Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-02-03
z1LGII0r0t1G.
Love IN E Steel Trap.


Love laughs at locksmiths,' we are sold.
but rat traps are 10 subject of laughter, even
to the blind god himself, as I shall show you
in the sequel of the following brief story.
But viii you go tonight?
Yes, I will
And if l have old Bob behind the barn az
twelve you'll he waiting inside, and we'll
drive to New York and get married right
straight OF the reel"
Yes. When all the folks are 10 bed and
asleep I'll steal ca: of the wash-house door,
90 to the barn, get in aud disguise myself.
" hen you come put in your finger, lift tho
latch, open the barn door aud III drop into
vour arms ike ripe apple. Oh I do so
love to run away w ont it be delighifUi?'
The speakers were Joe Glavers and Mary
| Miller ] need net mention that they were
| lovers bIarts father was q prosperous far
mcr of Connecticut aud Mary herself was
| one of the widest. mos; Gght-headed, roman
tic, innocent and aff, ciionate creatures ever
made after the almost divine model Of moth
er Eve Joe was a generous, impulsive
youth whose parents had once seen fatter-
jug DAYS. but had of late been unfortunate,
and ia lien into comparative poverty.
Farmer Miller, as be grew rich, grew am
bilious Mary wes,his only child. He looked
to her settlement ia the world as means of
bis own social Advancement. aad bad already
selected N his minds eye suitable match
for her. OF course, Joe's attention. there
fore. did not meet with bis approval; and
while he was unwilling to be thought sordid
enought to reject Jce openly for his lack of
means, he had suggested to that young ad-
venturer the propriety of absent z himself
altogether from Mary's attractive presence.
e This done he had assured Mary Of his resolu-
. ton 20 dispense of her hand according to his
e own notions Of feminine happiness.
l need not say these facts, operating upon
= the mind Of thUughtless, loving, eccentric,
and spirited child. like Mary, had a peculiar
effect That very moment she determined
TO marry joe Clayers. he was evidently
: persccuted Persecution only made him
1, The dearer to her She liked him before, but
: now she loved him, In fact, the more she
thought of it, the more she was convinced
that ne was 40 angel, aud shat perfect idol
}. airy on her part would only be au act Of
noble devotion.
ne IfFarmer Miller had been 4 sensible man,
ne and 1T all disposed to study human : ature he
- would have adopted perhaps very diff reGs
~ course with his wayward daughter. He
would have introduced his proposed in
:, law, and forbidden her at the same time to
gr indulge the slightest regard fer Lin. The
On probability Is she would have fallen dcs-
peratclv III love with him at fist sight, and
givin Joe his c7ngc without further ceremony;
but Falhcr Miller had Z way Of his own in ali
things. and he was satisfied that, should
Mary feel 1ierascd to play bip trick, he
was quite able to manage q Roland for an
Oliver.
The very next morning after be haI IN this
5. manner opened his mind. os he called IT,
5. TO his dauEL5cr, lie luckily Happened to see
e. Joe Cluvers make his fU- i've eLtracc into the
in kitchen where Mary WIS busily 1T work, but
not singing as usual, for she vas broodinr
ch over the parental c. lelty.
H. Farmer Miller did not permit many min
ch. utes to eiapse before be placed b'r.sef in The
wash house which aajoincd the kitchen. S,
ch. that he might hear all that passed between
eeII eI the diseomRtted lovers. he did hear til,
o ~ dialogue witiI which 1 have commenced tbi
Oh historfeHs. He possessed himself of the plar
OF the contemplated eloPement, and he wa
ch. satisfied
oh. She Is Coirg to run away. Is she 2 he sait
to himself; IN teach lin, lesson, I war
ch- rem. me and as for the little gipsey, II
Is' settle hes business very speedily
i'm Af3er tea that evening Mary retired to her lii
rom tie rom her heart beating with anxiety fo
for the approach of midnight Her SUI
ton prise may be imagined when, half an hou
up afterwards, she found herself 4 prisoner
and She t,ied tie handle of the loek 1t woul
!. ! De De not move, What was to be done? Could
'ei' have been fastened on her by accident ST
i 10 called for her father, and he came.
What's the matter, Mary?' was his excl
y, nation, without, however, opening the chan
o Der door.
My door is fast aud cannot get out'
Very we'll, dear his reply; go
bed, ike good girl, and FL open it in Il
SJT- morning.
bria She knew it was not of the slightest use
pub demonstrate. He must by some means ba
AT discovered her design. She could do nothiI
t, at but weep and bite her lips with vexation-
;reS' iie The next thing the farmer did was to vi
- an the barn As usual, it ha / large wag
. ir door, in which was cut for common use
tain smaller ent, ance, The latter was only sec
three red by the ordinary latch inside, which "
war lifted in the customary way, by thTusring I
and finger through a small hole made i tie do'
iugh beneath the latch for the purpose.
Farmer Miller remained in The barn 10
'tI enough TO arrange matters 10 suit his priv;
tbo purpose. and then coming ont. through
crest stable that joined. rather lay beneath
nnu- he walked quietly home laughing to himse
time He first listened at his daughters door, q
finding all quiet, retired 20 his own room 6
- went to sleep.
Imam Just about midnight horse and waa
drew silently Up, on the read, behind Farr
. Miller's barn. Joe Clayers got stealtl
ROB out of the vehicle jumped the fence,
crept cautiously around to the door of
building in question. How happy he fo
In another moment Mary would be his oy5
In the morning she would be his darling Ii