The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-14
And thus abruptly ended Toms


ter-bean vines received two new ex-
periences-the one very fearful and
the other full of very determined
laughter.
''She sent for him to-day!" sobbed
the fearful one. 81 know I'll be sent
away now: 1 heard him talking loud
in there, and telling her something
about not paying any attention to
two children"
"You are IS, and I am 49," said
the laughing one. 'Two good-sized
children, I should think-especially
as the colonel was married at 20.
/ have the license in my pocket, Mel
lie. Run and get your hat and come
around to the side gate. Wen go
up to Mr.. MorrfsonsS and sbe mar
ried. He's been married lately him
self, and'll know how to sympathize
with u.s."
"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, 1 feel certain she'll overtake
mel" she cried presently, in a panic.
''Let's run-we can beat them both
running!" suggested Tom. And SO
they both ran, holding each others
hand, and laughing, because they
were not very old, and running away
seems a kind of joke to IS and %.
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
Rev. Felix himself demurred. They
were both very young-had they pre-
sented the matter properly to those
who had authority over them?
ooh, that's all right" said Tom,
cheerfully. ''We've done everything
we could-begged and implored and
entreated-they were hard as rock.
Here's the license-Mrs. Morrison
can witness-fire aheadn
snow do, Felix" begged the little
wife on the other side. ''They love
each other-almost as much as you
and do. Suppose anything had kept
us apart?"
The mere supposition 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 a terrified
glance between the lace curtains.
The light of the street lamp showed
two figures hurrying up the walk.
'Oh, here they both come!" 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. snow do keep
still" she warned.
eff you can throw them off the
SCENT" cried Tom, running back and
wringing the minister's hand. eff
you could just lie a little"
''He can't, but 1 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,
that Mr.. Morrison's hand shook, and
that 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 stony glance around the room!
Every pleasant weather." said the
Reverend Felix, with an air of deep
impressiveness.
"Very!" said the Colonel, dryly.
Tom, in the back parlor, groaned in
spirit at the sound of that voice.
81 thought this morning that we
should have rain" ventured Mr.. Nor
rison, firmly; " but the clouds"
"Ab, 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.
'Now for it," whispered Tom,
holding Nell carefully to keep her
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 very red face, ''Mrs. Gray
son and myself have come up to be
married."
Rev. Felix Morrison tottered
against the mantelpiece in the front
parlor, and Tom tottered against the
IL l.,