The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-08-09

where mothers plans come in. If
lad five daughters I'll bet Ia marry the
last one of 'em off in two years. Now.
Hmellne Williams, stop twiddling your
thumbs and bushing ana hitchinG
around and listen to me-"
And inside OF ten minutes she had
developed her plan and guaranteed its
successful working. There were Oh
| jections, but she overruled them.
There We're protestations, but she ST
fenced them. Half an hour after the
girl had run back home with her tea
the plan had been communicated to
Bert Mrs. Strong's brother, and en-
tered upon In the hearticst manner. He
had been introduced TO the Williams
household, and, following out the plan,
| he crossed the road and spent four
hours talking to Emelne on the We
| randa. Zebediah saw them from the
cornfeld. During the first hour he
was easy in his mind During the
| second he wondered Il bit. Before the
| third was ended lie was feeling the
gnawing pangS. He came up to sup
per sullcn and morose, and now and
| then during the evening he flung out
something about that squirt from
| Illinois"
Bert came the next day and the next
| lie also came in the evening He al
most ignored Zeb. while he made every
effort to entertain Emeline. He even
| aroused her father from his wonted
| lethargy. Zeb wanted to do some
| kicking, but fear of the law restrained
him. He wanted TO talk to the girl and
| tell her what was what, but pride
| forbade. lie was mad and Jealous, but
| there seemed nothing for him TO do.
| He lay in his bed one night thinking
| things over ana grtting his teeth and
wondering why girls made fools Of
| themselves, when Farmer Strong
reused him UP and told him he'd bet
| ter go to the barn and see If the horses
were all right. Farmer Strong thought
| he had seen some one proving around.
4 trip to the barn showed that the
gray horse and top buggy were miss
ing. When the Williams household
was alarmed. the discovery was made
that Miss Emeline was not in her
room. Her wardrobe had been over
hauled, and she had evidently fed.
The discovery was not minute old
when Mrs. Strong came over to report
that her brother was missing.
by gum, but it's an elopement."
exclaimed Zebediah as he made for
the barn. ITS an elopement, and I'll
kill that squirt from Illinois IL / have
to follow him to Africa"
There was another horse in the barn,
and, waiting only long enough to slip
on bride, Zeb mounted and was off
for the nearest village. AS he went
Gathering through the midnight dark
ness he saw red. In his heart he was
a murderer ten times over. He did not
have to go to the village. Three miles
from home he met boy driving the
old gray mare homeward. He had
been paid half dollar by the squirt
to do so after tA< young man had
taken the train. TIE boy was positive
that there was no one with him. The
old mare was put on the gallop for
home, and the farmhouse was reached
to find the father and daughter at the
gate. Emeline had explained that she
had sat up late fixing over dress and
had finally gone up to the garnet to
hunt for some pieces of cloth. Elope:
She had never even dreamed of it. In
love with the young man from the
west? She couldn't say she even liked
him.
At this point Mrs. Strong came into
the discussion to say that her brother
was very erratic and sometimes did
strange things and that when he took
sudden resolves to go home he some
times borrowed even horse and bug
gy without consulting the owner. She
hadn't heard him say he was going
home, but he didn't always let her into
his confidence. Zeb heard her out and
then climbed into the buggy.
where are you going?" asked the
farmer.
"After Jia o.sS<h, tks j,,stiss."
What fur"
There's going TO be wedding here
In less'n an hour"
And there was, and though the
groom was grouchy 1H awhile he
soon got over it and acknowledged that
he was glad Of it-that is, he was glad
he had married five or six years soon
er than he had intended to, but If the
squirt ever returned to that nciNh-
borhOod let him look out for broken
neck.