Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1906-07-25
An Adventure of Lovers
[OrigiuaLl

uneasiness. They were constant com
panions, and 1t was feared that com
panionship would ripen into love. In
deed ii had ripened into love, though
none but the young couple knew it.
One thing they were forbidden and
that on the ground that Charlotte was
but a schoolgirl. Asa wished to take
her TO places of amusement That
which was unattainable openly was
undertaken by stealth. One evening
they stole away and visited theater
together. When the play was over and
they had started home it suddenly be-
gan TO rain. Charlotte was frightened,
and Asa was, to say the least, worried.
BY the story they had concocted they
were supposed to pass the evening near
Charlotte's house under cover. If she
went home drenched the story must
come out. Something must be done to
prevent a wetting.
Standing before a house was a car
riage the driver apparently asleep on
the box. No street lamp was near, and
the location was quite in the dark. Asa
put his fingers to his lips and, leaving
Charlotte, tiptoed to it, cautiously open
ed the door and beckoned to her. She
came, got into the carriage, and Asa
followed, softly closing the door be
hind him. They were beyond the reach
of a drop Of rain.
The situation to the children-they
were little more-was delightful First,
they were plucking forbidden fruit in
being there at all; second, they were
saving themselves from discovery by
occupying carriage in which they had
no right. The rain battered merrily,
but no more merrily than they chuc-
killed.. But suddenly their satisfaction
was changed to fright. The front door
Of the house before which the team
stood opened. A man came out and,
after hasty glance up and down the
street, came toward them. The win
dow Of the coach was down, and he
threw in a bundle, which fell in Char
lotte's lap. The man whispered some
thing to the driver and away went
horses, carriage, driver and children.
uHR ss@sns31sa 49, SsDA YASy
I'D not dare call to the driver to stop,
and they were In an agony as to where
he would take them. The consequence
was that they did what they had never
done before-clasped each other tight
ly and waited as if they expected to be
driven over a precipice. They were
taken they knew not whittier for half
an hour; then the carriage stopped. 1t
had hardly done so before a man, who
must have been waiting for it, opened
the door. Charlotte gave a bit of a
Shrek. The man, who had extended
his hand apparently to grasp some
thing, suddenly withdrew it with an
exclamation and took to his heels. The
driver jumped from the box and fol
lowed him at full speed.
Asa got out through the open door,
followed by Charlotte, and they were
about to hurry away when a bit of curl
osity supposed to pertain especially to
the softer sex stopped them.
Il wonder what's in the bundle"
said Charlotte.
"Nevcr mind"
at may be something nice. Are you
going to leave it,"
"Yes-nO." He darted back, seized it
and the two walked rapidly away.
Asa soon recognized the street they
were on and knew that they were not
far from CharlOttes home. The time
which, if it accorded with their story,
they were TO have been at home, was
passed and they were at loss what
10 do. After discussion they decided
that Charlotte should go into the house
openly and make a full confession. Her
parents were waiting In much trepida-
ton and before she went to bed she
had made her confession, was forgiven
and, leaving the bundle with her father
went up to her room 10 sleep as tran
gully as if nothing had happened.
=. But the next morning at breakfast
Charlotte ventured to ask timidly:
Papa, what was in the bundlef"
Paper, my dear; nothing but pa
pei" And, taking his morning paper,
he left the table.
After the episode Asa and Charlotte
were left to follow their own sweet
wills. No opposition was made to their
going where they liked together, and,
although this spoiled the fun, they had
had one experience together which
formed a strong bond of union, Be
sides, there was q mystery connected
with it, for Asa told his sweetheart
that the morning after it occurred her
father had come to his fathers house.
A third gentleman was called 10y tele
phone. and the three held long con-
sultation. They had called Asa in and
asked If he could identify the two per
sons connected with the mystery,
which, of course, he could not, though
he gave locations accurately.
Asa and Charlottes love grew stron-
ger as they grew older. Asa went into
business, and when he got $50 week
salary he marched up to Mr.. Grape
and asked for his daughter.
ASA" said the old gentleman, "do
you remember your carriage drive sew
eral years ago? Well, on that drive
you captured $4,000 that had been
stolen from bank. The parcel thrown
tnf Rs To-. fI,.