The Opelousas courier., 1892-09-24

the hrst evidences OF couftsnlps lney
would have accepted the announcement
of their marriage with delight. But in
the face of these facts Hez deliberately
planned an eiopement.
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 in earnest, and he con-
sidered this elopement absolutely nsces.
sary.
The Sunday afternoon which Hez had
elected for his elopement was as pretty
as a poem, and Peggie was at the tryst-
ing place promptly, looking as ''pretty
as peaches" in a new frock. Hez, like
McGintv 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 the
rocky country road, leading across the
mountains to GiImer County-eloping.
All through the afternoon they trddged
over the rough road, and just as the sun
was setting aloriously behind Lost
Mountain they came in sight of Tom
Giddens's house.
Tom Giddens and his wife had ar.
ranged a 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 a little more than
Hez had bargained or 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 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 a stupor in the
middle of the floor, beside Peggy feeling
the keenest misery and hoping that the
earth would open and swallow him up.
1t was agony to the poor fellow.
But when the ceremony was over mat
tiers became worse. Everybody pressed
upon them.
"Kiss the bride!" yelled a half-dozen
youngsters.
Hes '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 fua,
grew louder and more boisterous that he
kiss the bride.
Confused, crestfallen, miserable, agon-
ized, Hez pushed aside the crowd.
"Let me git out!" he said, and in one
bound he reached the door.
Once outside, his one idea was to get
away. He never thought of returning |
o be toStured by that crowd. He found
MS way to the big, open road and, for
;unately, struck out in the direction of
his home.
He hit the road ia a trot. and once in |
t, he increased his speed amazingly. |
Down the road with streaming GOAT tails
nd open mouth this groom few like the
' Do"h hiAN3 up AALtSy OFcE lSFGt
through forests, Over branches,
his discounted and dismayed husband
lashed at a clipping pace. He never
to think, the idea predominant
\ his mind was to get away.
How far he would have run ii he had
OF been stopped will never be known.
or five miles he flew like mad over the
fountains, when, before he knew, he
lshed into the arms of three men.
"Haltf" they yelled, and Hez fell
at their feet.
From this point the. story is told by
II. Hamp s~niggletree:
"Them there fellers wuz revy'ner Of
GERS an they wur a.prospectin' around
II a still. They wur often the road
,out a mile an heard Hez a-runnln'.
hey cut acrost the field an made q kind
flank movement an headed him off.
e wuz skeered ter death an when they