The Delta independent., 1912-06-07

And then they explained to her that
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 a minister's TO
get spliced and hike for Manila by
this train"
Having recounted this plan in the
full belief that it was even at that mo-
,ment being carried out successfully,
Lieutenant Hudson, with a ghoulish
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. 81 should think.
though, that they-the young couple
would have preferred a stateroom."
"Of course" said Hudson, almost
blushing. but it was taken. This was
the best we could do for them"
That's why we want to make it
nice and bride-like," said Shaw. Per
haps you could help us-a woman's
touch"
"Oh, I'd love to-" she glowed, has
tening into the section among the
young men and the bundles. The un-
usual stir attracted the porters 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
to 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 your" That
woodwork was to 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 1t and chuckled:
I'm blind, deaf and speechless." He
luTHGu away OHly " CoHit paNh oe
once with timid "Scuse mel"
3 you here YETI" growled Hudson.
! Anxiously the porter pleaded: II
just want to ast one question. Is you
all fixin' up for a bridal coupler"
Foolish question, number eight
million, forty-three," said Shaw. AN
swer, no, we are"
The porter's face glstened like
fresh stove polish as he gloated over
the prospect. Il tell you. it'll be mahty
refreshin' to have a bridal couple on
bode! This dog-on Reno train don't
carry nothin' much but Divorces. I'm
just nachally hongry for a bridal cou-
pie"
"Brile coup-hic-le?" came 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 couple?"
"Why, here's Little Buttercup!"
sang out young Hudson, looking at
him in amazed amusement.
did l un'stan' somebody say you're
preparing for brile coupr?"
Lieutenant Shaw grinned. II don't
what we're doing"
Immediately Wellington's great face
began to churn and work like a big
eddy in a river. Suddenly he was
weeping. Excuse these tears, zhent-
tlemen, but / once-I was once a
b-b-bride myself"
HE looks like whole wedding par
ty," was Ashton's only comment on
the copious grief. 1t was poor yelling
toms fate to hunt as vainly for sym
pathy as Diogenes for honesty. The
decorators either ignored him or
sbunted him aside. They were inter
ested in a strange contrivance of rib
bons and box that Shaw produced.
That" Hudson explained. "is 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 a
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. / must stick around
, and see her when she flops." And
then he lurched forward like too
obliging elephant. Let me help you"
Mrs. Whitcomb, who had now
mounted a step ladder and poised her
self as gracefully as possible, shrieked
with alarm, as she saw Wellington q
bulk rolling toward her frail support.
II Hudson and Shaw had not been
, football veterans at West Point and
, had not known just what to do when
. the center rush comes bucking the