The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-08-02


Il have it," she beamed
Yes, Marjorie?" he assented, du'
biousIy.
Well pretend not to be married at
ALL"
He seized the rescUing ladder;
That's it! Not married-just
friends"
Till We can get married.
Yes. and then we can stop being
friends
My love-my friend" They en-
braced In a most unfriendly manner
An impatient yelp from the neg
lected dog basket awoke them.
"Oh, Lord, we've brought Snoozle-
ums."
"Of course we have" She took the
dog from the prison, tucked him un-
der her arm, and tried to compose
her bridal face into n merely friendly
countenance before they entered the
car. But she must pause for one more
kiss, one more OF those bitter-sweet
good -byes. And Mallory was nothing
loath.
Hudson and Shaw We're still glumly
perplexed, when the porter returned
in his white jacket.
Il bet they missed the train; all
this work for nothing" Hudson grum-
bled But Shaw, seeing the porter,
caught CLEAN Of hope, and asked
anXiously:
Say, porter, have you seen any
thing anywhere that looks like fresh
ly married pair"
Well" and the porter rubbed his
eyes with the back of his hand as he
chuckled well, they's a mighty low
In couple out theah in the corridor"
That's them-they-it."
Instantly everything was alive and
in action. 1t was as Ii bugle had
shrilled in detected camp.
Get ready" Shaw commanded
Here's rice for everybody"
Everybody take an old SHOE" said
Hudson. You can't miss in this mar
row car"
There's kazo0 for everyone, too"
said Shaw, as the outstretched hands
We're equipped with wedding ammuni-
ton. DO you know the Wedding
March ?"
II ought to by this time" said Mrs.
Whitcomb.
Right into the tangle of prepare
ton, old Ira Lathrop stalked, on his
way back to his seat to get more
cigars.
Have some rice for the bridal
coupler" said Ashton, Offering him OF
his own double-handful.
But Lathrop brushed him aside
with a romance-hater's groWl.
Watch out for your head, then"
cried Hudson, and Lathrop ducked
just too late to escape a neCk-tilling,
hair-tilling shower An old shoe took
him clip abaft the ear, and the old
woman-hater dropped raging into the
same berth where the spinster, Anne
Cattle, was trying to dodge the same
downpour.
Still there was enough of the
shrapnel left to overwhelm the two
young friends" who marched into
the aisle, trying to look Indifferent
and prepared for nothing on earth
less than for wedding charivarl.
Mallory should have done better
than to entrust his plans to fellows
like Hudson and Shaw, whom he had
known at West Point FOR diabolically
Joyous hazers and practical jokers.
Even as he sputtered rice and WINGED
from the impact of flying footgear,
he was cursing himself as a double
dyed idiot for asking such men to en-
gage his berth for him. He had
sudden instinct that they had doubt.
less bedecked his trunk and Mar
jorie's with white satin furbeiows and
ludicrous labels. But he. could not
shelter himself from the white sleet
and the black thumps. He could
hardly shelter Marjorie, who covered
behind him and shreked even loud
er than the romping tormentors.
When the assailants had exhausted
the rice and shoes, they charged down
the aisle for the privilege OF kissing
the bride. Mallory was dragged and
hunted and shunted here and there,
and he had to fight his way back to
Marjorie with might and main. He
was Juggling and striking like demon,
and yelling, Stop it! stop it,"
Hudson took his punishment with
uproarious good nature, laughing:
"Oh, shut up. or we'll kiss you!"
But Shaw was scrubbing his wry
lips with seasick wall OF:
Wow! | think kissed the dog"
There was, Of necessity, some pause
for breath, and the combatants draped
themselves Imply about the seats.
Mallory glared at the twin Benedict
Arnolds and demanded:
Are you two thugs going to San
Francisco with me-"
Don't worry" smiled Hudson
were only going as far as Kedzie