The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-05-21

they DOM know o.. i know Tom
Giddens over thar. M well eIops tcr his
house and marry
Every woman has spark OF romance
in her composition. Every woman likes
to do things that smack OF romance, and
this mountain maid was no exception.
She finally yielded to HE'S, plan for an
elopement. On the following Sunday
afternoon they would elope. Together
they would 60 over into Gilmer County
and get married among people where
there was no danger Of being leased.
There was no reason On earth why Hez
Sniggletree and Peggie Baskins should
run away TO get married. Their parents
looked upon their union with favor.
They had regarded it as probable, al
though they had never even observed
the first evidences Of eourtship. They
would have accepted the announcement
OF their marriage with delight. But in
the face Of these facts Hez deliberately
planned an elopement.
He walked over into Gilmer County to
prepare his friend, Tom Giddens, for his
arrival on the following Sunday, and to
make the necessary arrangements. He
was desperately ia earnest, and he con-
sidered this elopement absolutely neces-
sary.
/ The Sunday afternoon which Hez had
elected for his elopement was as pretty
as poem, and Peggie was at the tryst-
ing place promptly, looking as .'pretty
as peaches in q new frock. Hex, like
McGinty on his noted descent to the boz
tom Of the sea, was dressed in his best
suit of clothes.
Side by side, this pair turned into tho
rocky country road, leading across the
mountains to Gilmer County--eloping.
ALI through the afternoon they trudged
over the rough road, and just as the SUN
was setting gloEiously behind Lost
Mountain they came in sight Of Tom
Giddens's house.
Tom Giddens and his wife had ar
ranged warm welcome for the bridal
couple. A number Of their neighbors
had been invited in, and the Hardshell
minister was on hand to say the cere-
mony.
The reception was little more than
Hez had bargained or hoped for, and he
secretly wished that he had instructed
Tom not to have any one around. Hc
and Peggie sat down in the corner to-
gether, and all eyes were turned upon
them, and all questions directed to them.
The minister had to talk to them, and
everybody else piled them with questions.
Hez began to think thai clipping was not
what it was represented to be.
AS long as he lives Hez will remember
the marriage ceremony. He will re-
member how he stood in q stupor in the
middle of the floor, beside Peggy feeling
the keenest misery and hoping that the
earth would open and swallow him up.
It was agony to the poor fellow.
But when the ceremony was over mat
tiers became worse. Everybody pressed
upon them.
.sKiss the bridel" yelled half-dozen
youngsters.
.sHe's 'shamed to kiss 'er!" they yelled
derlsively. EVERYBODY was laughing.
Hez did not know what to do or say, and
the youthful humorists, bent on fun,
grew louder aud more boisterous that he
kiss the bride.
Confused, crestfallen, miserable, agon.
lied, Hez pushed aside the crowd.
..Let me git outl, he said, and in one
bound he reached the door.
Once outside, his one idea was to get
away. He never thought of returning
to be tortured by that crowd. He found
his way to the big, open road and, for.
tunately, struck out in the direction Of
his home.
He hit the road in trot, and once in
il, he increased his speed amazingly.
Down the road with streaming coat tails
and open mouth this groom flew like the
wind. Down hills, up hills, over level
places. through forests, over branches,
this discounted and dismayed husband
dashed at clipping pace. He never
stopped to think. the idea predominant
in his mind was to get away.
How far he would have run If he had
not been stopped will never be known.
For five miles he flew like mad over the
mountains, when, before he knew, he
rushed into the arms of three men.
"Haltp they yelled, aud Hez fell,
painting at their feet.
From this point the story is told by
Mr.. Hamp Sniggletree:
..Them there fellers wuz revy' ner of
ficers an they wur a-prospectin' around
fer a still. They wur often the road
about mile an heard Hez a-runnln'.
They cut acrost the field an made a kind
of flank movement an headed him off.
He wuz skeered ter death an when they
4 told him they wur revyners he Civ the
whole thing away. ! wuz rested the
next mornin' and two mornin's after
wards we wuz here in Jail. !"
And thereI found them.
Their sentence expired some weeks
ago and they returned home.
The extract from a letter from the
hand Of Mr.. Hamp Sniggletree himself,
printed at the top of this column, gives
the sequel to the story.--Atlanta Consti-