The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-04-05

mother, and the thing is to be. She
thinks it decidedly the most sensible
plan she has heard of lately. Why
should spend my evenings in board
ing-house for six months longer, when
might toast my toes instead at my ain
tiresidep The thing is preposterous.
l inclose your mothers letter to me, in
which you will see that she proposes
that bring you to her next Saturday
evening. We can then be quietly mar.
ried at church after the regular Sunday
service, and can start for our own home
by the early train Monday morning,
which will land me at the college in
time to attend to my regular classes. l
know that your sister very kindly in
tended to make social event of our
marriage; but 1 have a horror of
events and, besides, can't wait.
She must come with you and see the
knot properly tied. l will meet you
both at the - depot at half.past four
Saturday P. NJ"
The letter from Fans mother re-
enforced the professors plea, and gave
maternal sanction to the hasty mar
riage. Fan ran to her sisters room,
only to ascertain that she had gone out
in the carriage, the maid did not know
whittier. It was Saturday, and half
past in the afternoon I; and scribbling
hasty note of explanation, which she
left upon her sisters dressing table,
Fan packed handbag and departed.
She reached the station a little too
early, and sat in a corner of the wait
ing-room, enjoying watching the peo-
pie come and go, trying to imagine
their histories, and wondering whether
they were going on errands like her
own. At last the train trundled in.
There was the usual hubbub of emf
bracing friends, importunate cab
drivers, and hurrying travellers. She ca
gerly scanned each passenger who
emerged from the cars. Her professor
had not come. Inexperienced in the
ways of travel, she began to be nervous.
She still sat in the corner OF the big
room, outwardly calm, but inwardly
quaking. An old gentleman by her
side who, like her, had watched the
crowd with meditative interest, his
stubby chin resting pensiyely on the
horn handle of his umbrella, turned to
her and remarked, ''Such q power of
people i-such a power of people Nary
two on 'em alike nary one on 'em you
ever see afore !"
At last she stepped to the ticket-of-
fee and inquired the last train from the
college station. Yes, one would be in
at clock, but no train went out after
that to Edgecliff, her mothers home.
Gould she not go out at 9o'clock to -
Junction and catch the night express
at that pointp eyes, that was pos
sible;" and Fan sat down again and
waited. The 8 o'clock train brought
the professor, weary and anxious. He
had lost the earlier train, and feared all
would go wrong in consequence. The
idea of the express at - Junction
raised his spirits at once. They set out
in high glee, only to be delayed by
the heavy drifting storm sufficiently for
their train to reach the junction five
minutes after the express had left. Here
was predicament They stood to-
gether upon the platform, stranded,
upon stormy Saturday night, in a
strange town, the last train left for
everywhere, and the station master
locking his door for over Sunday.
There were no carriages in waiting; and
inquiring the way for the nearest par
sonage they set out for tramp to-
gether through the storm. "Oourage,
Fan," said the professor; "there is no
way out of the mess but to get married
as quickly as we can"
A meek-eyed minister's wife an
swered their summons. Her husband
was at home and sick in bed; not so
ill, however, but she thought he might
marry them, though he had been some
what delirious during the day. They
might follow her into the bedroom;
she was sure no license was required.
And so the professor in his snow
hecked ulster (Fan thought hysterically
of her sisters words, "His presence
would give prestige to any occasion")
and Fan in her damp rubber water
proof stood together hand in hand by
the good mans bedside. Fever had left
him little incoherent. He made the
professor promise to obey Fan, and Fan
to support the professor, but otherwise
they were soundly and sacredly mar
ried, and the minister's wife was made
to smile by a crumpled bill of large
amount pressed into her thin hand. A
telegram announcing the event winged
its way to Fans mother, and a long
sleighride of twenty-seven miles across
the country carried Fan the next day to
her hew home. But Mrs. Sue Hatha-
way never, never forgave them their
unceremonioua wedding. - Harper 8
BGzW.