The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-09-25
QUICK
CHANGE
BY WINIFRED C. TEALE

nun seem 10 ne SpaEk OF ToudAC'
In him.
One day Lucy surprised Tom by tell
Ing him that she believed her mother
was not intending to let her marry
him. Since he had always appeared
70 be favorite with Mrs. Tisdale, ht
sould hardly believe this story and told
.aucy that she must be mistaken. Lucy
aid she wasn't and that an elopement
vas necessary. This didn't suit Tom
He pointed out to her that without o
4ertainty as to her mothers opposition
dhey would be very silly to antagonjzt
her and make themselves absurd to ali
their friends, whereupon Ley said
that he must show some spirit In the
matter or resign her. Tom reluctantly
consented to an elopement-
They eloped in an auto, and Lucy
waited outside the parsonage while
Tom went inside to secure the services
of minister.
Very important matters often hinge
on very little ones. The minister kept
Tom waiting while he shaved, but,
having cut his cheek, took time to
stanch the blood. This gave Lucy
time to consider, and the fact came to
her that she was making fool Of
herself Every moment she expected
the parsonage door to open and Tom
to come out to take her In to the we'd
ding. Yielding to an impulse, she start
ed the auto, gradually accelerating the
speed till she turned into the main road
leading homeward, when she put on all
the power. 1t was an ignoble fight, as
she well knew, but anything was bet
ter than either facing Tom or going
home married to confront a mother
who hadn't the slightest objection to
her being wed in an ordinary fashion.
When Tom came out and saw moth
ing of Lucy he made inquiries as to
whether she had been kidnapped. and
when he learned that she had driven
away the true solution of her action
occurred to him
Now. Tom had been brought up with
a cousin with waom he had been used
to consulting whenever anything both
cred him. Indeed. they had been so
prosaically intimate that be had never
thought Of marrying her 1t so hap
pened that this cousin lived In the very
town he had come to for matrimonial
purposes. When Tom emerged from
the minister's house saying that he
would be back with the bride in a few
minutes and found himself deserted
he didn't like IT at all. What distress
ed him most was that Lucy had proved
SO weak a character. His first i'm.
pulse was to go and talk with his
cousin about 1t. and he did so. When
he had told her how Lucy had left him
In the lurch he added:
I'm in a very absurd position, Eu- |
nice, with reference to the minister. |
Hes waiting for me to come with my
girl to be married. No doubt he's |
what he viii buy for his fam
lily with the fee. / dislike awfully to
go back and tell him that the girl has
backed out"
Il don't see how you can help your
self"
was pause WHICH
both were thinking. Then Eunice
added. THAT is, If you're going to try
It again with Lucy"
I'm not" said Tom decidedly, 'sbut
don't see how that helps matters"
You might take another girl to the
He won't know the differ
.nce"
Tom stood looking into her eyes, a
new idea slowly working Its way into
his brain. When she lowered them
he slow process ceased and the idea
went ga1loping onward, gaining
strength with every bound. What In
he world had he been doing in leav-
ng this girl, on whose judgment so
ar back as he could remember he had
been accustomed to rely, to whom he
lad gone for comfort or to be stimu-
ated or soothed, as the case required,
o fall in love with a girl who had not
,nIy made fool of herself. but OF himl
"Eunice." he said presently, with the
uspicion of tremor in his voice,
will you help me out of this?"
How"
by going with me as that other
yirl"
Better think it over, Tom. You
might regret it."
mo: pledge you my word won't.
On the contrary, see plainly what an
ISIS / have made of myself in leaving
'ou out Of my calculations. Can you
orgive me?"
She looked up into his eyes and saw
hat great change had come over
him.
Come" he added: there will be an
advantage to me in completing the
arrangements now and avoid
ne future discussion. ordinations and .
uch like"
ANY course is the right one il you ,
re sure"
I'm sure, only hope you are"
I've been sure for years.
There was but little time for the ten
Ter scene that followed Eunice went
pstairs and in few minutes return
d ready for the bridal. 1t was but a
ew steps to the minister's. and when b
hey entered his study he was not n
ware that since he had been called [
pom to ofticiate there had been a Y
hange of brides, He made them man n
nd wife. I,
When I,rev heard how her nlana bod 4