Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-02-03

uou OOlu u6I J1dJ dS Jl6T6 was no one
over here to marry them but a Nor
mon preacher or justice of the peace
they would join hands and marry
themselves after the California fash
ion;' then, as soon as possible, they
would be married by a minister or
gentle justice, which would satisfy
her father and mother. Meantime
she was to say nothing to the old
folks and was assured that their mar
riage after the California style was
as good and lawful as any other.
1T seems that the pair had stood
up in grove at the upper end of the
valley one Sunday, and that, claspin
hands, Jack bad called upon God and
all the mighty peaks lookin down on
them to bear witness that he took
Ella for his lawful wife. She, fol-
lowing him, had in about the same
words taken him for her lawful hus-
band.
This was the actual truth, for it
SO happened that Dick Sides and Jim
Sturtevant, who had been out huntin
cattle and had laid down in the shade
Of the grove, saw and heard the
whole business of the queer Cali
fornia style of marriage. But the
two men agreed to keep the matter
to themselves until it was wanted
and when it would do the most geod.
However, what the two men had
seen and heard did not come out till
long after Besides this, it tseems that
Ella had heard Of marriage certifi-
Gates and had made Jack write out a
paper which they had both signed.
Ella had this paper, and gave it to her
father, who found it was in effect a
regular marriage contract. However,
all this by no means satisfied him.
He swore that Jack should never
leave the country alive unless he
Ella in the regular way and
without delay. No contract business
in the wilds of Utah would do for the
house of Harll
"Old Sam took down his rifle, then
went to his stables, and saddlin his
best and sWiftest hoss, mounted and
left. All he would tell Ella as he
out of the house with his
gun was that he was goin out to the
main wagon road to ketch Jack on
his way back from Eagle ranch and
bring him to terms. OF course this
left her wild with distractin thoughts.
AS for Mrs, Harl, Elias mother, she
had kerlapsed at the first fire and
was of no account.
"Harl came upon Jack Lang jist at
the foot of Washoe lake, and hailin
him, ordered him to halt. Jack was
about 100 yards ahead on the road,
going northward, and was mounted
on his favorite black mare, a strong
and fleet nag as you'd often find.
ION hearin old Sans yell Jack
faced about, but seein the old man
down at him with a gun in
his hand he put spurs to his mare
and dashed away toward Truckee
medders. Bein lighter than old Sam,
and havin swifter nag, Jack soon
widened the space between himself
and his pursuer. But Harris horse
was a powerful beast, and one that
would hold out for long race.
II can tell you that was life and
death chase. saw big part Of it.
Sol Geller, who is now dead, and /
were out cattle huntin and had rode
up to the top of that big hill over
yander to look over the country,
when the two men came in sight and
passed right along here where we
stand. On to the northward they
and thundered. We know
ed them both at once, and seein old
Sam, rifle in hand, in full and des-
perate chase of Jack, we guessed at
the natur of-the trouble, for we'd all
been expectin to hear of a weddin up
at the Harl ranch.
"On past our lookout hill the two
men dashed-on toward the medders.
AS Sol and ! watched the chase the
distance between the pair seemed to
be slightly narrowin, for Jack had
left the beaten track and struck out
into the open plain, and in the sand
and sagebrush the more powerful
boss of old Sam had the advantage.
while watchin this desperate race
we heard a clatterin of hoofs behind
rs. Turnin about, we saw Ella Harl
mounted upon her beautiful bay
mare-one of the finest and swiftest
animals in the country. With her
hair streamin backward she flew
along the road like the wind, nor did
the long, swift bounds Of her mare
seem in the least to slacken when
she left the road and struck out into
the open plain.
From our stand on the hill we
could see miles away to the north.
Jack at first seemed to be headin for
his cattle camp in Truckee medders,
but when in sight of it he for some
reason turned west and struck in to-
ward the foothills of the main Sierra
range.
"'He is goin to try to git up into
-he mountains to where the main
,a,,d of his cattle is stationed and