Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-07-06

thIce VI bucn SlbLluS III u llSub spring
wagon, to which were attached two
lively mules. In the moonlight I
could just discern the small form of
Kate Springhouse, clad in white, and
seated in front beside her burly lover.
young Bunder. l realized at once
that this wedding was fraught with
not little danger to me, and hence
| decided to act cautiously.
4 would prefer that you and your
friends would go elsewhere said to
the man outside. For instance, over
the mountains to Brother =
'tBefore had finished my objection
the girl screamed, They're comingp
The big fellow on the porch threw his
weight against the door with such
violence that /, small man as am,
flew backward to the floor with such
force as to partially stun me. When
l recovered my senses found myself
on the hind seat of the wagon, with O
man at either side, and Henry Bunder,
his sweetheart clinging to him, before
me, madly lashing the mules.
He has come to-, one of the men
whispered.
skate Springhouse gave a little
scream of joy, which was followed by
another of fear, and an involuntary
seizure of her lovers arm.
"I hear them,' he seid, but we
will be married before they catch us.
Gas I sat there in that rough, rush
ing, bounding wagon, hatless, with no
protection from the autumn winds
other than q light horse blanket my
kidnappers had thrown about me, the
words of an old sermon of mine came
back to me, bringing endless comfort.
1t was from the first clause of Proverbs
l., IT: Better is q dry morsel.' In
that discourse [ made q point of the
fact that anything is better than moth
ing; that as we are is better than not
being; that better is dry morsel than
no morsel. Now if you refer back to
First Kings Ill"
"Excuse me for interrupting, Doc
tor" 1 exclaimed. 'But l shall Ger.
tainly attend church in Huntington to
hear your discourse, but for the pres
ent about this elopement.
"Pardon, pardon" said the minis.
ter. relighting his cigar. 81 was wan
dering, to be sure. The young people
lost no time in explaining what was
wanted, and I. realizing that the
quicker it was done the closer to home
they would leave me, was not unwilI-
ing to begin. We had by this time
struck into this road that we are fol-
lowing, and were swinging along at
steady run. The light wagon swayed
to and fro SO that 1 had difficulty in
retaining my feet where stood up to
perform the ceremony. The bride and
groom remained seated, for the latter
was busy with the driving. Scarcely
had the first words left my mouth
when We heard behind us a faint call
to stop, and turning sawa blackboard
drawn by two dashing horses just ap-
pearing into view over the brow OF the
bill quarter mile behind. saw the
moonlight CLEAN on something that
savored of guns, and cold chill crept
over my frame.
"'It's PAP exclaimed the bride.
But go ahead, Mr.. Buckle. 1t will
do no good to let your teeth chatter.
"My teeth did chatter, and with
cause, for the persons following us
fred gun. heard the report and
ducked, and am positive that bull
let whistled few inches above my
head, with that peculiar sound we read
SO much of in war history. The mar
riage ceremony is really very short,
but performed under such conditions
it seemed to me endless. But at length
it was done.
"I suppose you will let me off
now,' I said, for could hear clearer
than ever the clatter of horses feet
behind us, and knew that our pursu-
ers were closing. I did not want to
witness the meeting.
Not just yet, Doctor said one of
the big fellows at my side. The mar
riage certificate next and the heaviest
signs first
Sand with that he drew from his
pocket the neededpaper. Mary Spring.
house put her name in the proper
place and then young Bunder signed.
The rattle of wheels came louder, but
we were in the woods and could not
SEQ the pursuers.
MY turn next says l, seizing the
pencil from tho groom.
"'Not on your life, yells the big
fellow who held me. Heaviest first.
"And with that he seized the certifi-
cate and pencil and witnessed the
paper. Then he leaped off behind
and disappeared in the woods. We
had emerged into that clearing where
you saw the bridge when call to stop
came to us again. l dared not look
back, but saw the whip fall on the
mules and they plunged forward with
q lightened load, for the second WIT
ness had signed and left us. There
was a report, and again l seemed to
hear the whistling bullet intended for
the groom, fact that caused me to
involuntarily start TO jump, to find
my escape balked, for the bride clung
fast to my blanket.
Sign the certificate she
screamed
81 signed-a very macmillan sinna-