The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-09-04
6G1ben the
Deacon Wiffed.


his sons marriage with Nellie, daugh.
ter of the Widow Jordon,
"The thing must stop at once. Elias"
he said. "she is not the girl for you
TO marry even II you were ready for
the serious step of matrimony. dc.
sire you to go over TO the Widow Jor-
don's this evening and emphatically
announce that there can be nothing
! further between you and her daugh-
ter"
The son respectfully but stubbornly
refused to do any such thing. There
was more talk. but IL left both men
firm, and the result was that Elias
left the paternal roof and took up his
residence with an uncle. or course he
called at the Widow Jordon's with the
news. Miss Nellie felt hurt and hu-
INFLATED and shed tears, but her moth
er had no tears TO shed. She tossed
her head like war horse, and there
was an edge 20 her voice as she said
TO the young man:
"Elas, a Jordon is as good as a
Grafton any day in the year and may
he a little better. If you want 1t all
off with Nellie, just say the word and
don't beat about the BUSH She isn't
dying to marry you or any one else"
But 1 am dying to marry her, and
we will call on the minister tonight IL
you say So" was the answer
mo; well wait awhile. I've seen
men like your father before, and
have seen them come down Off their
high horse"
Two nights later Elias sat up" with
Nellie until near midnight. Nellie's
mother sat up" in the darkness OF
her room and made notes. One of the
notes was to the effect that human
figure closely resembling Deacon Graf
tons was sneaking about the yard and
trying TO peer into a side window. She
| was woman who didn't have to be
hit with q potato masher to take q
hint. Next day she drove over to Ely
ria, and after buying bear trap ut Il
hardwood store she took IL to black
:. smith and had him blunt the sharp
i teeth with hammer. She also learned
from him how to set it. When sue
reached home the trap was placed in
the barn.
, Word was sent TO Elias not TO come
to the house for three nights. but a
light was left burning in the sitting
: room each night until midnight. From
: her aerie in the second story the wild
ow waited and watched, and that same
e human form appeared for half an hour
g each night. Then she was ready for
n 1t. When Elias came on the wings of
love the trap was set and secretly
g placed beside the rosebush. 1t wasn't
d rose without a thorn. On the contra
J. ry, it had many thorns, and in crowd
ing into 1t to get at the side window
some one had left many bits of gray
cloth. There was also a larger and
sharper thorn waiting to mature.
The hour was IL o'clock, and Miss
Nellie had Just answered that she
guessed Thanksgiving day was as
good day as any other to get married
on when n long drawn yell was heard
!. under the window outside. At tho
c same moment the mother came down.
). stairs with lighted lantern in hand
: and said:
h keep your seats, children. It's only
e a cat, and I'm going outside TO talk
s with him. He's yelling as If he was in
t pain, but he won't be hurt much"
Deacon Grafton had stepped into the
It Widows bear trap as he sought to gel
his ear to a window. Had the teeth
y not been blunted they would have gone
Il TO the bone of his leg. AS it was, he
S was held fast, and the pinching wa:
5. anything hut pleasant. The widow
g found him lying on the grass and try
Ing to loosen the trap, and she placed
y the lantern where the light fell full OF
;. his face and sat down beside him anc
d said:
IS Deacon Grafton. since when diC
l. you turn burglary"
what does this mean, womanw h'
d demanded in reply as he held up leg
IS "It means, sir, that that bear traI
d was set to protect that window anC
IS that you have been caught. Wen Sc,
II what the law will have to say abou
" It,"
"But you know I'm no burglar. YoI
know was simply looking around u
see IL Elias was here"
Is IT know nothing of the kind. Yol
p can tell that story in court and se'
a how many Will believe it. 1t is m!
II duty, Deacon
n N"Look here, wilder" interrupted th,
t. deacon, "no one will believe that
er meant TO get into your house, but
IN don't care 10 be made fun OF. II you'll
lg help me Off with this pesky trap ant
III say nothing I'll send you barrel o
,d -four"
le "What! First try TO break into IN.
le house and then try to brlbe me?
g. won't do, deacon. Elias is in the house
&c as You know. Do you want to speal
re TO hlmY
le with this bear trap on my legs
ID Neverr'
rs do you want to send him in wor
n to come back home and that you'v
IN changed your mind about the Jordo
lt family"
'y mo, l don'tw was the sulky reply.
O. Then I'll have to run over to Cor
S, stable Browns house and tell him
is have rohber for him. Some folk
l.