The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-01
Russell A. Waid Wins
His Bride Despite
Opposition.
ELOpEMENT TO PROVIDENCE.
Couple Living in the City
While Parents Seek
Them.

A story of love, courtship attempt
ed separation by irate parents, clandes-
tine meetings and elopement is. twined
about the recent marriage of Russell A.
Waid and Miss Julia May Hodge.
Waid is one of the most prominent
members of the Newport Bicycle Club,
a long distance rider of more than local
fame and an aspirant for the New York
to Boston road record. Miss Hodge was,
perhaps, the most popular girl of the
younger set of west side young ladies.
Waid is 10. His wife is carcely more
than Is years Of age.
The two were united in marriage by
Rev. ]. A. Haiver at Providence, Aug
10, and are living quietly and content
edly at Sc High street, while the girls
father is seeking their whereabouts. So
quietly has the tale of the elopement
been kept that only few of Waid's in
Innate chums know that he is q married
man. Near neighbors of the Hodge
family have not known the story. While
the girls father has been on the watch
for the prohibited bridegroom, Waid
has been attending to business in his
occupation as driver for the Thompson
Express Company.
The full story win come as a genuine
4 surprise to friends of the popular young
couple. The Spy man heard the story
IN detail from the lips of Waid and his
pretty bride last night
The tale dates back a year. when
Waid engaged lodgings at the home of
j. f. Hodge, 20 Bellevue street. He
met and became enamored of Julia. She
oil xr 1r.,I
most pleasing young lady Waid went
frankly to the girls parents and made
known his Intentions He asked per-
mission to pay suit to the girl that is
now his wife. Permission was given.
ana all went well throughout a court
snip OF some months, until Waid asked
for the girls hand in marriage Mr.
Hodge was indignant. He wouldn't
said. ~
strict parental edict put an end "a
II the lovem2king. The two were der,ias,
each others ee}npa ~ even for a short
moment. They still loved and besought
put We're denied even corV ersation.
Then came the determination to wed
IN spite of parents, friends or conse-
quences. An elopement was planned
early in August. Plans went slowly.
Tor both We're watched closely ana
We're denped even a moment of each
others company Friends interposed
ana carried messages for the lovers, and
the plan was formed Waid would win
and win honorably if he could, but he
was determined to win, and his be-
trothed was eager and anxious for his
success
On the arrival of the appointed day,
Waid left the house in his working
clothes, but his employer never saw
MIN. He hurried to the house of a
FRIEND and changed his clothing for a
bridal tour. Meanwhile Miss Hodge of
fered to run on an errand. She left tine
mouse TO carry a noon-day lunch to a
cousin who is employed by the Cereal
Machine Company. And she delivered
the lunch, too. She was determined to
allay suspicion as long as possible.
The lovers met at the corner of Main
ana Austin streets. and hurried away
to Union station and boarded the 1910
train for Providence, happy, but anx
| lous. they We're together and alone for
the symbolic conversation of lovers, for
the first time in many weeks.
l. eanWhlle the father of the girl SuS-
| pected Julia, and wondered at her alb
sence. At o'clock be gained an inkling
of the elopement, and started in pur-
slnt The plans Of Waid were so care
fully laid that his pursuer knew not
| where to follow. At Union station he
made Inquiries, and learned nothing
Waid is widely known but no one had
seen him. Mr.. Hodge stopped electric
cars to make inquiries of conductors
and notormen Of his acquaintance. The
pair had flown beyond hope of pursuit
On arrival in Providence, in the midst
of a pouring rain, the bride and groom
began the search for clergyman to
tie the nuptial knot. They drove for
three long, impatient hours. They
were married at the home of Rev. j. A.
Haiver at 5 o'clock in the afternoon.
Then began the honeymoon which
lasted three days. The following Mon
day, Waid and wife arrived in Worces-
ter and went quietly to their home, Sc
High street. They avoided friends, and
their arrival was unnoticed. While the
irate parent was searching afar for his
disobedient daughter she was in Wor-
cester, and happy that love had won
the day. She is extremely attractive
and remarkably matured for her 16
years. She has the grace and manners
of woman of 90
To The Spy man last night, Waid
laughingly reviewed the circumstances,
which, he says, led to an elopement
which he would gladly have avoided.
He says ne has fought fairly and has
won. He was not lightly to be made
to wait for years for his bride She,
too, was determined. From the first,
Waid says, he has acted honorably and
has battled squarely for his bride. II
there is room for shadow of doubt
on his method and manner of proceed
ure to gain the victory against long
odds, he quotes the old adage, "Alrs
fair in love and war"