The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1898-11-17
RACE FOR A BRIDE.

n UKE CARLTON paced restless
ly back and forth on the plat
form at the station Of D.. H.
was man 26 years of age. upon whom
Nature had certainly lavished an undu,
amount OF good looks. but whose fac,
was marred at present by look o.
contempt for everything upon which
his glance might chance to fall. Ant
1t was scarcely to be wondered at, fol
in just nine hours, as time was told by
the large, slowly ticking clock in the
waiting room at the depot, Duke Carl
ton was to be married. And here he
was forty miles from his destination
and had just been told by the station
agent that the trains had changed time
his train having left Al precisely TWEEN.
ty minutes before his arrival, and there
would not be another before 8 that
evening. Eight-the hour set for his
marriage with sweet Lula Houghton
What would she, could she, think
What position to put her in! Already
he imagined the crowded church, the
sea of eager faces, the waiting bride,
and no Duke. He must reach the city
of E in time for the ceremony; but
how?
Presently he walked back to the little
ticket office where the agent was Ia
boriously writing.
DO you know If there is any sort of
conveyance around here that | could
get to take me TO the next village:
would pay well for one, as 1t is impera-
tive that l should reach E. before
night"
The agent calmly finished the SEN
tence he was writing, pushed the cap
he was wearing on the back OF his head
still farther back, and having thought
fully chewed the end of his pen for
about half a minute. replied:
Il dunno. You might be able to git
old Harmon's horse and buggy il 'tain't
let. He keeps the tavern bout a stones
throw from here, an sometimes let's
his horse; but he wants tarnation
price. You can try him, though; that's
his chimney you see jest over the yeller
house there" And he rose lazily and
pointed vaguely down the street, where
a number of small houses were visible.
among which the yellow one stood out
distinctly, having been recently built
and just received its coat of priming.
Duke walked rapidly from the depot
and FASTENED in the direction of the
tavern" keeping the chimney in view
as gaurd against mistake, and soon
found himself before dirty, ill-kept,
Unlocking place, from which an odor
of boiled cabbage and onions was now
issuing. To his loud and twice-reppat-
ed knocking the door was finally OPEN
ed by an untidy specimen of woman
kind from which he would at any other
time have recoiled in disgust; but his
necessity was urgent. so, stepping for
ward, he raised his hat and courteously
asked if he might see the proprietor.
After a prolonged stare, as IL men,
tally digHSting the word. she answered
with half grunt:
Amt t home, but I'm is wife. nd
we amt no secrets. What du you
want?"
Duke smiled in spite of his perplex-
ity before he replied:
Il merely came to see if could on
gage some one to take me over 70 the
village east of here. l must reach E.
tonight; believe can get a carriage
there"
There amt no horse to hum" she
said, but Abe would take you over in
the mornin'. Do you want lodgin' fur
the night? she added, an eager look
taking the place of the previous vacant
stare.
"No, thank you," said Duke; eff I
cannot find vehicle of some descrip
ton, suppose must walk, for must
certainly get there tonight. Can you
tell me about how far ii is to the next
village, and which is the nearest way
to go?"
ITS four mile and half by the rail
road, an nigh onto seven If you take
the road was the surly answer as she
saw that there was not even a remote
chance of "Abe's" making something
III the morning. But 'tain't many as
likes to go by the railway, on count of
the narrer tunnel, though it's deal
nearer"
Thanks. Then if take to the track
here and go straight ahead | shall come
out at the village at the end of about
four miles:'
a nod was his answer, followed as he |
turned away by the words:
-Four an half, said"
So Duke started TO walk the four and |
a half miles, concluding he must take /,
the shortest way he could, as he had not !
a superabundance of time; there might |
be some little delay even after he arriy- |
ed at the village. So he began his Jour |
ney at once, without even stopping for |
dinner
He had passed the third-mile post |
when he reached the tunnel
"Ah. he said aloud. Here is the |,
tunnel of which she warned me- won |
der how long it is? What Ounce was /
not to ask. 1t does look like ticklish |
place, that's a fact-small, one track !
affair. ! don't half like the idea of go |
Ing through it. Wonder if I'd have !
made it if I'd taken the road? Well, it's /
too late now-I.m in for it,
To hoI oil e., /