Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-01-01

different from what 1t really was. AS
| said, she was pretty then, and when
Jim Mcdonald and the bookkceper and
came down our hearts went out to
her. and there was not one among us.
unromantic though we may be. but
would have. If She had asked it, jump
ed to the succor of beauty in distress,
and-well. made away with the old
man.
Il could kill you" he continued. NO;
don't excite me or | may. You deserve
it. You deserve horse whipping. and
We're a young man should give it to
you. l should, sir. But you shall not
have my daughter His emotions were
contradictory. Catherine, get into my
buggy at once. You shall not go with
him. You
II don't want her." Kirby managed
to say.
Eth? Don't want her? What in
thunder are you here with her for?
Answer me-
| IF you'll give me az said Kirby.
| why did you fly before me-" inter-
rupted Hurley. why did you not stop
when you knew was following you.
driving like mad all hight all night
er-all night! Where have you been
all night? Where were you before
came up to you:"
I've been at Conrad's hotel" an
swered Kirby truthfully. but without
thought of how it would sound and
what it would mean to the father.
| "Eh-at-at-bcen at hotel since
last evening! BY God. sir, I'll kill you
now. No; you shall marry the girl.
mine! Pity you were ever born! You
shall marry him. miss, and this very
minute"
If his rage was fearful before, It was
twice so now. He waved his arms
wildly and aranced up and down in
front of the office. swearing most scan
dalously, aid we spectators supposed
with the father that Kirby was guilty,
his previous reputation not helping us
to believe different. Thus do ones sins
corrupt the opinion Of others. Had we
guessed rightly we might have pre-
was too late
Get parson; get justice, quick |"
yelled Hurley.
"All right, cap'n," said Kirby. 81
wasn't studying much about getting
married, but''-he turned to us-"I
s'pose it's all right il she is agreeable"
He drew from her and faced her and
said, Are you, Kitty"
There was n pause. Then she cast
her fearful eyes upon her angry father
and made motion as if to appeal to
him and was about to speak, but she
saw in his eyes no pity, no possibility
of making his hard, unreasoning nature
understand, and, turning again to- the
man upon whom she had leaned during
the last few hours, she said hesltat-
ingly and very prettily, yes"
Jim Mcdonald gave Kirby Il resound-
ing whack on the back, which was his
way of imparting friendly feeling,
and we all mentally said that Kirby
was lucky dog and showed exceed
ingly good taste.
So we all bundled into the two con-
veyances and drove to the parsonage,
which was only short distance away,
and on the way neither Kirby nor his
future wife said word to straighten
the tangle, Kirby presumably because
he did not want to, being satisfied with
the course events had taken, and the
girl because-l cannot say why she
said nothing. We awakened the par
son, and there in the little front parlor
and in the early dawn of a cold. bleak
December morn Miss Hurley and Mr..
Huston were made man and wife, we
pscribing our names as witnesses.
We kissed the bride and congratulate
cd Kirby in approved form. 1t was all
done with Il rush. 1t was not until we
got back to the office, after leaving the
happy couple to themselves in the next
room, that we could pacify the old man
sufficiently to make him understand
what Kirby had told to us in the mean
time, the true facts. And after he had
realized the situation he sanguinely
said it was for the best anyway on ac-
count of what people would say. which
perhaps it was. The bride aud groom
graced our little dining room at a we'd
ding breakfast upon which the cook
did himself proud and set pace
which he had difficulty in keeping up
afterward, but which we exacted from
him, knowing his capabilities. We
drank the brides health and Kirby's
health and the old gentleman's health
and toasted the company and the job
and the railroad and everything, Alto
gether it was Il joyous occasion.
Kirby did not go up to the rock cut
to raise that derrick, Chaplin coming
down for that purpose. Chaplin was
very much downhearted both because
Kirby was now married and because
his conscience smote him for being
mainly to blame for getting Kirby out
of bed an hour or two before his rig
was due, thereby starting Kirby on
the adventure which ended SO disas-
trously.
Kirby drew an advance on his wages
from the company and left that night
for kentucky to spend his honeymoon.
Whatever became of the fellow that
got left at Conrad's. Shelby Martin,
don't know. never having heard fur
thor titan that he ran out of the hotel
and after the wagon when he heard it
leaving. Apparently he was rot pow
erful factor in this affair at any time
cannot say it was not happy mar.
riage.
Randolph Had to Gucss.