The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1912-01-19

A Mad
Race
An Up to Date Story of an
Eiopement
BY HENRY T. ARCHIBALD
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation, 1911.
BY HENRY T. ARCHIBALD


speaking about these dams bursting
and destroying people," said q citizen
Of Colorado. reminds me of case of
food out here in this state. OF course
the one refer to didn't destroy hun
dreds of homes and lots of people. but
to those concerned in 1t it was Il
mighty important affair"
what food do you refer to- Silsby?'
asked Wilkins, sitting with his feet on
the iron rail encircling the stove and
intended for foot rest.
IF I'm going to tell you the story
I'll have to bring the different events
IN as they happened" replied Silsby;
otherwise I'd get it all mixed up. To
begin with, Molly MeGregor was the
prettiest girl in - county, and not
only the prettiest girl. but the biggest
madcap. But you ought to see her
now. She's the quietest little woman
in the world and afraid of her own
shadow. She's married and got three
children, the Oldest
"Oh, cut that shorti" cried the man
on the other side of the stove. You're
putting in the end before the begin
ming. thought you said ycp were GO
ing to proceed IN order.
If you eau cell the story better
than
"Oh. go onr' said the other foot
warmers in one voice.
"As l was saying" continued the
narrator molly MeGregor was the
merriest madcap in the county. She
had all the men In love with her, from
the richest ranchman to the meanest
cowboy. McGregor, her father, was a
Scotchman, who was about as hard to
move when he took position as Pixies
peak. and the position he took with
Molly was that she was to marry the
man he selected for her.
1.-THE old man didn't worry much
about her not doing as he intended
when the time came for she had one
man dangling about her one day and
another the next. and sometimes they
were thick as flies about sugar bar
rel. So long as that kind of monkey
shines was going on her father knew
that there was nothing to fear. and
even II his daughter should fall IN love
with some one of her admirers he had
no idea that Molly would marry any
one except the man he picked out foi
her."
81 thought" interrupted the man on
the other side of the stove, you were
going to tell us something new. That
sort of stuff is to be found in nine
tenths of all the stories in the world.
shut up, wilkins" said one of the
listeners, land let's have the yarn"
I'm not going to spoil 1t for m,
grunted Silsby at was old MeGregor's
confidence that was his undoing. so
far as his daughter was concerned
But, tell you, my friends, it doesn't
do any good to watch a girl You
might as well watch a soldier on the
field of battle with a view of pulling
him out of the way from the bullet
that's going to kill him. Before you
know it he doubles up. SO does the
girl. A certain fellow gives her look
and she drops.
"The man that looked at Molly Nc
Gregor when she surrendered was Ned
Deane. who was nothing but COW
boy. Ned was a very good fellow, but
he had nothing laid up. while the own
err OF a gold mine that was yielding
$1,000 to the ton was dead stuck on
the girl.
"First thing Old McGregor knew that
his daughter was going TO go back on
his matrimonial plans for her was
when Bryant. the mine owning sultor,
rode up to the ranch one morning ana
said:
".Say. old man, met your daughter
lust now driving that automobile you
bought her last Christmas, with Neu
Deane sitting beside her AS they
went by caught sight of valise I'M
der their feet. and | reckon they re
running away.
"sWhatp exclaimed the Scotehman'
his eyes bullying out of his head
"'Bet you $50 it's an elopement
"McGregor never did anything fast
In his life till that moment II wash
Ave minutes before he was in one OF
the autos he kept on the ranch, ana !
tell you the hand on the speed gauge
iust spun around from zero to nfty III
no time at ALL
"Oh, he's going to give us runaway
couple in an auto chased by her father
in another auto" interrupted the crlt
zeal Wilkins. That's hackneyed.
BET you ten that isn't the point Oh
% .ai1 CiisbV
wilkins failed to come up ana SnS
by proceeded: .,o
.McGregor doesn't come into the
story or my version Of it at ALL except
that there was big chase q zen
YOU something about that only my
friend on the other side of the stove
considers it wornout story material
One thing I must mention. and that, Is
that while the race was going on the
clouds were thickening and there was
a muttering of thunder Just pelois
the lovers reached the turn of the roau
where it goes down into one OF tne
narrowest canyons in Colorado the!
heard report behind them ana iVoh JOE.
ing back, saw that busted tire nau
sent the pursuing auto off over a ieYei
space beside the road. 1t didn't upset
but Molly knew the race was over, n en
father couldn't hope to eaten net on
foot"
ei,sby paused to light pipe anu