Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1878-03-06

fired at him,
The ball missed hin,
Dhye laster," said jeremiah TO tn
eoaolman,
Then he pressed old Mrs, Bates Il
his heart,
Don'l weep, AlIrauda," sad he
"lle shall not take you from me, Oh
that II were only daylight, that
might see your iacc,'
81 haiu'l got any money with me,
sobbed the old lady, but he didn't
hear her,
On they drove laSlcE aud latter them
rode the old man, faster aud faster,
too, At last, on the high road, IN q
lonely place, with nobody near and the
parsons house miles away, oil came
one Of the carriage wheels, over went
the carriage all on one side, aud there
was an end Of the running away, As
soon as he found there was no help
for ii, Jeremiah jumped out OF the
carriage, shut the door on poor Grand
mother Bates, and stood out in the
road with pistol in bis hand, ready
to meet old Bates. Up came tho old
gentleman more furious than ever,
aud jumped down from his horse,
aud stood facing him with pistol
"Villaln !" cries he, 81 demand that
lady"
"Sir," replied Jeremiah, "she is
mine. / respect you, but will never
yield.
swat a moment. Does she go
with you Of her own free will ? Don't
dare to lie !"
Yes, sir, of her free will and
choice" replied Jeremiah. "Do you
think me highwayman, to carry otfa
lady against her wish 7"
And now they were yelling so
loudly that even deaf old grandmother
Bates, who had managed to get the
window down, heard every word
Ont came her head over the door.
The hood of the cloak had fallen off,
and under it was her cap. don't
know what the moon had been doing
before, but now she shone bright aud
clear, and everything was as plain to
be seen as at noon-day. Out came
the old lady's head in the moonlight.
"That's a dreadful talsehood," said
she. 81 did not come with him of my
own will. He picked me up and car
ried me off while | was picking herbs
in the garden for the lotion of your
rheumatism, squire. I've been
screaming all the way, and he's been
kissing me, the wretch. TO think
this should have happened to me at
my age, when I've been so properly
conducted all my life /"
"Lord have mercy on us !" says
jeremiah. is that you, Madam
Bates p
He flew to the carriage door and
opened it,
"Sir,' he said to the Squire, Il am
willing to meet you Wherever you
please. You have the right to chal-
lenge me. | have insulted you; |
have insulted this lady, but uninten-
tionally-unintentionally, sir. 1 beg
ten thousand pardons. l believed
that l had carried off your grand.
daughter, Miss Miranda, who had
promised to be my wife
And just then up ratified little gig,
driven by Peleg, the hired man. with
Miranda sitting 10 it.
"Oh. thank heaven y she cried, "no
one is killed. Oh, dear grandma-oh,
dear grandpa, forgive me. jeremiah
MIR. Brown-I trust you have ex.
planned all -
"Madam, I have" said jeremiah,
bowing low.
Now it seemed to the young folks
that the end of all things had come,
but 1t was just the happy turning
point.
The old gentleman liked joke,
and this was good one; and the
old lady was nightly pleased with be-
ing taken for girl of eighteen.
"Husband," she said, tucking her
band under his arm, eve were young
ourselves once, and you know you
would have run off with me If you
could not have had me otherwise"
$50 I would, indeed" said The old
squire. "You were twice as pretty
as Miranda, then, in those days
swell, perhaps l was" said the old
lady. "But now, my dear, to please
me, let Mr.. Jones know that You no
longer refuse your consent 10 bis mar