The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-07-09
A Breach Of
COnGde g.
IOriginall

give IeA the A41tL-e OF MepDlSJop0eAta
instead Of Jaqueline 1 can't imagine
They certainly would have done so
had they known how she was TO turn
out AS 1t is, nobody ever calls her
anything but Jack. and in speaking of
her 10 those who have never seen or
known her one necessarily conveys
the idea that she is a boy-not only Il
boy, but boy of the worst kind.
The way she has treated Inc and
her sister certainly deserves a hundred
lashes, and l would like to be the fell
low To lay them on. I have always
been taught to consider one who would
betray a confidence as worse than
thief Jack betrayed our confidence
in the most unblushing manner. 1t all
happened only yesterday, and perhaps
I'm not in condition TO look upon her
act with charity. I hope I'll never
come into a frame of mind to excuse
her abominable treachery.
1t was this way: Mr.. Merryman
wanted his daughter-his eldest daugh-
ter, Harriet-to marry some big gun.
He had no objection to me other than
that I was neither president. member
of the cabinet nor one of the justices
Of the United States supreme court.
Harriet had tried to get his consent to
marry me, but he always put her Off
by saying, what do you want to mar
ry man for who couldn't even set a
small riyulet afire, let alone q river?,
Then Harriet would expatiate on my
good sense, good heart and a good
many other things that big guns don't
generally possess, especially the good
heart, for they are usually diaboIlcaIly
selfish. But her father only laughed
at her.
How we ever came to take Jack into
our confidence when we came to an
agreement to elope l don't know. Har-
riet thought she couldn't make her
preparations without Jacks knowing
of them, but / rather put 1t down TO
the fact that she must tell some one.
lat any rate, she told her Jack clap
ped her hands, and her eyes glistened
with glee. An elopement! How ro-
mantle! Just too lovely for anything!
She'd help us all she could, and, as for
keeping the secret, it would be buried
away down in her guileless heart.
We didn't need anything especially
elaborate-no rope ladder, fast team
and all that. We concluded just to
board a train, go up the road some
thirty miles to where former family
| dominic, Mr.. Strickland, lived and get
him to marry us. We would go in the
morning, take the afternoon train back
and be forgiven in time for dinner OF
course l engaged the parson for "a
specified day and hour. Jack was In
| tensely interested in it all and made us
give her every detail, promising to pre-
pare her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Merry
man, for what was to come, so that ii
wouldn't be so much of a shock.
Harriet met me in the open square
near the station. She was trembling
all over, but 1 treasured her. To avoid
observation we went to where the fore
most car would stand on the track
/ when the train came in. We got away
on time and had the satisfaction to be
in q car that was nearly empty. The
train stopped at the next station on
the road a mile beyond. There the
door opened, and 1 heard a familiar
girls voice say: "Come in here
There's lots Of room in this car"
turned with a rubadub heart to see
whom do you suppose? Jack beckon
ing to her father and mother, who
were mounting to the car platform
There they all three hustled into the
car we were in, Jack exclaiming:
Goodness gracious, If there isn't
Hat! And, 1 declare, Ben too! Where
in the world are you two going?"
The establishment Of the father ant
mother was very much overdone. i
didn't deceive either Of US. I glanced
at Jack and avoided meeting the eyes
Of the parents. Mr.. Merryman seemed
over1oyed that our parties should have
met on what he called an improviset
excursion. He asked me where VIZ
were going, and it was no use to lie
for my ticket would give me away. 81
told him, and he was delighted tina
we were all going to the same place.
Of the two halves of the party ont
was jubilant, the other mad and NOR
titled. We were obliged to spend al
hour and a half in this way before
reaching our destination. There we al
got out, and Jack proposed a stroll
She walked with her father, whil'
her mother walked with us. The littl
villain led the way to the parsonage
stopped before the door and proposed
call on the parson. Without WAITING
for consent, she rang the bell, and W
all went In. The parson was expecting
US, but since I had told him we woul'
be alone he was tribe surprised.
This would be a good time for yo1
and Hat to get spliced," said Jack t
me.
! Tho 5orosrfo sro+ H,4c ho0Iy QT,d xyaffa