Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1906-09-13
in DEFAULT OF THE BRIDE.
By NELLIE CRAvEY GILMORE.

Though fully %. young Stamford
did not look day over 10 in his light
hannels as he ran nimbIy up the
veranda steps OF the Etheredge home
and pressed the electric bell button.
The door few open simultaneously
and stolid-vissged parsonage in
livery stood confronting him.
Is Miss Etheredge in. wish to
see her at once. II possible" He
thrust card into the silver receiver
and sat down. somewhat ont of
breath. in the nearest chair.
\ minute passed and the butler re-
turned. bearing a slip OF paper
across the back of which was scraxled
in a hasty hand: Dear Dick: 1
am. unfortunately. too IN to leave my
room- Can YOU not. Just as we'll. com
munieafe with me through CharieyT~
Young Stanford was in a quandary.
Decidedly nothing could be done with
out the cooperation Of Miss Ether
edge in person. and time Was flying
He consulted his watch and found TO
his dismSy that baresy 80 minutes re-
manned in which To act lie reflected
a moment. then turned hastily TO the
butler Tell Mr.. Charley 10 come
down Immediately he said.
Whea Charley Etheredge appeared
in response 70 this summons he found
Stamford pacing restlessly up and
down the long hallway
he fact q the matter Is. Ether
edge. he BEGAN at once. my uncle
Is dying lie has always had his
heart set on D on my marriage
with your sister For some unex-
planned and inexplicable reason, he
chooses 10 fancy az this lac day that
one Of rs wiiI draw back from our
engagement because of the delay. The
bulk % his property. as YOU have
heard. has been willed to me on the
specified condition Of our marriage
He paused and drew from his pocket
the small. unmistakable yellow en-
vslop. And now. the worst OF IL is.
he pursued anxiousiy. he has but a
few hours to live and sends this tele-
gram at the eleventh hour: II you
are not married before the breath
leaves nv body-at my very bed
side-will shall be changed
Etheredge pondered a second and
shook his head Il can't see what's
TO be done. my dear fellow. unless
you just simply explain that my sis
ter is physically unable
So much chat In his present
weakened. faneifuI condition an ex-
PLANTATION of that sort would serve ad-
mirably TO strengthen his unreason-
able within. and 5000 is no trire to
an impecunious fellow hke-myseIf So
OF course not. returned the
other musingIy
It's what we've been looking for
ward 10 all our lives. too
Etheredge was dumb for several
minutes. such a thing as a solution.
at the present iuncture. seeming more
impossible than the moving Of a
mountain.
Stamford took out his watch again
and studied its face critically. Half
an hour he calculated under his
breath.
Suddenly Etheredge looked up with
a daring inspiration in his eyes. Il
have it," he cried Suppose What
II might rig out in some of my sis
ter's toggery and go on with you,
I've done that .ort of thing before.
ySc know. pretty successfully. Re
member those private thestricals last
summer"
Young Stamford started and red
dened furiously for an instant His
eyes chung resolutely to the carpet
Then. after minutes hesitation. he
glanced up. Capital" he exclaimed.
enthusiastically. 1T seems about the