The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-09-12
tJben the
Deacon Wiffed.

AltcF Deacon NIullOn IeCeiNeu itH
legacy be went back on his consent TO
his sons marriage With Nellie, daugh'
Ter OF the Widow Jordon.
The thing must stqpft once. Elias.
he said, E'sbe IS not the girl for you
I'd sihntry even II you we're ready for
the serious step of matrimony. ] dc.
sire you to e over to the Widow Jor-
don's this evening and erphntioally
announce tint 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 It left both men
firm, and, the result was that elias
left the paternal roof and took up his
residence with ain uncle. OF course he
called ut thc Widow Jordon's with the
news. Miss Nellie felt hurt and hui
inflated ana shed tears, bat her moth
er had no tears to she'd. She tossed
her head like war horse, and there
was an edge 20 her voice as she said
10 the young man:
ELIAS, Jordon is as good rs
Grafton any day in the year and may
be Il little better. II you want It all
of with Nellie. Just say the word and
don't beat about the bush. She isn't
dying 70 marry yon or any one else"
But ] om dying to marry her, and
we VIII call on the minister tonight If
you say So" was the answer.
sJ''No; we'll wait awhile. I've seen
men Ike your father before. and |
hayN seen them come down Off theit
high horse"
Two'hlghts later Elias ''sat up" with
Nellie Until near midnight Nellies
mother sat up" In the darkness OF
her room and made notes. One of the
notes was TO. Vie effect that human
figure closely resembling Deacon Graf.
toms was sneaking about the yard and
trying TO peer into a-side window. She
was a woman who didn't have TO be
hit with a potato masher to take a
hint. Next day she drove over TO Ely
ria. and after buying a bear trap at a
hardwood store she took it 20 a black
smith aud had him blmt the sharp
teeth with u hammer she also learned
from him how TO set 1t. Wheu she
reached home the trap was placed In
the barn.
Word was sent to Elias not to come
to the house for three nights. but q
light was left burning in the sitting
room each nightuntil midnight From
her aerie In the second story the wild
ow waitedand watched. and that same
human form appeared for balf an hour
each night Then she was ready for
It, When Elias came on the wings Of
love the trap was set and secretly
placed beside the rosebush. II wasn't
a rose without thorn. On the contra.
ry,it had many thorns, and in crowd
ing Into Il to get at the side window
some oneshad left many bits OF gray
cloth. There was also a larger and
sharper thorn waiting 10 mature
,rhe heGr was ~ 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 long drawn yell was heard
under the window outside. At tlis
same moWept the mother came down
stairs with n lighted lantern in hand
and said:
Keep your seats. children. It's only
a cat. and I'm going outside TO tall
with him. He's yelling as if he was II
pain, but he won't be hurt much"
Deacon Grafton had stepped into The
widows bear trap as he sought TO ge
his ear TO window. Had the teetl
not been blunteG they would have gon,
to the bone Of his leg. AS II was, h'
was held fast. aud the plnching wal
anything but pleasant The widow
found him lying on the grass and try
ing to loosen the trap. and she PLACED
the lantern where the light fell full OF
his face and sat down beside him an,
said:
Deacon Grafton. since when dl
you turn burglarT
what does this mean. woman h
demanded ia reply as he held up q les
ut means. sir, that that bear tral
was set to protect that window an'
that you have been caught Wen Sc
what the law will have to say abou
st."
"but you know I'm no burglar. Yo
know | was simply looking around I
see if Elias was here"
Il know nothing OF the kind Yo
can tell that story in court and Sc
how many viii believe IT, Il is m
duty, deacon"-
Look here. widder," Interrupted th
deacon mo one will believe that
meant to get into your house. but
don't care TO be made fun OF. N you
help me Off with this pesky trap an
say nothing I'll send you n barrel c
-four"
WHAT First try TO break into N
: house and then try to hribe me?
won't do. deacon. Elias Is In the bous'
as you know. Do you want TO spea
to hlnl?"
with this bear trap ON my legs
Neverr
"Do you want to send him IN wor
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