Evening journal., 1911-03-24
THE THIRD
AUTO
BY MIRIAM ELDRIDGE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
BY MIRIAM ELDRIDGE


Cynthia b. Geddes."
The clerk filled out the license and
banded II to the prospective groom. a
pompous man. who laid down hve
dollar gold piece in lieu OF fee and
drew the lady away without waiting
for the change.
A few days later the clerk asked the
usual questions OF a couple standing
al his window.
"Gentleman's namef
"willis ID Rathbone."
'Lady'sT
"Cynthia Geddes.p
The clerk looked aside AT the lady.
II seemed to him that he remembered
giving a license for one OF that name
before Not recognizing her face. he
turned back the leaves OF his book till
he came TO the names OF Edgar Clark
Stewart and Cynthia b. Geddes. no.
ticed the ''B," in the lady's name. con
cluded that II was a case OF coinci-
dence. wrote the certificate and hand
ed II to the man.
"H'mr remarked the recipient.
"Al's well that ends we'll"
The same morning men were at work
putting up an awning before a hand
some dwelling in a residential portion
OF the city. and In the evening guests
were to assemble for the reception
after the wedding OF Edgar Clark
Stewart and Cynthia b. Geddes. The
wedding was a notable one. for the
contracting parties both stood high in
social circles. the groom was rich. and
the brides parents were also blessed
with a fortune. Automobiles were in
attendance to convey the bride from
her home to the church. where as had
been especially arranged. she was to
meet the groom. Miss Geddes insisted
on planning the affair TO suit her own
fancy. and it is a brides privilege to
have her own way In all things per-
tanning to her nuptials. She declared
that her father and mother should pro-
coed to the church I'm one auto. the
others in another. while she and her
sister. Miss Esther Geddes. would go
In a third
No one understood this whim. but no
one thought OF making any opposition
to It Indeed. the father and mother
OF the bride were only too delighted
TO give their daughter her own way
in the matter OF the wedding so long
I as she was yielding in marrying the
man of their choice instead OF her own.
Mr.. Geddes had worked hard for the
fortune he had accumulated. and It is
+, a we'll known fact that wealth assimi
lates with wealth. Mr.. Stewart could
match the pile of his father-in-law ex
pectapt
At the door stood three autos. Int,
the tirst Mr. Geddes handed in hi
wife. then got in himself Into tn
second entered two of the brides aunt
and a younger brother Into the thirs
stepped the bride and her sister Usag,
required that the order and the dis
position Of persons be reversed. but the
little procession started as stated
The first auto drew up at the church
and the second auto did the same. But
where WAS the third7 Mr.. Geddes
stepped out on to the sidewalk and
handed out his wife and looked about
for his daughters. He sent the others
present into the vestibule OF the church
and waited outside II he had waited
/ till the arrival OF the third auto be
would have been there to this very
day
But the third auto. The procession
had no sooner started than II began e
lag At every street crossing the
chauffeur seemed disposed to give
place 10 all vehicles in his path Final
ly. after quite a lengthy halt. starting
up. at the next corner he turned aside
and. being we'll out Of sight OF the au
tos In front, put on speed There wal
a sputter. and the auto dashed away
leaving behind a fine odor OF old
lamps.
Half an hour later this third aut,
drew up before a parsonage ten or ar
teen miles from the church where thu
wedding was to have taken place. Tit
chauffeur handed the bride and her sis
ter out. the three went INTO the par
sonage. and the chauffeur handed I
marriage license TO the parson
read Willis d. Rathbone and CynthiI
Geddes
And so II was that while the gentle
man OF the first license was waiting a
the church for his bride the gentle
> man Of the second license was weddinI
; the lady in a different part OF thl
town When the bridal party returned
from the church and Mr. Geddes wa
telephoninR to the police of the disap
! pearance OF bride on the way to he
wedding Miss Geddes junior rode ul
= to the house in the third auto and re
ported that her sister had been kid
2 naped by the chauffeur
Mr.. Geddes fumed and swore that b.
would never forgive his daughter AM
all that. but when she returned from
the honeymoon he thought better o
! II and gave her his blessing
J Now. there Ia no intention to recoun
: this AFFAIR as being Justihable. II de
pends upon the standpoint from whic'
one looks at elopements. especiall
where one lover II left in the lurcf
whether It is justinable or not Their
Is an adsge however. which was In
vented to cover such cases. and II doe
away with all criminality. II is "An'
fair in love and war" Why love an
war. which are the antipodes Of eac
other. should be brought under tn
same rule In n matter that has news