The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-04-17

"Why don't somebody report those
trainmen?' demanded Royal, still in
censed over the delay and longing to
punish somebody
The boy laughed Where's the USE"
he demanded in his turn. They've got
a monopoly, and complaints would go in
at one ear and out at the other. They
aren't often so much behind as they were
today though, and l don't wonder you
wanted to lay on the whip. We'd have
made better time from the station on
horseback, but Phyllis was afraid the
ride would knock you up. The road isn't
bad, however, and we can make it driv-
ing if we look sharp" He whistled to
his horse and touched her lightly with
the whip.
"How far is itg" Royal questioned.
giancing at his watch.
"Half an hours drive to the house,
and fifteen minutes to the church-for
Clipper" the boy replied concisely. 1.-THE
roads been altered since you used to
know it, 1 reckon; but you'll remember
where the church is-the one Miss Royal
built just after she came to the old
place ia memory of John Hart She's
buried there, you know, under that big
oak near the vestry window. She told
Phyl once, long time ago, that she
wanted her to be married there. Phyl
has been with Us ever since Miss Royal
died, but the church Is close BY and
mighty convenient. Phyl wanted to be
married from the old place, but my
mother wouldn't hear Of 1t. The house
has been shut up for nearly four months,
you know: it's bound to be damp and
stufy"
Where are you going now?" Royal
questioned, the demand for new plans
making itself disconcertingly apparent.
''Straight to the church. If the train
was on time l was to drive you out
home: if it wasn't, right to the church.
Phyl and the rest will meet you there"
The road had entered skirt of woods,
and was firrner and more free from ruts
and mud holes. Clipper responded to
the Improvement in style which won
Royals admiration. Young Brandon
/ listened with the air of personal merit
mingled with assumed depreciation with
which the creature masculine always
llearkens to, praises of his horse. He was
in high feather, filed with pride in his
!, mission, and chatted away merrily. His
fatner-old Squire Brandon, as he was
called-h;td intended meeting the train
himself, but had been prevented at the
Last minute. Just the scurvy sort of
trick fate had been playing John Royal
all through, the sick mans representa-
h tive thought, as he heard it. Here was
more time irrevocably wasted, for it
would be useless explaining matters to
this boy.
The boy meanwhile, considering him
self, evidently, not a deputy to be de-
spised, put his horse along with a deft
avoidance of stones, mud holes, and
other impedimenta which to Royal, un-
accustomed to mountain roads, seemed
little short of marvellous. He increased
Royals perpleXity, too, with every word
he uttered, and with every intention of
being agreeable forced more and more
absolutely upon that gentleman the con-
sciousness that things were at deadlock.
st was all right about the license, I"
Spotswood gleefully assured him. ''Tom
had attended to that: Tom was to be
best man, as he doubtless knew. The
preacher would be up TO the notch also:
Uncle JeIf-Miss Royals old carriage
driver-had gone for him at daybreak
The wedding was everybody's wedding,
Phyl said. And it looked like it; for
the whole neighborhood wanted to take
a hand. Phyl was mighty popular, and
then people felt SO sorry for her."
Royal, curiously enough, felt nettled
through all his perplexity, and then re-
allied with an inward touch Of amuse-
ment that he was appropriating not only
John Royals position, but what might
naturally be John Royals feelings under
the circumstances.
Alta point where the road forked young
Brandon suddenly drew up his horse and
handed the reins to his companion.
"Iold her minute, please" he said,
and faced about to the wood on the right,
put both hands to his mouth. and gave
vent to q long drawn eddyiag howl.
the ineXorable interplay of circumstance
md environment and the operation of
Interchangeable laws fail of the recogni-
ton and reverence they merit when in
terplay and action combine to knock the
foundations from under mans per-
sonal calculations. And the individual
thus stranded is good deal more apt to
blaspheme like stevedore than to ac-
cept the situation like rational and
scientific gentleman.
The train which left Matoacca at 4:30
pulled into the little mountain station
at 1866, when, according to perjured
schedule, it should have been there at 10
sharp. There was no reason that Royal
could discover for such fragrant breach
of contract save the unhastefulness of a
single track road with no competition
and few connections. Passengers, en-
ployes and even the engine appeared con-
tent to take it easy over the mountains,
and when Royal in frenzy of impatience
entered protest he was met by the con-
ductor with intolerable good humor and
the assurance that matters might be
much more unsatisfactory.
'We used TO aim to be on time" the
official observed cheerfully, ''but these
here grades are TREMENDOUS heavy, an
the curves sharper n common. The
hind l.