The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-02-04

| uHSTdulIudllCtI, LuISpEOuOuuCeu, Hull
lated lie there was loftiness of
thought and purity of purpose such as
an angel in heaven might well aspire
to. Bill did not take any such view
of the matter, though, for he only look
ed up and retorted angrily:
"My opinion of anybody that would
go foolin' round a woman when he
didn't care nothing for her is that he
amt much man."
Hes pretty small potatoes-he shore
Is" put in Tom Jackson, the fourth
man at the branding. Nobody noticed
the remark particularly at the time,
! but subsequent events caused them to
think a great deal about it later on.
"I'm surprised at you, Joe," said Bill.
The ghost Of a forced smile lowered
piteously on Joe's lips for a moment,
! but he merely rubbed his forehead with
: the knob on his wrist in the nervous
way peculiar to him on such occasions.
and said nothing.
Aside from one or two little incidents
| like this-which are hardly worth
counting as eXceptions-BilPs coutrship
was an illustration of the fact that,
Notwithstanding a certain very emi-
nent authority to the contrary. the
course of true love does occasionally
run smooth-for awhile. In this case
it ran smooth down to the very day set
for the wedding. The ceremony was
to be performed at what was known as
Plum Creek school house, and early in
the morning Bill went with a number
Of his friends to get ready for the fes-
tivities. In some countries it might
+ not be considered as a part Of the
groom's duties to make these prepara-
tions, but in Texas it Is etiquette for
anybody to do anything provided there
was not some one else to do 1t.
The ceremony was to take place at 10
o'clock. Perhaps half an hour before
that time Joe and his friend Jim Smith
were riding through the timber which
always abounds around creek bottoms
in Texas, and were much astonished
when, at a sudden bend in the trail,
they came across the supposed prospec-
tive bride. She was on horseback and
unaccompanied.
''Hellor' exclaimed Joe in surprise.
"Are you lostT'
YES" answered May, with nervous
laugh. 81 never was SO glad to see
anybody in my life. This here creek
bottom timber's so thick wildcat
would mighty nigh get lost in it-let
alone a woman"
81 should think you and Bill had
been to Plum Creek schoolhouse often
enough to know the way by this time"
81 amt goin' to Plum Creek" said
May, with foolish giggle.
What! Amt you goin' to get mar
ried?'
"Yes"
"Well, Bills at the schoolhouse now,
waitin' for ye.''
again.
81 amt waitin' for him none" she
said. 81 might as we'll tell you now as
any time. I'm goin' to be married to
Tom Jackson this morning at Round
Timbers. I've lost my way there and
l want you to tell me how to co.
At the mention Of Jackson's name
Joe's face hardened for moment. He
was the man who had been so quick to
take Bill's part in the quarrel with his
brother. Then Joe began to reason
with Mary as to her conduct, but very
few moments sufficed to show him the
futility of the attempt. Promptly
changing his plans, he gave her a de-
tailed account Of the way to Round
Timbers.
"SayT interrupted Jim Smith, who
had listened In profound establishment
to the whole conversation, you're mis-
taken about"
mo, 1 amt" retorted Joe. "The
trails been changed lately. That's all
right, May. Come on, jim"
81 still think you were mistaken
about that trail," said Jim, as the two
men rode on together.
''No, wasn't mistaken" said Joe. 81
just hed-that was all. did it for
Bill's sake. If May goes the way sent
her she'll not get to Round Timbers
this morning"
After they had ridden few moments
in silence, Joe began again:
''Jim, old fellow, for Gods sake don't
let on that you've seen or heard moth
ing this morning. It'll be plenty tough
on Bill, anyway"
81 shore won't" said Jim.
There was quite a crowd assembled
around the door of the little log school
house when these two men rode up
The groom was there and so was the
preacher; so also were the people, The
house was decorated within and with
out with flowers and leaves and other
ornaments more or less appropriate to
the occasion. However, there was one
ornament generally considered neces-
sary on wedding occasions which was
still missing namely, the bride.
"See anything Of May lately?" asked
Bill, stepping to the front as the new
corners rode up. There was just trace
of anxiety in his voice as he spoke.
"Naw," answered Joe promptly. His
face looked perfectly unconcerned as
he spoke, but in very few moments
cloud began to rest upon it. 1 suspect,
though, that instead of grieving over
the lie he had told-as Of course he
should have been-he was merely won
dering how he might spare Bill the
modification which a public discovery
a a.sz@