which I am always glad to look upon. Come, good sir, let the sun shine from behind the cloud. First lay aside your black veil: then tell me why you put it on.'

said he, when all

Mr. Hooper's smile glimmered faintly. There is an hour to come,' of us shall cast aside our veils. beloved friend, if I wear this then.'

Take it not amiss,

piece of crape till

'Your words are a mystery too,' returned the young lady. Take away the veil from then, at

least.'

'Elizabeth, I will,' said he so far as my vow may

suffer me. Know, then, this veil is a type and a symbol, and I am bound to wear it ever, both in light and darkness, in solitude and before the gaze of multitudes, and as with strangers, so with my familiar friends. No mortal eye will see it withdrawn. This dismal shade must separate me from the world: even you, Elizabeth, can never come behind it!'

'What grievous affliction hath befallen you,' she earnestly inquired, that you should thus darken your eyes forever?'

If it be a sign of mourning,' replied Mr. Hooper, I, perhaps, like most other mortals, have sorrows dark enough to be typified by a black veil.'

'But what if the world will not believe that it is the type of an innocent sorrow?' urged Elizabeth. 'Beloved and respected as you are, there may be whispers, that you hide your face under the consciousness of secret sin. For the sake of your holy office, do away this scandal!'

The color rose into her cheeks as she intimated the nature of the rumors that were already abroad in the village. But Mr. Hooper's mildness did not forsake him. He even smiled again. that same sad smile, which always appeared like a faint glimmering of light, proceeding from the obscurity beneath the veil.

-

If I hide my face for sorrow, ere is cause enough,' he merely replied; and if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might not do the same?'

And with this gentle, but unconquerable obstinacy did he resist all her entreaties. At length Elizabeth sat silent. For a few moments she appeared 'ost in