The daily gazette., 1880-01-12
Old Mr.. Doves Sto1 Y.

be more romantic when l was young.
They used to fight duels instead of GO
ing to law, and they used to elope in
stead of waiting and watching until
they got sick Of waiting, or giving up
and marrying to suit the old folks.
IL wasn't so curious about Miranda
Bates clipping, but the things that came
of 1t were funny.
You see, Grandfather Bates wouldn't
have anything to say to jeremiah Jones
when he asked him whether or no he
couldn't have Miranda. And so she
just packed up her bundle, and he was
to have the carriage waiting at the gate
at twelve o'clock to carry her of to the
parsons.
Well, she was all packed up, and
ready in big cloak and hood, and was
creeping down, when she saw the figure
of some one directly before her.
1t was the grandmother, old Mrs.
Bates, going out to pick her herbs. Some
herbs, as folks knew in those days,
wouldn't do any good as medicine if
they weren't picked at midnight.
So that was her idea; but of course
Miranda was scared back, and hid be-
hind the door, and old Mrs. Bates went
tottering about looking for her herbs,
and up came the carriage. She didn't
hear il; she was as deaf as a post but
il so happened that old Mr.. Bates did
and up went his window.
"Who is there ?" beloved he, and
Mr.. jeremiah Jones, scared to death,
and taking old Mrs. Bates for Miranda,
jumped out, caught her by the waist,
crAmmed her into the carriage, and was
driven away like wild.
Miranda saw it all, and so did Bates /;
Miranda shrieked, old Bates beloved
down stairs he rushed and met Miranda
coming up.
"Who was at the gate ?" he yelled.
"Oh, grandpa?" screamed Miranda,
Jeremiah Jones has carried of grand
ma"
Now Mrs. Bates had been very pretty.
and old Mr.. Bates had been very jealous,
and it all came back. He stormed and
swore and got his pistols, and wouldn't
listen to a word that Miranda said, and
mounted his horse and rode after the car
riage.
Inside it was pitch dark, and old Mrs.
Bates was as deaf as posi-, and thought
robbers had carried her off.
jeremiah kept her wrapped in her
cloak, called her his sweetheart and his
duck and dove, and all the while she
thought he was threatening to kill her,
and didn't dare to speak, but only sobbed
and cried, and when they got out on the
road piece, clatter, clatter, clatter came
| the horse heels behind them, and
"Stop" yelled old Grandfather Bates.
"Stop! demand that lady,
jeremiah looked out the window.
"Never |" said he.
Gwen see," cried old Bates, and fired
at him.
The ball missed him.
"Drlve faster," said jeremiah Jones to
the coatchman.
Then he pressed old Mrs. Bates TO his
heart.
"Don't weep, Miranda" said he. "He
shall not take you from me. o, that it
was only daylight, that might see your
| face"
81 ha'nt got any money with me-"
sobbed the old lady, but he didn't hear
her.
On they drove, faster, and after them
rode the old man, faster and faster, too.
At last, on the high road, in a lonely
place, with nobody near and the parsons
house miles away, off came one OF the
carriage wheels, over went the carriage
all on one side, and there was an end of
her running away. AS soon as he
found there was no help for it, jeremiah
eot out of the carriage, shut the door
| on poor Grandmother Bates, and stood
out in the road with pistol in his hand
ready to meet old Bates. Up came the
old gentleman, more furious than ever,
and jumped down from his horse, and
stood facing him with his pistol.
"Vlllain !" cried he, 81 demand that
lady"
"Sir," replied jeremiah, "she is
mine. Irespect you, but l will never
YIELD"
"Wait moment. Does she go OF her
own free will? Don't dare to lie!"
eyes, sir, of her own free will and
choice,' said jeremiah. "Do you think
me highwayman, to carry off lady
against her wish ?"
"They were yelling so loudly that
even deaf old Grandmother Bates, who
had managed to get the window down.
| heard every word.
Out came her head over the door. The
hood of The cloak had fallen, and under
it was her cap. | don't know what the
moon had been doing before, but now
she shone bright and clear, and every
thing was as plain to be seen as at noon
day. Out came the old lady's head in
the moonlight.
"That's a dreadful falsehood," she
said. 81 did not come with him of my
own will. lie picked me up and carried
me off while was picking herbs in the
garden for the lotion for your rheuma-
tism, Squire. I've been screaming all
the way, and he's been kissing me, the
| wretch. To think this should have hap
pened to me at my age, when I've been
so properly conducted all my life!'
aLord have mercy on usp' says Jere-
miah. ais that you, madam BatesS"
'YHe flew to the carriage door and OPEN
| ed il.
"Sir," he SAID to the squire, "I am
willing to meet you wherever you please.
You have the right to challenge me.
have insul:ed you | have insulted the
lady, but unintentionally-unin
ally, sir. heg ten thousand pardons. /
believed that / had carried off your
granddaughter, Miss Miranda, who had
promised to be my WIFE"
And lust then up ratified little gig.
driven by Peleg, the hired man, with Mi
randa sitting in it.
80, thank Heaven she cried, "no
one is killed. o, dear grandma-O. dear
grandpa, forgive me. Jeremiah-Mr.