Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1896-08-27
PARTED ON THEIR WEDDING DAY.

o'clock one beautiful June night. He
found that schedules had been changed
and that he could make better time in
reaching his party to wait for the
morning express. He felt aggravated
to think of waiting six long hours that
he might have been spending with Hat
tie, who he knew was almost crying her
pretty eyes out over his departure. The
more he thought of it the more tOrtur-
ing it became and with sudden re-
solve he bought hi; ticket, checked his
baggage. visited the nearest livery
barn and in fifteen minutes a horse and
buggy was making the best possible
time over the home road.
lie could hardly trll just when the
momentouS thought did occur to him,
but as he rode along. dwelling upon
Hattie'S earnest assurance that she
would marry him this minute" if he
could only take her along. possibility
flashed across his mind that made him
urge the horse to still greater speed.
He could not take her with him,
but
His heart seemed lighter already and
the horse fairly flew along the smooth
turnpike Within Il mile of Mr.. Fur
mans there lived IL justice of the peace
DR.. Hartley paused long enough to
arouse this worthy functiOnary and
held Il hurried consultation with him;
then he drove on.
Hattes parents were somewhat sur
prised at being disturbed in their slum-
| Der, but not so much surprised as when,
after short conference between the
| young doctor and his fiancee who had
needed no waking, they We're sum
moned to give their consent to an i'm
mediate marriage. They could think
of no valid objection if the young folks
wished it, and an hour later Justice
Evans pronounced the couple man and
wife.
1t was then o'clock and the young
husband had only time to leave his
wife in her parents care again, bid her
another loving farewell and hasten to
reach the train that was to bear him so
far away from his native Pennsylvania
village and her whom he had loved
since his earliest recollection.
His three years trip was one of min
gled hardship, excitement and pleas
ure: in all very enjoyable one to DR..
Hartley. \ part of every Sabbath day
was spent in writing long. loving let
ters to Hattie. And although he often
longed for sight of the dear face he
felt no anxiety on her account. know
ing that when he did return she would
be watching for him.
For the young wife the time did not
pass 80 pleasantly. Poor girl. Her
fun" was spoiled. She could not ac-
cept other escorts now, and us she had
no brother to act as such she was
forced to remain at home, and there she
moped and pined for Frank until her
parents bitterly. repenaed the hasty
step they had allowed her to take. And
II is doubtful if in that first long, lonely
year she did not herself regret it, but l..
so none We're the wiser, least of all the
absent husband
She had never really meant to grieve
her faithful lover as she had in that
last year, and now that she realized
what heartache meant she would not
have him suffer as she did, and so she
eXerted herself to write cheerful, con.
tented letters. Frank almost believed
she did not miss him and wished tslat
she might feel just little of what he
had once on account of her thoughtless
flirting, yet he was too honorable t.
give her any reason for distrust and
too true for deception of any kind.
Home did not seem home to Hattie
any more. She herself was so changed
that unconsciously her parents de
meanor changed toward her. Generous
checks from Frank much more thai
supplied her wants, and wnat she did
not positively need was CAREFUL,
boarded to furnish the lovely home tina
seemed yet so far away, and man.
hours We're passed In making prett,
tribes for the same purpose. Much o
her time was spent mt Franks home
His mother was dead, but with Iii
father, aunt and cousin she seemed hes
content.
One day gossipy neishhor bantere,
her about her strange widowhooG an,
remarked that likely DR. Hartley wa
having fine time playing aSreeahl
to other ladies, for of course no on
would suppose him to be a Marie
man. The shot struck home, for onl
that very week he had mentioned /
his letter lady that reminded him d
her To be sure, how did she know /
: what manner he was spending his tim,
/ And could she blame him ii he di
. sometimes forget his loyalty to her
q And then she thought with shame {
t her own promiScuous flirting of III
past.