The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-12
GRANDMOTHER YARN.

the railroads were not yet built, and
we were Obliged to go by stage.
Fathers mine was up in the noun
tains. It was rough country at
that time. | had no associates and
found it hard to get away with the
time.
zone day | heard that there was
going TO be a masquerade dance at
the tavern / couldn't understand
how they could get costumes in that
country so remote from civilization.
! was just crazy to go to the dance,
but of course father wouldn't hear of
such a thing. But life for me was
dull. and kept thinl:ing what
curious affair masquerade ball
would be among such a people, and |
resolved to steal away and go with
out father or anybody knowing about
IL. had gone to fancy dress ball
in the east as Marguerite" and
knew how to get up the costume or,
rather, improvise it,
There we're not many different
costumes the DISCUSSES consisting
mostly of Mexican, Indian and made
up dresses that represented nothing
in particular. Since all faces were
masked there was no difference in
this from any other ball, except that
the people were noisier"
when is the stage robbery to
come in grandma?" Interrupted the
listener.
Didn't you promise to ask no
questions? Well, to go on with my
story, man in the costume of
Mexican, sombrero, jacket, slashed
trousers and all that, with plenty of
gold lace, came up to me and asked
me to dance. ! preferred to look
about AS there were twice as many
men as women, | saw at once that
this was impracticable. Besides,
there was something about the Mexi-
can--I could not tell what-that was
familiar to me, and was sure had
heard his voice before. | fancied he
might be a young mining engineer
whom / had previously met. At any
rate, danced with him and found
him very good partner, easy on his
feet and light as a feather.
after our dance we made few
commonplace remarks to each other
when he said:
cit is hot in here Come outside
81 took his arm and went with him
on to the veranda, where, after walk
ing back and forth for a time, we
took seats in a corner, when we re-
moved our masks. which were un-
comfortable. could see something
of his face in the dim light, and he
could see as muth Of mine
"To make a long story short. he
made love TO me, and confess he
did it very nicely. He told me he
was rich mine owner and had to
start at o'clock the next morning
for Mexico. where his mines lay. l
told him of my being at the ball with
out permission What did he do but
beg me to go with him from the ball,
marry him and accompany him to
Mexico"
But, grandma-the robbery: /
hear nothing of that"
Hush, child; it's coming. My
lover drew a ring from his finger and
gave It to me. | took il to where the
light poured through window, and
It sparkled beautifully. 1t was a dia-
mond in AN ANTIQUE setting. l went
back to the giver, thanked him, and
when he continued to urge me to go
with him | hung my head as If sorely
tempted. He redoubled his pleading,
endeavoring to catch the fancy of a
young girl by the romance of such
an elopement. Finally | told him
that would go home, gather up what
valuables | possessed and meet him
in an hour at my fathers front gate.
To this he consented, and left him,
running home as fast as my legs
would carry me-"
"Oh, grandma, don't believe the
stagecoach robbery is in the story at
all"
"Yes 1t is In an hour ] looked out
toward the gate and saw the dim
figure of my lover waiting for me.
put a whistle to my lips and blew a
shrill blast. He bounded away, but
was met by figures on every side that
! could see dimly, and | heard cries
of Throw up your hands!' My lover
was captured, and | had arranged his
capture. He was a road agent"
whats that?'
"a stage robber"
Now are we coming to the rob-
bery?"
Eyes"
How did you know he was a rob
ber?'
when we were coming from the
east the coach was stopped by a
masked man, who took all the valu-
ables we had with us. As soon as
saw the ring my lover had given me
| recognized 1t as my own. 1t had
been handed down through the old
est daughter till it reached me. | had
been relieved Of it by the masked
robber."