Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1912-04-12

A Mad
Race
An Up to Date Story Of an
Elopement
By HENRY T. ARCHIBALD
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.
By HENRY t. ARCHIBALD

Speaking about these dams bursting
and destroying people," said citizen
of Colorado, reminds me of a 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 1t was q
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 McGregor 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
Nht NuN Nhut NAACu thO mum
on the other side of the stove. you're
putting In the end before the begin
ming. ! thought you said you were go
ing to proceed in order"
IF you can tell the story better
than
"Oh. go onI' said the other foot
warmers in one voice.
"As was saying" continued the
narrator. MOLLY McGregor 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 for
her."
~ thought" interrupted the man on
Tho athar otda ne tho dknua Nunn UaFa
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. "and let's have the yarn"
I'm not going to spoil 1t for l. n"
grunted Silsby ut was old McGregOr's
confidence that was his undOing. so
far as his daughter was concerned.
But, l tell you. my friends. II doesn't
do any good to watch girl. You
might as well watch 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 1t he doubles up SO does the
girl. A certain fellow gives her look
and she drops.
1.-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.
er 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 and
said
"'Say. old man. met your daughter
Just now driving that automobile you
bought her last Christmas. with Ned
Deane sitting beside her. As they
went by caught sight of valise I'M
der their feet. and reckon they're
running away.
"'Whatr exclaimed the Scotchman.
his eyes bulging out Of his head.
"'Bet you $50 it's an elopement'
"McGregor never did anything fast
in his life til that moment II wasn't
Eve minutes before he was In one Of
the autos he kept on the ranch, and I
tell you the hand on the speed gauge
Just spun around from zero to fifty In
no time at ALL"
"oh, he's going TO give us a runaway
couple In an auto chased by her father
In another auto" interrupted tho crit
zeal Wilkins. That's hackneyed."
BET you ten that isn't the point Of
the story" said sllsby.
wilkins failed to come up, and Sis
by proceeded:
"McGregor doesn't come into the
story or my version Of It Mt all, except
that there was a big chase. I'd tell
you something about that only my
friend on the other side Of the stove
considers II WORKOUT story material.
One thing must mention, and that is
that while the race was going on the
clouds were thickening and there was
n muttering OF thunder. Just before
the lovers reached the turn Of the road
where II goes down into one Of the
narrowest canyons In Colorado they
heard a report behind them and, look
ing back. saw that a busted tire had
sent the pursuing auto on over a level
space beside the rond II didn't upset,
but Molly knew the race was over; her
father couldn't hope 20 catch her on