Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1910-12-23
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By F. A. mitchell
Copyright, 1910. by American Pres
Association.

sect up; Johns terribly Ill. You
must go for doctor"
heard the words as spoken from
q distance or while In a dream, for
had been working night and day with
but a few hours sleep each night and
was exhausted. Then / felt violent
shaking which caused me to open my
eyes. After much repetition was
made to understand that i was to 60
at once for a doctor. / managed to
get into my clothes, and, being told
that the residence of the physician
was % Hawthorne street. one OF
row of stone front dwellings, | sal
lied forth. On the way was obliged
to pinch myself to keep sufficiently
awake to avoid falling against objects
| passed. On reaching the block
found the numbers were all in the
vestibules where no light shone upon
them. | finally found number that
appeared to be %. but l could not be
sure. / failed to find the doctors sign
but the darkness Of the street would
account for that l rang the bell. A
colored girl came to the door. I asked
If the doctor was at home. She said
he was not; he had gone out to see a
person who was at the point of death
| asked when he might be expected
home. to which she replied that he
might come any minute. concluded
to wait awhile and, going inside, sat
down on a sofa in a far corner of the
room. There was a light in the hall
which was turned low, the only light
on the main floor.
In a few minutes I was sound asleep.
Again / heard voice. this time a
woman's, trying to awaken me.
awake up! We haven't moment
to lose. Father will be here In few
minutes, and it will be too late"
! reused myself and stood up. A
soft hand took mine, and, only partly
awake, l heard mans voice mum
bling something. There was no light
in the hall Or in the room / was in,
though figures could be discerned from
what light came from the street. The
mumbling ended with the words IMAM
and wife," Then the soft voice said:
"Come quick"
] was led out of the house. the hand
still holding mine, and found car.
riage waiting at the door. The figure
that led me got into it and shut the
door.
Remember" she said, tomorrow
at T."
BY this time | was sufficiently awake
to realize that something Of consider
able importance was at hand. | thrust
my hand into my pocket where l car
ried box Of matches, drew 1t forth,
struck q light and revealed the as
tonished face Of girl apparently
about twenty years OF age.
"Oh. heavensw she exclaimed.
A clatter Of wheels was heard coming
rapidly.
Drive on"
The coachman whipped up his horses
and in another moment my uninten-
tional bride was whirled away.
Her carriage had scarcely turned q
corner where its rattle was not Sc
distinctly heard when another came
tearing down the street and stopped
before the doctors door. | concluded
that. having got another mans sweet
heart, was liable to the wrath her
father might be disposed to vent upon
him. | moved away few PAGES where
| would not be seen and awaited fur
Their developments. A man jumped out
of the carriage. ran up the steps OF the
doctors residence and pulled the bell
furiously. Some one came to the door
and | heard questions and answers, but
not with sufficient distinctness to make
out their purport. Then the man ran
down the steps. get into the carriage
and was driven away.
Notwithstanding the seriousness OF
the situation. there was something lu'
dicrous about it. While John was suf'
feriug for the want Of doctor and
might have died for all | knew. i'll
steal Of getting him one had go'
married. Could anything be more
ridiculous? The curiosity that had led
me- TO flash match In my wires race
to see what she was like prompted
me 10 investigate further, AS soon as
7 was sure the last carriage was at Q
safe distau"e | mounted the steps OF
rho doctors house and rang the bell.
4 man in clerical dress answered the
summons. He seemed very much dls
turbed and in an irritated voice SAID:
well. SIR?
does Or. Brainard live here"
ono sir. Or. Brainard lives mex
foor No. %. This is 90
I went home. My mother was the
only one in the house still up. sne
was waiting for me. o..
"Wbere have You been all the timer
she asked impatiently.
Mother, I'm married.!
Married"
"Yes. married
"Why. | thought you went Tor tn'
doctor"
so did"
And go. married instead! oh' "'
goodness gracious!
~ couldn't help II.
"CouIdu't help getting married! Have
you lost yonr senses!
81 went 10 sleep.