Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1910-03-04
CONSTABLE tiAlTs RUNAWAY COUPLE


CONSTABLE siAlTs RUNAWAY COUPLE
Love may laugh at locksmiths,
hnssa nst, at the modern telephone
wien i Rockingham constable is at
the receiving end, and when the
woulGbe bride has red hair.
Constable J. w. Revercomb, of
Glover Hill, was called up Saturday
over the phone by an irate father
away out in Bath county, or rath-
er on the road from Bath. Here's
what he heard over the phone:
"Watch out for my daughter
She has run away with a boy nam
cd Cal Bodkin. They are driving
in q two-horse buggy and are bound
for Harrisonburg to take the train
for Washington to get married
Stop them and hold them until |
get there. You cannot mistake.
Oracle that's my daughter - is
just fourteen years old. She is
dressed in q blue coat suit and blue
hat. Her hair is red you cam
mistake the couple. The boy is
only eighteen years old and of only
medium height. Don't lose any
time. My name is John NJ. Smith.
The girls name is Oracle Smith"
This proved to be one of the
spiciest messages the constable had
had for a long time and the wires
fairly buzzed.
All right, Mr.. Smith," replied
Mr.. Revercomb, II will watch for
them and hold them for you, if I
catch them"
Sworn to do his duty but down.
right sorry to have to break up q
counting couple, the constable went
out into the pike and it was only a
short while before he spotted" his
runaways. AS the vehicle ap-
preached, there was not a shred of
doubt in TIC constable's mind.
There were the two horses, the
buggy, the youthful boy and the
bashful maiden. And when the
officer caught sight of the girls
brilliant red hair beneath the pref
ty blue hat, he would have bet his
life that he had made no mistake.
1t made the constable's heart sad
to have to break the news to the
young lovers. The girl was genu-
inely beautiful and she looked the
picture of despair as the constable
unfolded his story. But duty is
the sublinest word in the English
language with Constable Rever-
comb.
Mr. Bodkin, the 1S-year-old lover,
kicked like a mule when the officer
told them he would have to ask
them to stop and come into his
home and await the arrival of Mr..
Smith. Bodkins declared that his
name was not Bodkin and that
Gracie's name was not Oracle. And
as for Mr.. Smith, they had never
heard of such a man. The Whole
business was an insult, an outrage,
a disgrace, q positive scandal.
But Revercomb took another
look at Gracie's pretty red hair and
Just smiled at the rampant youth.
He conducted the disappointed low
ers into his home and gave the bug
gy and horses in charge of color
ed boy.
And it was not long before an
other buggy came down the pike.
OF course buggy Number Two was
"Pa" Smiths buggy. "Pa' was
hopping mad, but it afforded him
genuine pleasure to get back his
fourteen-year-old child. And still
more pleasure was afforded him as
he scowled a trump at youthful
Cal.
The rest of the story is soon told
Mr.. Smith took Miss Oracle into
his buggy along with his brother
in-law, who made the trip with
him, and the three started on back
to Bath county.
And young Mr.. Cal Bodkins was
left there at the constable's home
to make his way back to Bath as
best he could. By the way, the
young lovers live just a mile from
each other.
Mr.. Bodkin went to Spring Creek
and told his troubles to Mr.. Clint |
Bowers, a relative, who rendered
him the use of a buggy to get back
to Bath. --Harrisonburg News.