The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-06
AS WE PASS ALONG.

At a little freside gathering the other
night-a real open fire with a blazing old
apple-tree log-conversation tagged for a
little bit.
The EIoped john said Jane. tell
Bake-shOp. about the eloped bake
shop
''Eloped bake-shop?" exclaimed every
body in chorus.
ooh, yes" John said deliberately-no one
can hurry John when he has a story to tell
that is something that happened last
month while Twas off hunting. Jane went
with me, and we had rooms in a country
house, about ten miles from town of
goodly size, almost a city. 1t doesn't make
any difference whether it was in Indiana
or where it was. Queerness is not local,
and astounding things are just as apt to
happen in one place as another. One night,
about o'clock, Jane and L were aroused
by horses feet in the road, the rafting
of a heavy wagon. and then the noise of
unloading on the porch at the side of the
house. Jane hoped up to see what was
going on-shes general supervisor of the
whole universal earth, Jane Island then
she called in whisper for me to come to
the window Surely, as we peered carefully
! out in the moonlight, there were strange
goings on for a retired country neighbor-
hood. A whole establishment of some kind
was being unloaded from a van on to the
side porch-counters, boxes, barrels, shelv
ing and showcases. tables and chairs, even
a small safe. After all had been carried to
| the porch and the van had numbered off
down the road, we went to bed, very curious
| indeed, but living on the hope that we could
| get to the bottom OF the whole business in
| the morning.
"In the morning, however, matters looked
| both clearer and denser. An entire confec-
tionery shop was on the side porch; the
glass cases were full Of cakes, large ard
small, plain and iced; there were pie-stands
full of pies barrels and boxes OF supplies,
little cases of fine candies and chewing
gum. Our country hosts were plain people,
but they volunteered us no information. A
new young man-an alert, handsome, curly
haired. black-eyed fellow, was on the scene,
and was introduced as our cousin Harry
We couldn't ask any questions, and the
| manner of the entire family decidedly dis
couraged even inquiring looks. The three
children of the house walked around all day
eating candy and cake; we had baker,
|
huge plate of beautifully frosted cake, with
| bride-like decorations on 1t, was sent to our
room Cousin Harry looked jovial, but
| Jane got it into her mind that he had
been about to be married-even had the
| brides cake baked, and had run away from
the function. 1t seemed to me, however,
that he might be avoiding sheriff, or, per-
haps he didn't own the bake-shop. and had
l.. 4
Jane nearly lost her mind on the sub
ject, and 1 felt a little ratified myself, but
we didn't find out blessed thing. We had
to come away ignorant, leaving the four
children still eating cake
Above and beyond the actual cost OF
things looms the distressing after-cost, as
| IL were.
Eve lost my appetite fol
Expensive venison," remarked a citi-
Game. zen, talking about the fine
Christmas market of In
| dianapolis. Really, if men are not toe
good to do the wrong thing, they ought tc
| be too smart, for the wrong thing everlast-
ingly gets found out. and its earthly retri.
button everlastingly tags the wrong-doeI
every step Of his way onward.
when I went up north to hunt deer
this summer, miscalculated. and got there
just day too late. My old guide in the
Canada woods. however, winked at me con-
solingly and said. game law or no game
law, he'd fix me up all right; he wasn't GO
ing to see me come so far and get no fun
he'd scare me up a deer somewhere some
how, whether or no. Recklessness is high
| ly contagious. and l jumped at old Isaac's
I suggestion. 1t seemed to nv enfeebled
! vacation mind that one little shot at a deer
| wouldn't break up the Dominion of Canada
or bring war on my own country; So along
with old Isaac / skunk out to kill a deer
We were very cautious, and old Isaac in.
fused me with such confidence in his ability
| to do the safe thing-even if the wronc