Evening journal., 1905-04-03
Stealing a Bride
loririnnll

ding would watch for q chance after
the ceremony had been performed TO
kidnap the bride. Placing her on a
horse behind one Of their party. they
would gallop to a neighborlng tavern /
where they had ordered supper. IL |
they reaclsd the tavern before the |
bride had been rescued the night was |
apent there in feastlng and dancing, |
aud the bridegroom was expected to
foot the bills
Mary and Helen Harrington. daugh- |
ters Of an old colonial justice OF the
peace. were very attractive girls. Mary
was engaecd to an officer In the British 1
army. and her parenA being Tories.
were we'll satisfied with the match, but
Helen's fiance. being oGtspoken In con
demnation of the taxes the king lev
led on the colonies. was not acceptable
to her father, who declared that she
should never marry a man tinctured
with a spirit Of rebellion.
On the other hand, preparations for
the marriage OF Captain Hinchelwood
and Mary Harrington were being made
with great satisfaction to all, though
Truxell and Helen could not but be
cast down at the contrast between
their own condition and that OF the
happy pair In vain Truxell endeavor-
ed to gain an interview with Helen,
hoping to persuade her to elope with
him. But she was so closely watched
that communication was impossible.
Preparations for Mary's wedding
having been made and the wedding
day arrived. guests from all the coun-
| try roundabout were assembled at Har-
rington Hall to take part In the fes-
tivities. Captain Hinchelwood wore
his scarlet uniform, Mary a white satin
gown beautifully trimmed with lace.
Her sister was her only bridesmaid.
! There was a plentiful sprlnkling Of
redcoats from the groom's regiment,
stationed at Boston. who held their
heads very high among the palmer
\ young men who were soon to meet
] them at Concord, Lexington and Bun
ker ELL. The ceremony had taken
place. the bride and groom were re-
ceiving congratulations. and the negro
cooks In the kitchen were bringing in
the supper. Suddenly every candle was
extinguished, and there was a commo-
ton, amid which voices cried:
Bride stealersw
1.-THE bride has been stolenw
"Mountr
They're galloping away"
There was a Gathering Of horses
hoofs. growing fainter in the distance.
; Under the sheds horses and vehicles
which had brought the guests were
standing, and a number OF the men,
headed by the brides father and her
husband, mounted and dashed away
after the kidnapers A full moon illu
, minated the landscape and at every
, straight stretch OF road the pursuing
party could see those who were fieeing
before them lashing their horses. AZ
one point the pursuerso Hcgme, z
branches Of trees piled In the road 4
prevent their progress. That the kid
napers were not delayed was because
= having prepared the distractions them
selves. when they came to them the.
e took a bypath around them. Dismount
ing, the pursuers soon cleared the roa'
and were OF again. Then they ap
preached a covered bridge which ha'
! been packed with straw and which a.
! soon as the kidnapers had passed
through it they had set afre. Indeed
the pursuers saw the sparks strucl
from the flint for the purpose. BY tn
J, time they reached the bridge II wa
e aiame, and they must go to n ford
: good mile around This decided tn
/. race. When the pursuers reached
, tavern where the lady had been takel
1 and Mr.. Harrington went up on to tn
porch his daughter came out to NEE
= him. But instead OF throwing hersel
l into his arms she knelt at his feet
9 Then for the first time her father nc
Il ticed that a man who followed her wa
a young Truxell.
''What do you mean by thisF' e1
/ claimed the old man angrily.
L Father" said the kneeliAg girl, "fol
l. give me. | am married.
g "Of course you're married and than
heaven, TO loyal subject Of the kinl
What Helen. DO you mean
TT means, Mr.. Harrington" sal
Truxell. that. the bride is at hom'
2 This is her sister, whom that clsrgyma
a who is standing within has just unite
a in wedlock TO me. our wedding suppe
e Is ready. Send for the guests at tn
4 hall, and we will celebrate a doubl
y wedding here"
. Helen led her father TO room wher
they were alone and, winding her arm
Il about him, besought him to forgive he
3. and make the occasion merry instea
l. OF a mournful one. One, circumstQnC
was Of great assistance TO her. In II
IS settlement pertaining to Mary's ma
J. rage Mr. Harrington had been oblige
to use f2O worth Of stamps that ha
been rendered essential under n
" stamp act-an act which finally made
rebel out of the old Tory. At any rat
~ he forgave the young couple, and n
4 rode back to the hall, meeting messel
gers TO say that the bride was safe an
II was the bridesmaid who bad bee
stolen. On reaching the hall they a
a one supper there. then went TO the ta
IN ern. where they ate another.
a. The marriage that Mr.. HarringtC
- expected would be a blessing to hi
= turned out quite the reverse. Mr.
- Hinchelwood went to England with b.
III husband, and her father never saw b.
SIS again. Truxell later became an offic
e. In the Continental army and was mu,
admired and beloved by his comrade
IN After the war, when his father-in-la
II was very old. Truxell took charge