Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-02-25
THE THIRD
AUTO
BY MIRIAM ELDRlDGE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1871.


Cynthia B. Geddes"
The clerk filed out the license and
handed it to the prospective groom,
pompous man, who laid down a FIVE
dollar gold piece in lieu of a 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
at his window.
"Gentleman's name?"
willis d. Rathbone."
"Lady'sY"
Cynthia Geddes."
The clerk looked aside at the lady.
1t seemed to him that he remembered
giving 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 3d." in the lady's name, con
cluded that it was case of coinci-
dence, wrote the certificate and hand
ed 1t to the man.
"H'mw remarked the recipient
"Alrs well that ends WELL"
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 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 brides privilege to
have her own way in all things per-
tanning to her nupials. She declared
that her father and mother should pro-
coed to the church in one auto, the
others in another. while she and her
sister. Miss Esther Geddes. would go
in a third.
No one understood this within, 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
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 1t is
a well known fact that wealth assimi-
lates with wealth. Mr.. Stewart could
match the pile of his father-in-law ex-
pectant.
AT the door stood three autos. Into
the first Mr.. Geddes handed in his
wife. then got in himself. Into the
second entered two Of the brides aunts
and younger brother. Into the third
stepped the bride and her sister. Usage
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 third? 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. If he had waited
till the arrival of the third auto he
would have been there to this very
day.
But the third auto. The procession
had no sooner started than it began to
lag At every street crossing the
chauffeur seemed disposed to give
place to all vehicles in his path. Final
". after quite a lengthy halt. starting
up, at the next corner he turned aside
and, being well out Of sight of the au-
tos in front, put on speed. There was
a sputter, and the auto dashed away,
leaving behind a fine odor of old
lamps.
Half an hour later this third auto
drew up before parsonage ten or fit
teen miles from the church where the
wedding was to have taken place. The
chauffeur handed the bride and her sis.
ter out, the three went into the par
SODdEG, anu lLlc NDduLlCul httlNSo q
marriage license to the parson. 1t
read Willis D. Rathbone and Cynthia
| Geddes.
And so it was that while the gentle
man of the first license was waiting at
the church for his bride the gentle
man of the second license was wedding
the lady in n different part of the
| town. When the bridal party returned
from the church and Mr.. Geddes was
| telephoning to the police of the disap-
pearance of bride on the way to her
! wedding Miss Geddes junior rode up
to the house in the third auto and re-
/ ported that her sister had been kid
mapped by the chauffeur.
1 Mr.. Geddes fumed and swore that he
would never forgive his daughter and
all that. but when she returned from
the honeymoon he thought better of
/ 1t and gave her his blessing.
Now, there is no intention to recount
/ this affair as being iustifable. 1t de-
/ ponds upon the standpoint from which
one looks at opponents, especially
where one lover is left in the lurch.
whether it is justifable or not. There
is an adage however, which was in
vented to cover such cases, and it does
away with all criminality. 1t is CATS
fair in love and war" Why love and
war, which are the antipodes Of each
ether, should be brought under the
same rule is matter that has never
been satisfactorily explained