Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-04-05

aren't often so much behind as they were
to-day though, and 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 IL
driving if we look sharp" lie whlstled
10 his horse and touched her lightly
with the whip.
How far is it," Royal questioned,
glancing at his watch.
half an hours drive to the house,
and fifteen minutes TO the church-lor
Clipper" the boy replied concisely::
The roads been altered since you used
to know it, reckon; but you'll remem-
her where the church is-the one MISS
ROYAL built Just after she came to the
old place in memory of John Hart. She's
buried there. you know, under that big
oak near the vestry window. she told
Phyl once, Il long time ago, that she
wanted her To be married there. fhyi
has been with US ever since Miss Royal
died. but the church is close by ana
mighty convenient. Phyl wanted to be
married from the old place, but my
mother wouldn't hear it. The house
has been shut up for nearly four months,
YOU know: it's bound to be damp ana
stuify."
"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 | 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 firmer 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
hearkens to praises of his horse. He was
in high feather, filled with pride in his
mission, and chatted away merrily. HIS
father-old Squire Brandon, as he was
called-had 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-
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 deputy TO be de-
spised, put his horse along with a deft
avoidance Of stones, mud holes, and
other impedimentS which TO Royal, I'M
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
consciousness that things were at
deadlock.
at was all right about the license,
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 Jess-MiSs Royals old carriage
driver-had gone for him at daybreak.
The wedding was everybody'S wedding,
Phyl said And it looked like IT; Tor
the whole neighborhood wanted 10 take
hand. Phyl was mighty popular ana
then people felt so sorry for her."
Royal, curiously enough, felt nettIed
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.
AT a point where the road forked
young Brandon suddenly drew up MS
horse and handed the reins to his com
panion. -,
Hold her minute, please" he said,
and faced about to the wood on the right
put both hands TO his mouth, and give
vent to long drawing eddying howl,
which echoed and re-echoed among the
trees with peculiarly penetrating ca
dence. 1t was like nothing which
ROYAL. for all his experience with In
dams. "loaverS" and coyotes, had ever
heard i'm his life before, and, had he but
known il, was simply a differentiation
+ of the old rebel yell, " still used among
the mountains as a signal
/ In second it was answered, ana the
lad dropped back to his seat and put out
| his hand for the reins.
,What was that for?" demanded
ROYAL. feeling that he was getting all OF
adventure he could possibly desire.
Spotswood laughed, and turned his
horse into the road TO the left. ITO let
'em know it's all right, and we've gone
on to the church." he explained. 1--WE
were afraid something might happen to
prevent your coming, in spite OF what
Won wrote Phyl. And it wouldn't have
done for her to go to the church and no
wedding after all, you know. she d
have been mortified, even if you couldn't
help il. Women are different from us, ~
with protective assumption. 'Their
feelings have got TO be allowed for. Tom
and put up that job. lie had a llttie
niger on horseback in the woods there,
and when whooped he was to gallop
/ back to the house and tell EN-. There's
short cut that way. If you hadn't
come I'd have howled twice They'll
get TO the church almost as soon as we
WILL" =,
The lads consideration touched
| Eoyal. In his frontier experience the
life had been too free from convention
ality. and human Independence had
been too readily and practically recog-
nized, for him to wonder over the inter
est these people appeared to take in each
others concerns and the trouble they vol
UNFAIRLY put themselves to in each others
behalf That seemed to him Legitimate
and natural. but at the same time IL IN
creased the difficulty of the position. In
their love and care for the girl these
people would demand not only ela0or-
ate explanation of his plan, but some
sort of credentials for himself before
they would allow so unprecedented u
thing as marriage by proxy to take
place. The bucolic mind did not assimi-
! late ideas readily, nor was it avid of eX-
periment. And what could they know