The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-02-20

rate routes and then to meet at the
edge Of the forest, where they could put
on their Sunday costume, which they
would bring with them tied MP in q
bundls
The two benighted old souls had
many good laugh at the clever way in
which they would fool their tormentors.
The day finally arrived, and early in
the morning Johannes started out, car
rying with him his Sunday dress, tied
up in bundle. Unfortunately he was
compelled to pass through the village
street, and here he was accosted with
the i1quiry by one Of the young fellows
Of the village "where the postmaster
was going to 30 early in the morning?"
"Oh," replied Johannes-and he tried
to look dignified-"just peregrinating
terra firma." Johannes expected the big
words would astonish his tormentor,
but the boy stuck to him and succeeded
in discovering that Johannes Sunday
coat was in the bundle. Tho villagers
were at one informed of the fact, and
Johannes was followed at distance by
one Of the boys. Soon Fla was seen wad-
ding through the village street, also
carrying bundle, and the villagers
were now sure that something was about
to happen. Fla was followed, and was
seen to enter the forest. Here she met
Johannes, and both were busy taking off
their everyday dress when, with hor-
rible yell. the entire population Of the
village was seen approaching. "Look
out for the wolvesl" they cried. "They
are biting everybody" Fla and Jo-
hannes did not stand on ceremony. In
his flannel underwear, leaving his Sun
day dress behind, Johannes sprinted for
the village church, followed by Fla in
her red petticoat, with the villagers
running behind them, yelling "Wolf!"
The minister was baptizing Abolid
Kristina's child, when the door to the
sacristy was burst open and Fla, breath
ing like whale from her exertion, roll
ed in, followed by Johannes, bareheaded
and in his f1annels.
The minister and the baptixing party
were almost scared out Of their wits.
"My friends My friends Have you es-
capped from highwaymen, or has the evil
spirit entered into you?''
"No," said Fla, with the little voice
she could command after her rapid run
ming. Begging the worthy pastor par
don, no other spirit has entered in us
but to come here and request the worthy
pastor to read the banns over me and
Johannes next Sunday. But the villagers
say the wolves were after them, and ]
have lost my Sunday dress, and Jo-
hannes' here Fla had to stop for
lack Of breath, and Johannes tried to
crawl under table to hide himself.
The minister was not slow to see the
joke and understand the situation. Re-
pressing as far as possible his inclination
to laugh, he requested Fla and Johannes
to approach his table, and addressed
them on the sanctity Of matrimony.
When the pastor went home to his din.
ner, he and his sexton had good laugh
at probably the oldest pair Of lovers ever
to appear before minister.
And as for the village people, they
yelled and cried and hurrahed until Jo.
hannes, as he later confided to Fla over
a tumbler Of something refreshing,
chad never in his life been 80 extempo.
raneously frustrated" and that he ex.
pected every minute "to be stricken with
ObfusCatiOn. From the Swedish.