Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-09-09

IoFeiS uee1ng on horseback, In chaises,
yachts and that sort O. thing, why, an
auto can go as fast as railroad train.
And hasn't mine been warranted to
make seventy miles an hourT"
Susie was persuaded. She thought it
would be fine to elope as no other girl
had ever eloped. The affair came of
rather prematurely, for old Mathews,
mtstrusting that something was in the
wind, ordered his daughter to make
ready for trip to Europe, the start to
be made within three days.
The day before the intended depar-
ture Bunker called and sent up an In
vitation to Susie to ride In the new au-
tomobtle. Susie came down In travel
ing costume, while suit case and two
satchels were smuggled out to the auto.
Are You sure, Simeon, that you are
sufficiently familiar with the working
Of the thing?"
Il think so, darling. 1 took my last
lesson this morning and got on very
weli-that is, with an experienced man
sitting beside me-"
"Well" replied Susie, I'm afraid
It'll go wrong, but hope not
With quick beating hearts they LETT
the house and got into the auto. Mr..
Mathews was downtown and did not
usually return till g. This afternoon
he inopportunely came home at 3, just
In time to see the couple starting.
"Susie," he called, ''come back! I
didn't give you permission to go out In
that body crusher."
Here was Bunker's chance for a tri-
umph. and, losing his prudence, he
availed himself Of it. AS he moved of
be turned to his enemy and cried:
TIA, ia, Mr.. Mathews. When you
see your daughter again she'll be Mrs.
Bunker"
"You rascal! Come back!"
The old man made rush for the ma
chine, which with defiant puffs rolled
of briskly. Mr.. Mathews followed, u.s.
ing his legs for conveyance. The auto
turned up and down streets till it
reached straight piece Of road. Mr..
Mathews, arriving at the beginning of
this stretch, saw the machine q mile
away. followed by dust, little cloud
Of steam and smell of old lamps. He
stood and looked and gave up hope.
But suddenly the auto came to halt.
Something seemed to be the matter.
Possibly he might come up with it be-
fore it could be started. He walked
briskly toward 1t, but In q few mo-
ments it started on. Then it stopped
again. Bunker was wildly pulling at
cranks and turning wheels. Presently
he got it started second time; but,
great heavens, it was moving back
ward.
SNOW" exclaimed the old man, "1've
got him, and III make mince meat Of
him."
Back came the auto, swaying from
one side Of the road to the other, for it
was a wonder that it could be steered
!! at all in reverse, till it came near the
pursuing father, when Susie cried out
frantically:
Papa, get out of the way. You'll be
killed."
The passing vision Of anger, alarm,
modification, on Bunkers face almost
recompensed Mr.. Mathews for the trou-
BILE and irritation he had been put to.
As the machine pulled by he shook his
fist at his would be son-in-law and
cried out:
II told you the things were no use
I'll get even with you on foot"
Finally the amateur chauffeur sue
ceeded in stopping the machine, but the
father was advancing, and there was
nothing to do but turn and go the other
way. Bunker now saw that he had
made mistake in stopping at all. With
a frantic effort he started the machine,
made short turn. and the great COM
bination Of metal. wood, leather. fire
and oil went over in ditch, fortunate
" landing the clippers in soft mud.
This ended the elopement The "a
Their was so rejoiced that Susie was not
killed that he forgot to scold her, and
compromise was effected by which
Bunker gave up his machine and Mr..
Mathews gave up his daughter.
! HELEN NJ. WOOD.