The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-01-15

He says he will bring an alrshin o..
will carry four persons and guarant".
to sail it right around the steenle =.
the Methodist church."
II don't see how that will helm INV q,
she protested. I'VE have no airsb,n,
"But I've hired this" he explained
INSTEAD Of sailing around the cbprch
we will sail past your house and tata
you on board. 1 guess your fatber
won't catch us this time"
do you think it will be safer, sho
pleaded.
Absolutely SAFE" was the assrr.
ance. 1.-The man says lie has gone nm
hundred times"
"Let's try it," she said ezcitedly. "Jt
will be such fun! But won't it cost
lot of money!"
"DOn't you think you're worth it,,
he countered as he bent over her. .T
do if you don't"
There was little more talk before
they separated. and when at last she
turned toward her home it was with
feeling of happiness she had not ey-
perienced in weeks. She did not fee,
bound by the promise, except that she
had pledged her oath. She had NOT
sworn that she would not clone
through the air, and she saw in this
her opportunity.
A couple Of weeks later a car was
backed up the siding that ran into the
county fair grounds. and some mysteri
GUS packages were unloaded and taken
into the Agricultural hall.
The next night the few persons who
were abroad after midnight were sur
prised to see huge white bulk float
ing in the air. Some fed, some stared
but none guessed what it was.
Marion. looking from her window.
saw it approaching in the moonlight
and watched the aeronaut as he ma
neuvered for favorable approach.
Presently the machine settled down.
At its approach the watchdog fed
and hid trembling under the barn. so
that no sound save the soft purring of
the motor broke the stiffness as the
bag brushed against the house.
1t was not an easy matter to get
Marion into the car. but at last she
grasped Jim's hands and swung out
clear Of the sill. Then he drew her
up into the car, and with a soft flutter
the blunt nose of the gas bag was
pointed toward the moon
They rose a hundred feet, and then
through the still night air they headed
for across the river.| There was no
ferry or bridge nearer than Carrsville
five miles downstream, and even should
her father be aroused by the noise he
could not head them off in time. As it
happened there was no sound to arouse
his suspicious, and an hour later they
had crossed the water and were stand
ing in the parsonage of the little
church while the surprised minister
read the marriage service Then they
climbed into the car again, and the
airship rose into the sky.
"It's an odd wedding Journey" he
laughed as the great gas bag rose. Il
guess this is the first elopement by
airship."
Don't you think" she smiled back
that all newly married people are up
in the cloudsY'
That's because they are so near par
adise," he explained. 81 feel as if we
had sailed right through the blue
vault"
1--WE must come back to EARTH she
said practically. Il wonder what IA
Their will say"
1--WE shall know in about half an
hour" he laughed. II am going back
to convince him that you did not break
your OATH"
George Halpin was just going toward
the barn in the first early light when
he paused, awestricken, to regard the
shape approaching. When it descend
ed close to him and he saw Jim and
Marion in the car he grasped the sit
uatiOn.
Il promised not to elope on land or
water, father" explained Marion, with
a nervous little laugh, as she stepped
from the car You see, 1 kept my
word"
For a moment the old anger flared
up, then died out again. II guess" she
said slowly, that if Jim Warner is as
hard up as all that for wife he can
have you. You'd better run in the
house and tell mother to come out and
have a look at this invention. It's got
me dumfOunded."