The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-06-20
HEROIC MEASURES

copyright. 1909. by the s. 8. Mcclure
Company.l
"Mary, l don't like it," said Farmer
johnson as he and his wife sat at the
front door Of a summer evening, "and
will probably end in her running away
and disgracing us. Something has got
to be done"
"Yes, Abraham"
Things would not have appeared SO
dreadful to an outsider. The JOhnsons
were well to do people with one child,
now an attractive girl of twenty. Three
young farmers who asked for her hand
had been kindly but firmly refused.
Her mother had begun to wonder if
Nellie was not overparticular, when
the right man appeared. He was Paul
Harper, a young civil engineer whose
health had failed. He had been packed
off into the country to recuperate. He
was honest enough to admit that his
fortune did not go beyond a few hum
dred dollars and that his future was
by no means assured.
He secured board at Taylor's, which
was only quarter of mile from
Johnson's. 1t followed that he was in
vited to call. and the two young people
fell in love with each other. Paul had
hand, but the mother had seen how
things were going and reported to her
husband. They had said few words
to the daughter as a precautionary
measure, and, while she bIushed and
showed confusion, she ''sassed back"
in q way to surprise them. Their first
move was to treat Harper with cold
ness, but it did not keep him away.
Had Paul asked the privilege of be-
coming their son-in-law he would have
been sent packing. The fact that he
didn't ask and the fact that Nellie
"sassed back" started a train OF
thought that ended in the belief that an
elopement was on the tapis. They
must keep their eyes open and be pre-
pared for any sudden emergency.
1t was week before the sudden
emergency bobbed up. Nellie had ap-
peared nervous and absentminded all
the afternoon. She had overhauled her
wardrobe She had started to write a
letter or two and given 1t up. She had
roamed up and down stairs and walked
! outdoors. The young engineer had not
shown up as usual, and this was looked
upon with suspicion. After supper tears
were seen in Nellie's eyes, and as she
| walked In the orchard the wife said to
| her husband:
| Abraham, it's tonight"
"WhatT he asked.
""The elopement."
| "You don't mean 1t, Mary"
"Yes, l do. Nellie's been preparing
| for it all the afternoon, and she means
| to slip out Of the house as soon as we
are abed and go Off with him. I've
been watching her like a cat, and she
can't fool her mother"
"And what shall we dol?
| Leave that to me. You just act as II
nothing was going on. and I'll give
you my word to stop any elopemeni
and cure that girl Of her fOolishness."
At bedtime Paul Harper was still
missing, and Nellie sat under the cher
ry tree by the back door. AS the father
started for the barn to make all fast
for the night the mother asked the CIR
| to go with her to the springhouse tC
strain the evenings milk. But few
words were exchanged between them
As they finished their work the mother
swiftly passed outdoors, slammed ano
locked the door behind her, and the
would be eloper was a prisoner. The
taller had hardly reached the house
with the key In her hand and a grin
smile on her face, when Abraham came
In from the barn. He was chucklinl
and rubbing his hands together.
"I'ye locked Nell up In the spring
house." said the mother as she huns
up the key, "and she'll stay right there
till morning"
"And I've done something just as
cute" chuckled the father. lust as
shut up the barn along come that felleI
across lots, and he was going on to tel
me that he guessed he'd have to &c
back to town next week, when l grab
bed him and showed him into the out
door cellar and locked the door on him
He won't run of with our gal tonight
he won'tw
abraham, you are mighty cute"
"And so are you"
They didn't go to bed at once. They
sat up for an hour to see If the prison
ers wouldn't raise an alarm and beg t
be released. No alarm was raised, and
concluding that they were ashamed and
sulking, the old folks finally retired
Excitement kept them awake fol
awhile longer, but sleep had held then
fast for three or four hours when thu
wife suddenly sat up in bed and almos
shouted:
abraham Johnson. get out Of bed a!
quick as ever you can"
| "W-whats the matter, MaryT ht
asked as he opened his eyes.
"The matter Is that we are two o.
the biggest fools i'm America! Ge
your duds on without losing minute!
But what is itf' he asked as hefgo
out of bed
81 locked Nell up i'm the springhouse
didn't II"
"Yes, you said you did. and dom
believe she can bust her way out"
"And you locked that young felle
up in the outdoor cellar?"
II did. and he's as safe as rat In {
trap. Now, what's all this fuss about? 2
"Why, you silly old thing! Don't yol
remember that there's a passagewa.
between the springhouse and cellar
and can't you understand why ther'
wasn't no shouting and pounding L
} get out"
Lord bless mer' gasped Abraham
as he led the way down stairs and ou
of the house.
Paul Harnor ratIlrnad To the city fh,