Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-03-21

Of the young man excited Mrs. WHIT
comb so much that after little hest
lance she moved forward, followed ~
the jealous Ashton.
"Oh, what's up?" she Tentured. II
looks like something bridal"
Talk about womanly intuition"
said Lieutenant Hudson, with an In
gratiating salaam.
And then they explained to her thai
their classmate at West Point, being
ordered suddenly to the Philippines,
had arranged to elope with his beloved
Marjorie Newton; had asked them to
get the tickets and check the baggage
while he stopped at q minister's to
get spliced and hike for Manila By
this train"
Having recounted this plan "a the
full belief that 1t was even at that mo
ment being carried out successfully
Lieutenant Hudson, with a ghouEsh
smile, explained:
Being old friends OF the bride and
groom, We want to fix their section up
in style and make them truly comfort.
able"
"Delicious!" gushed Mrs. Whitcomb.
But you ought to have some rice and
old shoes"
Here's the rice" said Hudson.
Here's the old Shoes" said Shaw.
Lovely" cried Mrs. Whitcomb. but
then she grew soberer. II should think.
though, that they-the young couple
would have preferred stateroom."
"Of course" said Hudson, almost
blushing, but 1t was taken. This was
the best We could do for them"
That's why we want to make 1t
nice and bride-like." said Shaw. Per.
haps you could help us-a woman's
touch"
"Oh, I'd love to-" she glowed, has
teniug into the section among the
young men and the bundles. The un-
usual stir attracted the porter's sus-
picions. He came forward with look
Of authority:
"scuse me, but wha-what's all
this?"
"Vanish-get out" said Hudson,
poking a coin at him. AS he turned
10 obey, Mrs. Whitcomb checked him
with: "Oh, Porter. could you get us
a hammer and some nails?"
The porter almost blanched: Good
Lawd, Miss, you amt allowin' to drive
nails In that woodwork, is you?" That
woodwork was 10 him what the altar
is to the priest.
But Hudson, resorting to heroic
measures, hypnotized him with two
dollar bill: Here, take this and see
nothing. hear nothing, say nothing"
The porter caressed It and chuckled:
I'm blind, deaf and speechless.' He
turned away, only TO come back at
once with timtd "Scuse mel"
You here yet?" growled Hudson.
Anxiously the porter pleaded: u
lust want to asst one question. Is you
all hxin' up for bridal couple"
Foolish question:. nupber eight
million, forty-three." said Shaw. An
swer, no, we are"
The porters face glistened like
fresh stove polish as he gloated over
the prospect. Il tell you, It'll be mainly
refreshin' to have q bridal couple on
bode! This dog-on Reno train don't
carry nothin' much but diyorcses. I'm
just Dachally hongry for bridal cou-
Pile"
"Brile coup-hic-le?" came a voice,
like an echo that had somehow be.
come intoxicated in transit. 1t was
Little Jimmie Wellington looking for
more sympathy, ".Whass zis about
brile coupler"
Why, here's Little Buttercup!"
sang out young Hudson, looking at
him in amazed amusement.
did un'stan' somebody say you're
preparing for brile couple"
Lieutenant Shaw grinned. Il don't
know what you understood, but that's
what we're doing"
Immediately Wellington's great face
began to churn and work like big
eddy In a river. Suddenly he was
weeping. Excuse these tears. zhent'
tIemen, but I once-l was once q
b.b.bride myself"
HE looks like a whole wedding par.
ty," was Ashton'S only comment Oh
the copious grief. 1t was poor Yelling
toms fate to hunt as yainly for sym
pathy as Diogenes for honesty. The
decorators either ignored him or
shunted him aside. They were inter-
ested in q strange contriyance OF rib
bons and box that Shaw produced.
That" Hudson explained, rs lit
tie rice trap. We hang that up there
and when the bridal couple sit down
-biff! shower OF rice all over them.
It's bad. eh?"
Everybody agreed that 1t was q
happy thought, and even Jimmie Wei
lington, like a great baby. bounding
from tears to laughter on the instant.
was chortling: "A rishe trap? That's
abslootly splendid-greates' inVensh'
modern times. l must stick around
and see her when she hops." And