Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-06-22
Spelling A ROMANCE.
BY N. QUAD.


OF existence and had replied thar che
guessed she would have him, and that
settled the matter for awhile. Zed
uiont want to marry for a year or
TWO, and Hattie was content. At least
no one suspected her OF discomfort
ana yet romance was fairly bubbling
IN her soul She wanted to be abduct-
ed; she wanted to elope; she wanted
to be lost In the sugar bush and found
by cavalier.
She kept hoping and expecting and
sewing carpet rags and helping her
mother make picked lily, and time ran
on. and one evening Zed announced
that he was ready to marry. Then an
IDEA came to her like a flash of light
ming. and after turning 1t over In her
mind for five minutes she answered:
Zed, win never, never marry you
unless we have some romance about
It,"
DO you mean going to the circus or
something OF that kind?' he asked.
mo, don't. / mean that | don't
propose to stand up in the parlor and
De married by a justice Of the peace"
We'll, what do you wantY
want to run away to get mar
ried."
"Shoo! l don't see the need OF that
when everybody's willing"
but | do. | want folks to have
something to talk about. and | want
something to think of afterward."
I'm willing to do all can, Hattie.
Seems kinder foolish to me, but If You
look at Il 'tother way it's all right.
It's to be what they call an elopement,
eh?"
Eyes"
"All right rover eloped. but /
guess We can manage it somehow.
This is Thursday. Shall we bring it
or next Tuesday night?"
The date suited the young woman,
and next morning both got up to act
rather queerly. They were absent.
minded and preoccupied ard had so
little V say to each other that before
the day was over Mrs. Cowper said to
her husband
Henry. I'm afraid Hattie is coming
down with some sickness or other. or
else she's got some awful thing on her
mind. have never seen her so quiet.
Once she put her arms around me and
asked me to forgive her, and when /
asked for what she ran away. What
dye 'spose ais herT'
Cant tell, but Zeke has also been
acting up and astonishing me. This
afternoon as we was hoeing corn side
and side he suddenly stopped and look
ed at me and almost shouted: No; /
will not give her up! l will defy you
to the endr When asked him what
he meant by such burned nonsense he
actually chanked his teeth"
1t was that romance was bubbllng,
and by the following Tuesday Zed had
made himself believe that a stern IA
ther had stepped between him and the
object Of his love and would brutally
blast his future, and Hattie composed
q note to be left behind for her moth
er asking forgiveness and saying that
II almost broke her heart to do the
thing contemplated.
The farmers bedtime was o'clock.
By 10 he and his good wife were snor-
ing. Even the cat slept Not so with
Hattie and Zed, however. The young
woman sat In her room, dressed for
the elopement and feeling thrills Of ro-
nance, and Zed had made a sneak for
the barn to hitch up q horse and
wagon.
At IL o'clock the rig was driven to
the front gate. and Zed jumped down
and hid beside the rosebush. Three
minutes later Hattie was with him.
There were whispers and hand
sQueezes, and the elOpement had start
ed 1t had progressed just forty rods
when there came a flash Of lightning.
At fifty rods the thunder beloved.
At a hundred the rain began to fall.
Fed had been crafty. but he hadn't no
ticed the gathering storm. Romance
and a soaking shower do not go well
together, but there must be no turning
back. There was an old open shed in
field a mile away, and as the rain
began to fall Zed put on the CAD to
reach its shelter. The old horse fell
down three times and had to be helped
I'd again eACu uue DeIOEe the Sneu
was reached. but they drove under it
at last Just as they did so a flash of
lightning showed an old bull at the
rear end. He had also got in out of
the wet, and. being the first conner, he
naturally resented any intrusion. He
got up and began to paw and paw and
below, and when the brave lover got
down to shoe him forth he charged
the wagon and broke one wheel OF
and scattered the horse around. This
brought about a pretty plain converse
ton between Hattie and led
'Zed Green. rm going home" finally
declared the girl You are the biggest
fool on earth. and nothing could IN
dnce me to marry YOU
And the romance seeking girl as she
stepped forth into the stIlI pouring
rain to slosh her way homeward
through the puddles couldn't help but
hear the retOrt:
Il know Of another fool just as big.