The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-07-14

only thought in bewildered sort Of
way of his kidnapping her.
Yes, they went to DEVILS Gap
and were married last night, and no.
body knows which way they went
from there" he said. - Walter
Simms Jest came froru the Gap and
says Parson Jefrries told him they
rode up to his place on Ike's old grey
mare about nine o'clock last night
and he married 'em. 1 lowed you
helped him work up his deviltry he
was so interested in school and you
took sich blamed lot o stock in him,
urging him to go. I'll kill him on
sight il old Bess don't fail me-" he
added, as he raised the famous rife
to his shoulder and sighted across its
barrel at an imaginary Ike Joslyn.
We walked toward the church,
Nate giving vent TO his angry denun-
Citations OF Ike, and explaining how
far my suspicious were even OF such
plot, and expressing my sympathy
as best could, all rather mechanic
ally, for / had experienced such re-
vulsion OF feeling, on the sudden
awakening from my bright and happy
dreams, that / was in II state OF
mental collapse and unfit to play the
part Of sympathetic sage. Great
heavens ] thought, that sweet
faced, gentle child passively follow
ing that lout to be made his
wife !"
The day, as all days must, wore
away at last. The happy anticipa-
tions born in the bright, beautiful
morning were never realized. The
exercises were painfully tedious. The
pupils, during intermissions, were
gathered in excited little knots, dis
cussing the last sensation. ] was
glad to get through with II all and 60
back TO my boarding place. 1t Is
! curious how the heart rebels at times
against the strongest array Of facts.
! My faith in Caroline was stronger
than the most damaging evidence that
could be brought against her. BY
! the time | had reached my boarding
place / was persuaded that Caroline
was the helpless victim Of the villain
! Ike. That she was his mesmeric in
Huence, being either drugged or hyp-
Noticed, and had allowed herself to be
welded to him while not responsible
for her actions.
"Merciful heavens" / thought,
what must be her mental torture
when. she regains her right mind"
About dinner time Jim put in an
appearance.
"Hello" he cried, when he caught
sight Of me, likes come back" |
nearly fell off the rail fence, where /
had pcrched myself with hatful of
peaches, i'm the desperate effort to
arouse myself from my miserable
broodings. He could not have
stunned me more completely with a
sand bag.
"Herr~s tragedy now surely" l
thought. won't any one put Ike
on his guard?"
Jim again disappeared Immediately
after dinner. The afternoon found
me in worse state Of mind than in
the morning. What could do to
avert-this certain calamity" was the
burden Of my thoughts.
Hello Mr.. Wilkinson, won't you
90 to the shivaree (charivarD?" cried
Jim; we're goin to shivaree Ike and
Car'line."
So absorbed was l with my miser-
able forebodings that did not see
i'm until he thus aroused me.
Good graciousv' said |, "he isn't
going to stay to be murdered, is hep"
mo" said Jim, evidently aston
ished ut my state of mind; were
goin' to make powerful lot OF noise
though. 1t might kill him if he
hadn' { been married before"
But, Mater" exclaimed, in tone
Of anxious inquiry.
ooh, Mates got cooled off, so /
reckon he'll know enough to look out
for his own neck.
BY the time that Jim was ready to
start, | had decided to go with him,
fearing Nate, on learning what was
going on, might work himself into n
passion.
At the old log church we found
crowd of men and boys with horns,
COW bells, guns and every conceivable
instrument for producing discordant,
terrifying and torturing noises. The
motley company, some on foot and
some on horseback, presented aweird
and mysterious appearance in the
gathering gloom, and reminded me
unpleasantly OF the stories of the
Ku-Klux, SO familiar to ones ears in
the early days succeeding the war Of
] the Rebellion. As we left the clear
ing about the church the dark
ness OF the forest became intense,
and the prvailing heavy silence,
but for the steady tramp OF men
and horses, and the occasional snap
ping of twig, seemed to fill
! ,,,, ,.,r,. Sopl with Al most portaptous