The Tupelo journal., 1902-11-14

RED. He's been married lately him.
self, and1l know how to sympathizc
with us"
run away? Oh, Tom, let's not
run away!" was the frightened whis-
per that came out of the cabbage
garden.
But the young man on the other
side of the fence had the license, and,
besides, he had the girls heart. 1t
began to be apparent that there was
no other way. The end of it was
that Nell came out of the side gate,
trembling at every sound in the house
she had just left, and she and Tom
started off hand in hand, like two
children.
"Oh, / feel certain she'll overtake
mel" she cried presently, in a panic.
Lets run-we can beat them both
running!" suggested Tom. And SO
hand, and laughing, because they
were not very old, and running away
seems a kind of joke to IS and 80.
They arrived at the Rev. Felix Nor
rison's quite breathless and full of
laughter; and Felix Morrison's girl
wife laughed with them, and clapped
her hands on hearing that they were
going to be married right away. The
Rev. Felix himself demurred. They
were both very young-had they pre-
scented the matter properly to those
who had authority over them?
"Oh. that's all right" said Tom,
cheerfully. "We've done everything
we could-begged and implored and
entreated-they were hard as a rock.
Here's the license-Mrs. Morrison
can witness-ire ahead!'
snow do, Felix" begged the little
wife on the other side. "They love
each ~other-almost as much as you
and 1 do. Suppose anything had kept
us apart?"
The mere s%upposition of such a
thing set the minister's lips, and
sent a spark into his calm blue eyes.
"Stand up!" he said.
1t was at this awful moment that
they heard the sharp click of the
gate-latch, and Nell cast az terrified
glance between the lace curtains.
The light of the street lamp showed
two figures hurrying up the walk.
"Oh, here they both comet" cried
Nell, in an agony of fear. They've
followed us! Oh, do save us, some
body!"
"Here, into the back parlor!" Mrs.
Morrison was already pushing them
under the portieres. "Now do keep
still" she warned.
eff you can throw them off the
scent" cried Tom, running back and
~wringing the minister's hand. "If
you could just lie a little"
she can't, but l cant" said Mrs,
Morrison, eagerly. "Here they come
what's the use if you don't keep
out of sight?"
Col. Drane and Mrs. Grayson might
easily have noticed that there was an
air of subdued excitement in the
parlor to which they were admitted
hat Mr.. Morrison's hand shook, and
hat a look of indignation and high
resolve was on Mrs. Morrison's face
But the truth was, they did not no.
tice it, for they had larger matters
in hand. How guilty did the Rever-
end Felix feel when he saw Col. Drane
cast a stony glance around the room!
Every pleasant weather." said the
Reverend Felix, with an air of deer
impressiveness.
"Very!" said the Colonel, dryly
Tom, in the back parlor, groaned in
spirit at the sound of that voice.
81 thought this morning hat we
should have rain" ventured Mr.. Nor.
rison, firmly; " but the clouds"
"Ah, yes!" said Col. Drane, CURLY
"But we come up to see"
Certainly" Mr.. Morrison has
tened to assure him. He felt that he
could hear Tom and Nell breathing
in the back parlor.
snow for i'll" whispered Tom
holding Nell carefully to keep hel
from fainting. "The worst will be
over in a few minutes!"
""The fact is" said the Colonel
fixing the unhappy minister with his
eye and speaking in an awed voice
and with a very red face, "Mrs. Gray
son and myself have come up to be
married."
Rev. Felix Morrison tottered
against the m~antelpiece in the front
parlor, and Tom tottered against the
mantelpiece in the back parlor, but
the Colonel went on, belligerently
"We have chosen this method because
we do not wish any gossip or re
mark, and because my son and Mrs
Grayson's daughter have shown
themselves so plainly opposed to any
hint of it"
Mrs. Felix Morrison had gone off in.
to the back parlor and into Mysteries
and vas laughing and crying at g
great rate. Tom had set Nell down
in an easy chair, and was rubbing
his chin with his hand as well as he
could for a most dignified grin.
IF the young people are opposed
to it," said Mr.. Morrison, chokingly
"would it not be better to wait awhile
and gain their consent?"
mo, sir, it would mott" roared the
Colonel, testify. "They have beer
holding secret meetings and plot
ting against us for days! I do not
propose to be dictated to by two such
ships of children! Here is the license
sir. We are both Of age, I think
Mrs. Morrison can witness!"
And then, as they stood up, two
Grrrrnc croo~oI Ixn ,1 %hN-r