Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-08-13
The STORY Teller.
HEROIC MEASURES


Johnson as he and his wife sat at the
front door of q summer evening, land
If we don't put our foot right down 1t
will probably end in her running away
and dlsgracing us. Something has got
to be done"
Eyes, Abraham"
Things would not have appeared so
dreadful to an outsider. The Johnsons
were we'll 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. u 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 few hun
dred dollars and that his future was
by no means assured.
He secured board ut Taylor's. which
was only a 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
not asked Mr.. Johnson for Nellie's
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 blushed 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.
It was q week before the sudden
emergency bobbed up. Nellie had ap.
peared nervous and absentminded all
the afternoon. She had overhauled hef
wardrobe. She had started to write
letter or two and given 1t up. She had
roamed up and down stairs and walked
outdoors. The young engineer had no.
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 hid to
her husband:
abraham, it's tonight"
"What" he asked.
"The elopement."
"You don't mean 1t, Mary"
eyes, | do. Nellie's been preparing
for 1t oil the afternoon. and she means
to slip out of the house rs soon as we
are abed and so off with him. I've
been watching her like cat. and shs
can't fool her mother"
"And what shall we doP
leave that to me. You just act as II
nothing was going on, and I'll give
you my word to stop any elopemen'
and cure that girl of her feolishness."
At bedtime Paul Harper was still
missing. and Nellie sat under the cher
ry tree by the back door. AS the fatnef
started for the barn to make all fast
for the night the mother asked the girl
to 20 with her to the springhouse to
strain the evenings milk. But re"
words were exchanged between them.
As they finished their work the mother
swiftly passed outdoors. slammed and
locked the door behind her, and the
would be eloper was a prisoner. Inc
taller had hardly reached the house,
with the key in her hand and grim
smile on her face, when Abraham came
In from the barn. He was chuckling
and rubbing his hands together.
"I've locked Nell up in the spring
house." said the mother as she hung
up the key, land she'll stay right there
till morning"
"And I've done something just as
cute" chuckled the father. "Just as
shut up the barn along come that feller
across lots, and he was going on to tell
me that he guessed he'd have to go
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 off with our gal tonight,
he won't"
abraham, you are mighty cute"
"And so are you"
They didn't 60 to bed at once. They
sat up for an hour to see II the prison
ers wouldn't raise an alarm and beg 10
be released. No alarm was raised, and,
concluding that they were ashamed and
sulking, the old folks finally retired.
Excitement kept them awake Tor
awhile longer, but sleep had held them
fast for three or four hours when tho
wife suddenly sat up in bed and almost
shouted:
abraham Johnson, get out Of bed as
quick as ever you CAM!
"W-what's the matter, Mary" he
asked as he opened his eyes.
"The matter Is that we are two OF
the biggest fools in America! Get
your duds on without losing minute"
But what is itf" he asked as he got
out Of bed.
Il locked Nell up in the sprlnghouse.
didn't II"
"Yes. you said you did, and I don't
believe she can bust her way out"
"And you locked that young feller
I'D I'm the outdoor cellarW
II did, and he's as safe as rat in a
trap. Now, what's all this fuss about"
why, you silly old thing! Don't you
remember that there's passageway
between the springhouse and cellar,