The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-03-24


epithets at the train.
1--WE can't stop this here train now" "
they could hear the conductor shout,
'for we've got to be in Davisville by
l.30." It was then 1890.
'l'll beat your old COW, then," the
man yelled back In derision. "Tell
'om I'll meet 'em at the Davisville
depot"
"Confound it," said Hink, ~ wisht
he hadn't seen us get on"
The girl began to cry.
"What's the row? Who is that fel.
low" Tom asked.
"Why, you zee, Mr.. Hnrgrove, "
Hank replied, she's Mary's brother
and hos took full notion that she
sha'n't marry me-says our Bill
cheated him swapping watches Mary
amt eighteen till July and I've got to
get back to J-oway to cultivate my
corn and 30 her mother said for us
jest to slip away and get married with.
out letting Durfey know. We come
to Nsnkitt this morning, got my
license and We was going to the Bap-
tist preachers when we seen Durfey
coming. We was near the depot and
so we jest skited and got on this train
and he must "a saw u.s."
Sand now he's going to Davisville
to stop you?" Tom >queried.
Eyes and he'll beat us, for that
bay he's driving can outtrot any horse
around here"
"Well, he can't prevent her from
marrying you, can he?"
81 guess he could-he's my guar
deen," Mary said, lifting her face al
ready swollen with tears. 'Then,
anyway, if he meets us and says l
must go off with hun Just know I'll
do it. / won't want to leave Hink but
I always do what Durfey tells me-"
Tom wondered that any man should
want to marry q girl with SO little
"backbone"-so he termed her timid-
ity-but he kept this reflection to
himself, knowing the ways of bride.
grooms and their unreasoning fond
ness. "Perhaps we can get the con-
ductor to hurry up the tr4in," he
suggested.
That parsonage was collecting fares
in his shirt sleeves but wearing his cap
to give an official air. "Can we go a
little faster, Abe?" Tom said, as he
gave up his ticket; 'this gentleman
would like to beat that blackboard
mau to Davisville. Runaways," he
whispered in conclusion.
The conductor frowned, punched
the ticket, then stuck it in Toms hat
band. ''We can't go more'n nine
miles an hour" he answered. "We've
got strict orders not 10 kill no steers
nor horses an i they're Jest everlast-
ingly on this here track. But we'll
try to keep that smarty on the State
road in sight" he ended, vindictively,
for the insult OF miscslling his train q
COW rankled in his bosom. "When !
we stop at Sage I'll get off and tell the
engineer.
Sage was a station where a grain
elevator reared itself about the sur.
rounding corncribs and where a
weather beaten platform served as
depot. By the time the train reached |
there everybody in the car knew the |
story of the runaways. At Sage the
Swedes clattered out and the conduc-
tor ran to the locomotive and told the
engineer to Ego O mite faster"
The passenger could see the man in
the blackboard clipping along the road
about a quarter of a mile ahead.
"He's bound to beat you," Tom said,
drawing III his head after survey OF
their rival. Hadn't you better get
off at the next stop and try to get a
farmer to drive you back to Nankltt?
You say You have your lIcense?"
"Yes," Hink answered, despond-
emily, "here it is" He drew it from
his pocket and handed it to Tom.
''If We did get off we mightn't find
anybody willing to take us back"
''That's so," Tom responded. He
ran his eyes over the liconse-a new
dea came to him. "Would you let
squire Phinney marry you?" he asked.
Hes there on the front seat. 1t will
20 legal if it's done before we reach
he city line.
"You can bet I'm willing to marry
+ Mary is" Hink answered, ioyfully.
al never thought I'd be married by
SQUIRE" she said, "but l guess it's
III right, for then won't have to go
pack with Durfey." She wiped her
yes, patted her back hair and smiled
It her lover.
The squire consented to perform the
ceremony, although he said he "disre-
nembered all the quirks In the service,
lot having his hook" "But TIL make
stagger at it," he remarked, "aud it
will hold in law"
"All right" said Tom. He led the
,ride and groom into the aisle, both
ooking very warm and timid- ''Don't
,e bashful," he counseled; severe all
riends here.
Tbs passengers crowded around the
party aud the conductor put
IN his coat in honor of the oueasion.
While the squire wiped hi brow in
Tom looked OUT of the
window. Mary's brother was. bowling
long in a cloud of dust. "We've
ixed him." he whispered, gle lefully, to
he travelling man.
Squire Phinney mumbled through
he marriage ceremony, making noises
n,his throat when he forgot the words.
link SAID "Yes" so loud that he was
overed in a wave of confuHi ion, but
iary peeped out her assent in the
oice of q canary.
81 pronounce you man and wife,
he squire said as the train lacked up
/ the second station. After the con-