Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1908-01-10

| to the village with her Cousin Marie.
"Oh" sighed she, her eyes lifted to
the hills that climbed to meet the
breezy blue Of the horizon beyond the
river, 81 do wish we were going some
where to-day"
I'VE are going somewhere-to the
post office, after the mail, and the
drug store, after some candy and writ
ing paper" practically returned Marie,
to whom the incongruities of certain
village stores were an unfailing source
of amusement.
The two girls had come to Screm-
bling Kill few weeks before from
thriving western city, on a long
promised visit to a couple of elderly
cousins, the Misses Loretta and Lavi-
MIA Vechten.
The mail was being distributed
when they reached the post Office. Nan
waited for the home letters which
they saw tantalizingly near, yet far,
behind the glass front of the Van
Vechten box, while Marie went on to
do her shopping. AS she returned,
however, she met her cousin coming
In quest of her.
Marie" she solemnly began, 'let
us elope. The stage is waiting for us,
SO hurry up.
Instead Of hurrying, Mrs. Powell
stood still in not unnatural surprise.
"The STAGE" questioned she.
"The stage to Sharon Springs" ex-
planned Nan. You know we heard
that one takes mail and passengers
there from here in the morning, and
comes back in the afternoon. / never
saw it till to-day, but it is standing
before the post Office this moment. 1t
drove up while l was there, and one of
the men about asked the driver If he
was starting for Sharon, and he said
he was only waiting till the mail was
sorted for him, so l came after you at
once. Do let's take passage! We
can get dinner at the Pavilion at
Sharon, and come back by tea time.
Think what a ten-mile ride will be
such morning as this!"
Think also what our cousins would
say of our going off so without word
to them, along with a strange driver"
objected Marie, though even as, she
spoke thought of the trip came
temptingly to her in contrast to the
over-quiet morning and long, dull,
dozy afternoon that would otherwise
be her portion.
THE driver looks very gentlemanly,
and we can send note home by some
boy to say where we've gone. and for
| the rest-can you not always chap
| erone me?"
This small joke was standing one
| between the two. Nan was % and
tall and dignified and gravely sweet
of aspect; Marie was 10 and small aud
gay and an innocently audacious firt.
Nan had gained knowledge of the
world by having had to face 1t alone
ever since she began teaching at II,
and Marie had gone straight from an
indulgent fathers home to that of an
equally indulgent husband-but Marie
was married, and Nan was not and
hence the Boston aunt whom they had
first visited had expressed her ap.
proval of their travelling alone, "be-
cause Marie could always chaperone
| Man." a remark which had struck
deep into their western sense of the
absurd.
The chaperon now permitted her
self to be drawn rather briskly along
the street by the chaperoned.
The people waiting at the post office
for their mail had departed, but ve-
hicle still stood before the building
stoutly built, open vehicle. with a
canopy and broad, empty, inviting
seats; very attractive stage to those
used to seeing everything from new
| fourin-hand to an old farm wagon
| dubbed with that name. The driver, a
| dark-haired young man in rather
shabby flannel suit was just gathering
up his reins to start. Nan, who was
generally spokeswoman in the two
cousins travels, hurriedly advanced.
You're going to Sharon this morn
ing, and coming back before night,
aren't you?" she inquired, to make
sure.
"Yes," replied the young man, po-
litely lifting his hat as he turned at
the sound of her voice and regarding
her with a pair of somewhat startled
anu Intensely hAuS SyCo uo liiSh
eyes of mingled fun and fire.
Then said Nan, with graceful dig
nifty, intensified by the knowledge that
Marie was considering the proposed
trip particularly "jolly lark" then we
will go with you. How much is the
stage fare?"
I'll believe it's a dollar, MISS"
hesitated the man. You see," he be-
gan to explain, I'm not the regular
driver, but"
His substitute, I suppose" put in
Marie, who thought 1t about time she
had a share of the conversation.
"Yes'm, a substitute" agreed the
young man, as he alighted to help his
| passengers in.
He proved an obliging driver. He