The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-26
An Elopement.

lCopyright, lJOS, by American IreSs Asso-
ciation.l
"Father," said little Clarence La
Mont, isn't mother ever coming back
to us?'
There was no reply, and in few mo.
ments the boy, who had his arms
about his fathers neck, felt a con-
vulslve tremor.
Go, father, and bring her. You
know where she is. I'm sure"
still the father did not speak. In
stead he huggcd his son closely to him.
Then suddenly he said:
"For your sake, Clarence, I'll make
an effort"
A lady driven up to her country resi-.
dence in an automobile alightcd and
hurried into the house In the hail she
was accosted by tall, intellectual
looking man, but with something weak
I'm his expression. 4l,
"Why, dear, what has Kept you?
Dinner has been ready half an hour"
well, well, must / always be on the
minuteY And instead of waiting for
the usual kiss she hurried upstairs to
lay aside her wraps. N. ...
Something wrong again." he NUT
tered. I'VE who defy the social code
must pay the penalty. But she has
always recovered from these moments
of rcmorse. Doubtless she will do so
now"
The recovery I'm this case did not
come. Instead gloom settled over
the woman that he could not dispel.
though he made every effort. He tried
to win her from her melancholy by
caresscs. She rcpulsed him. He took
her to the opera, to theatcrs. every
where, anywhere that he could place
her in an atmosphere of excitement.
She seemed for awhile TO be lending
herself willingly 20 the plan. but there
was no change in her. and Mt last she
declined TO pursue Il further One
thing alone she followed OF her own
choice. Every day an automobile
wheeled TO the door. and she entered it
and sped away for drive that was
never short and often very long.
He was comfortcd that what could
not be. produced by other nmusemcnts
was effected by this, Doubtless the
breakneck speed. with an element OF
danger In It. served to overcome re-
morse But he feared that one Of the
many accidents constantly occurring
would happen to her.
Sweetheart" he said one day after
her return from a ride. "do you drive
very fast?"
"As fast as the machine can be
driven"
"Are you not afraldT
"No. Automobile accidents do no.
MAIN: they give us oblivion"
He sighed and started to take her I'm
his arms, but she turned away.
The next day when she went TO ride
he told her that he would 60 with her.
He wished TO observe II the chauffeur
I was careful or reckless. She pnssively
consented He was satisfied with
what he saw. There was no careless
ness. no reckless speed but she sat
/ beside him unmoved by any word he
| spoke to her and apparently unintcr-
ested in her surroundings. She was
| like n woman of stone. ,. s..
Coming to broad road stretching
straight ahead for several miles, he
ordered the chauffeur to increase the
speed again and again till the machine
was flying like the wind. StilEthe wo-
man beside him sat like n statue. He
felt for her hand, expecting that,
moved by the awful speed at which
they were running, she would involun-
tarily clutch his 1t lay limp in his
| palm. n.l
That was the last ride he ever took
with her The next afternoon when
! he came home he was told that she
| had gone, as usual in the automobile.
When dinner was announced she had
| not returned. He waited half an hour,
then dlned alone. His life was becom-
Ing intolerable, Dcspairing Of re-es-
tablishing his former relations, he
wished that something would occur to
break the connection. After dinner he
lighted cigar, but soon threw Il
away. Noticing an evening paper on
a table beside him. he took II up. On
the first page there were headlines in
/ large print announcing an automobile
accident Two persons, a man and n
woman, were killed.
Strange that he experienced a wei
come relief
d He did not read what followed. He
had long lived in dread of something
| tefrlbleLhe knew not what-and did
not doubt that this horror was what
he had feared, or II he doubted he
did not dare read on, fearing a con
drmation of what he believed, Con-
science makes towards of MS all, and
| this man, who had robbed n husband
of his wife and a child of his mother,
shrank from the dreadful end of what
he had done. He sat motlonless, his
face covered with his hands. A serv-
| ant lighted the lights, but he did not
hear An shour passed, during which
no sound aroused him, till at last he
heard an automobile stop before the
house Starting up he hurried TO the
door. A chauffeur one he had never
soon. mot him there.
Il MaJ to.G, III, To bring this mo.