Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-10-21
ROMANCE OF GEORGIA.
MARY AND JIM ELOPE FROM
THE BLACKBERRY PATCH.
Her Mother Never Forgave-The Licenne
Procured From tho Sale of tho
Pickings of the woman
Life Episode.

''IIow many berries 20 got MaryP"
Mary started guiltily and a faint
pink color came into her sallow
cheeks as, glancing up she beheld
her questioner.
"'Most enough. anyhow. This
here baskit is bout all kin tote by
myself"
lis you goin' to town by yo'self in
the mornin'P
una hunt"
Mary continued to pick the ripe
fruit. and ere the sun was very low
her basket was full and she started to
walk home the short half mile through
the wood. Picking few green leaves
from the bushes she covered the fruit
with them. and, lifting the basket on
her head started homeward. Jim
Davis scrambled through the bushes
and followed. breaking down the
thorns with hickory switch. so that
none of them might come in too close
contact with his bare feet
Jim was ne'er- do-well and shift
less character OF the neighborhood; q
'trifin'. no count good fur nuthin'
varmint" Mrs Galley called him. and
she was not far wrong; but just the
same, Jim had decided there was to
be a wedding in the hollow; that he
and Mary were to be the star actors
in the play. and no disapproval OF
Mary's mother could alter his pur-
pose.
When they reached the sandy pub
lie road they walked leisurely along
together Mary taking the string
from about her hips and letting her
gown fall TO its usual length. When
they reached the rickety little foot
bridge across the creek. Mary rested
her basket on the rail and observed:
''Reckon you better not let NAV see
yo'."
Il amt s6eered."
Mary laughed. You will be,
though. il she takes arter ye"
Jim didn't seem TO relish this allu-
sion; he rubbed one bare foot against
the shin Of the other and tucked his
hands suugly into his trousers
pockets.
Il amt skeered O yer nav. an
we're a gwine to git married just the
same without her say so.
'G' long. jim Davis!'
''Ye heered me- Mary"
Mary heard him TO such purpose
that be ore they parted a well-iormu-
lated plan OF elopement was made be-
tween them.
IL Mrs Co1lay coV1d boya Iool,od
into her daughter $ room beneath the
shed of the little lean-to that night
she would have been somewhat sur
prised at the preparations her daugh-
ter was making
After ascertaining that the family
were fast asleep Mary took from be-
hind curtain vivid pink calico
| irock short in the waist and scant in
the skirt pair OF worn, coarse shoes
tucked into the tops OF which were n
pair of gaily striped stockings and
lastly. white sun-bonnet starched
very stiff and crimped care ully around
the cape and crown by the owners
own thumb and finger.
ALI these articles she tied into
neat bundle and creeping stealthily
from the house thrust them into q
prearranged spot in the hedge
As i'll luck would have it Mrs.
Galley awoke and missed the girl
who in a moment came creeping back.
quaking inwardly at every fluttering
leaf and shadow. Mary's heart gave
one great jump then seemed TO
stand still as her mothers voice
reached her from between the shut
| tiers.
Mary, yo' no count creeter what
you doin gallivantin' in the lot and
hit night tooP'
Il heared the hogs NAV. and
thought it mought be Smalleys houn' 5
arter 'em agin."
'Hogsl umph. I'm good mind to
slap yo' jaws"
The bundle had not reposed long in
the hedge before n shadowy figure
emerged from the thicket and taking
/ it from among the leaves slouched
off. The figure looked suspicIously
like that OF Jim Davis and he seemed
to feel prodigious amount of salts.
! faction in securing the article. There
was no suspicion of holiday attire
about Mary Galley. as before sunrise
the next morning she set out TO mar
ket her berries but a mile or two
down the road behind thiclxet OF
dense sparkle bush the transformation
took place. Jim Davis appeared a
piece farther down the road. and the
two journeyed along together quite
happily.
Mary was OF a thrifty n nature as
Jim was shiftless and with much
pains she marketed her berries and
turned the proceeds into the common
exchequer which was soon emptied
for the mysterious piece OF paper
called license and with few words
they were made one. quicker n'er a
hound pup could lick a skillet rs
the happy groom expressed it. When
the mischief was done Mary was
afraid to face her mother until peace
was restored. for NAV was terrible
in her tantrums and wouldn't stop till
she had whopped both son and daugh-
ter" Jim also had more consideration
] n fos,, al