Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-07-15
"peggie," he said, I'm tell you

Peggie was Mortified.
"What, run away2" she asked.
"Woll elope ten Gilmer county
Hez continued, IAN git married,
whar they dent know us / know
Tom Giddcns over thar, an well
elope ter his house and marry"
Every woman has a spark of ro-
nance in her composition. Every
woman likes to do things that smack
of romance, and this mountain beauty
was no exception. She finally yield
ed to Hez's plans for an elopement.
On the following Sunday afternoon
they would elope. Together they
would go over into Gilmore county
and get married among people where
there was no danger of being teased
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 regarded it
as probable, although they had never
even observed the first evidences of
courtship. They would have accept
ed the announcement of their mar
riage with delight. But in the face
Of these facts Hez deliberately plan
ned an elopement.
| He walked over into Gilmer county
| TO prepare his friend. Tom Giddens,
for his arrival on the following Sun
day and TO make the necessary ar
rangements. He was desperately in
earnest and he considered this elope-
nent absolutely necessary.
The Sunday afternoon which Hez
had elected for his elopement was as
pretty as a poem, and Peggie was at
the trysting place promptly, looking
as pretty as peaches" in a new
frock. Hez, like McGinty on his
noted descent 70 the bottom of the
sea, was dressed in his best suit of
clothes.
Side by side, this pair turned into
the rocky country road, leading
across the mountains to Gilrher
county-eloping. All through the
afternoon they trudgel over the
rough road, and just IS the sun was
setting gloriously behind Lost noun
tain they came in sight of Tom Gid
dens' home.
Tom Giddens and his wife had ar
ranged a warm welcome for the
bridal couple. A number of their
neighboiB had been invited in, and
the Hardshell minister was on hand
to say the ceremony.
The reception was little more
than Hez had bargained CT hoped
for, and he secretly wished that he
had instructed Tom not to have any
one around. He and Peggie sat down
in the corner together, and all eyes
were turned upon them, and all ques.
tions directed to them. The minister
had to talk to them, and everybody
else piled them with questions. Hez
began to think that eloping was not
what it was represented to be.
AS long as he lives Hez will re,
member the marriage ceremony. He
will remember how he stood in a
stupor in the middle of the floor, be-
side Peggie, feeling the keenest mis-
cry and hoping that the earth would
open and swallow him up. 1t was
agony to the poor fellow.
But when the ceremony was over
matters became worse. Everybody
pressed upon them.
kiss the bridep yelled a half
dozen youngsters.
He's shamed to kiss 'er.'' they
yelled derisively. Everybody was
laughing. Eez felt like murder. He
did not know what TO do or say, and
the youthful humorists, bent on fun,
grew louder and more boisterous that
he kiss the bride,
Confused, crestfalleu, miserable,
agonized, Hez pushed aside the
crowd
Let me git outr' Ia said, and in
one bound he reached the door.
Once outside, his one idea was to
get away. He mover thought of re-
turning to be tortured by that crowd.
He found his way to the big, open
road and fortunately struck out in
the direction of his home.
He hit the road in trot, and once
in it, he increased his speed amazing
ly. Down the road with streaming
coat tails and opel mouth this groom
flew like the wind. Down hills up
hills, over level places, through for
ests, over branches, tins discounted
and dismayed husband dashed at a
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 few like
mad over the mountains, when, be-
fore he knew, he rushed into the
arms of thlee men.
Haiti they yelled, and Hez fell,
painting, at their feet.
From this point the story is told
by hr, Hamp Sniggletree.
luSiu tuOiS iSlAciS WuA ItNyneT
officers, an they wur a-prospectin
around fer still. They wur often
the road about mile an heard Hez
a-runnin. They cut acrost the field
an made kind of flank movement
an headed him off. He wuz skeered
ter death, an when they told him
they wur revyners he glv the whole
thing away wuz rested the mex
mornin, and two mornin's atterward
we wuz here in Jail"