Smyrna times., 1907-09-04

Where mothers plans come in. If 1
lad hve daughters I'll bet I'd marry the
last one of 'em off in two years. Now.
hHieIine Williams, stop twiddling your
thumbs and blushing and hitching
around and listen to me-"
And inside of ten minutes she had
developed her plan and guaranteed its
successful working. There were OBJ
JecuOns, but she overruled them.
Ihere were protestations. but she 81
fenced them. Half an hour after the
Slrl mad run back home with her tea
the plan had been communicated to
Bert, Mrs. StrOng's brother, and en-
tered upon in the heartiest manner. He
mad been introduced to the Williams
household, and, following out the plan.
ne crossed the road and spent four
hours talking to Emeline on the We
randa. Zebediah saw them from the
cornheld. During the first hour he
was easy in his mind. During the
second he wondered a bit Before the
third was ended he was feeling the
gnaWing pangs. He came up to sup
per sullen 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
He also came in the evening. He al
most ignored Zeb. while he made every
effort to entertain Eneline. 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. He was mad and jealous, but
there seemed nothing for him to do
He lay in his bed one night thinking
things over and gritting his teeth and
wondering why girls made fools of
themselves, when Farmer Strong
reused him up and told him he'd bet
-er go to the barn and see if the horses
were all right. Farmer Strong thought
he had seen some one prowling around
\ 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 a minute old
when Mrs. Strong came over to report
that her brother was missing.
by gum. but it's an elOpementr
exclaimed Zebediah as he made for
the barn. It's an elopement, and III
Kill that squirt from Illinois if l have
to follow him to Africaw
There was another horse i'll 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
murderer ten times over. He did not
have to go to the village. Three miles
from home he met a boy driving the
old gray mare homeward. He had
been paid half Il dollar by the squirt
to do so after the young man had
| taken the train. The 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 a 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 a 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 Jim Smith, the Justice
''NVhat fur?"
There's going to be Il wedding here
| in less'n an hour"
And there was, and though the
groom was grOuchy for awhile he
| soon got over 1t 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 neigh
| borhood let him look out for Il broken
neck.